Center For The Advancement Of Informal Science Education Renewal

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The Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE), a cooperative agreement with NSF, is a partnership of the Association of Science-Technology Centers with faculty and professionals from the University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out-of-School Environments, Oregon State University, Science Museum of Minnesota, Visitor Studies Association, KQED Public Media, Advisors and other collaborators. CAISE is working to support ongoing improvement of, and NSF investments in, the national infrastructure for informal Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. CAISE is building capacity and supporting continued professionalization for the field, fostering a community of practice that bridges the many varied forms in which informal STEM experiences are developed and delivered for learners of all ages. To that end, CAISE activities are also: creating field-driven evidence databases about the impacts of informal STEM education; facilitating federated searches of databases; stimulating discussions about important learning research agendas for the field; furthering knowledge transfer between learning research and practice; working to improve evaluation knowledge and processes; and helping STEM researchers improve their efforts in informal STEM education and communication. For Principal Investigators (PIs) and potential PIs, CAISE provides resources that help them as they develop evidence-based ideas and proposals. It also catalyzes and strengthens networks through PI meetings, communications, and other methods that encourage sharing of deliverables, practices, and findings across projects. For the ISE Program at NSF, CAISE is assisting Program Officers in understanding the portfolio of awards, identifying the portfolio's impacts in key areas, and integrating the program's investments in education infrastructure.