Investigating the Long-term Impacts of Informal Science Learning at Zoos and Aquariums

根据每年的游客数量，动物园和水族馆是美国和英国最受欢迎的非正式STEM学习场所之一。大多数关于动物园和水族馆非正式STEM学习经历影响的研究都集中在知识、态度和行为的短期变化上。该项目将确定研究动物园和水族馆非正式STEM学习经历的长期影响的机会和障碍。该项目将解决以下首要研究问题：我们如何衡量动物园和水族馆非正式STEM学习经历的长期影响？虽然之前的研究已经记录了显著的结果，但了解动物园和水族馆学习经历的长期影响将使我们更深入、更细致地了解这些项目对STEM知识、技能和应用的影响。这项研究是美国国家科学基金会推进非正式STEM学习计划的一部分，科学学习+ (SL+)。SL+是美国和英国基金会之间的合作伙伴关系。它资助的项目采取转型措施，告知、改进和推进非正式STEM学习经验和环境的知识基础、实践和设计。SL+的长期目标是扩大STEM的参与，更好地理解、加强和协调STEM参与和终身学习。本研究将采用参与式过程来确定：(1)动物园和水族馆非正式科学学习经验的潜在长期影响范围；(2)促进这些影响的特定活动；(3)衡量这些影响的机会和障碍。首先，深入的文献综述将记录动物园和水族馆社区迄今为止的研究成果。其次，一系列咨询研讨会（包括面对面的和在线的）将收集来自动物园和水族馆教育从业者、研究人员和其他利益相关者的想法和意见。咨询研讨会将特别关注两个问题：(1)在动物园和水族馆进行的非正式科学学习经验的不同类型和特点是什么？(2)动物园和水族馆的目标是在知识、态度、技能和行为/行动方面对游客产生什么长期影响？最后，将在美国和英国的动物园和水族馆进行游客调查，以收集游客认为动物园或水族馆非正式STEM学习机会的长期影响。通过所有这些活动收集的数据将为一项为期五年的混合方法研究的设计提供信息，该研究旨在调查在动物园或水族馆进行非正式STEM学习体验的长期影响和相关指标。这项为期五年的研究的目标之一是测试全球动物园和水族馆社区最终可能使用的仪器，以衡量非正式STEM学习计划的长期影响。设计工具来更好地理解动物园和水族馆非正式STEM学习的长期影响，将有助于我们衡量STEM学习成果的能力。其他好处还包括随着时间的推移，游客的科学素养和STEM技能得到提高，并了解教育项目如何为全球野生动物保护做出贡献。

Based on the number of visitors annually, zoos and aquariums are among the most popular venues for informal STEM learning in the United States and the United Kingdom. Most research into the impacts of informal STEM learning experiences at zoos and aquariums has focused on short-term changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. This project will identify the opportunities for and barriers to researching the long-term impacts of informal STEM learning experiences at zoos and aquariums. The project will address the following overarching research question: What are and how do we measure the long-term impacts of an informal STEM learning experience at a zoo and aquarium? While previous research has documented notable results, understanding the long-term impacts of zoo and aquarium learning experiences will provide a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the impact of these programs on STEM knowledge, skills and application. This study is funded as part of NSF's Advancing Informal STEM Learning program, Science Learning+ (SL+). SL+ is a partnership among US and UK foundations. It funds projects that take transformational steps to inform, improve, and advance the knowledge bases, practices, and design of informal STEM learning experiences and environments. The long-term SL+ goals are to broaden participation in STEM and to better understand, strengthen and coordinate STEM engagement and lifelong learning. This study will use a participatory process to identify: (1) the range of potential long-term impacts of informal science learning experiences at zoos and aquariums; (2) particular activities that foster these impacts; and (3) opportunities for and barriers to measuring those impacts. First, an in-depth literature review will document previous research efforts to date within the zoo and aquarium community. Second, a series of consultative workshops (both in-person and online) will gather ideas and input from practitioners, researchers, and other stakeholders in zoo and aquarium education. The consultative workshops will focus on two questions in particular: (1) What are the different types and characteristics of informal science learning experiences that take place at zoos and aquariums? and (2) What are the long-term impacts zoos and aquariums are aiming to have on visitors in relation to knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviors/actions? Finally, visitor surveys at zoos and aquariums in the US and UK will be conducted to gather input on what visitors believe are the long-term impacts of an informal STEM learning opportunity at a zoo or aquarium. The data gathered through all of these activities will inform the design of a five-year, mixed-methods study to investigate long-term impacts and associated indicators of an informal STEM learning experience at a zoo or aquarium. One of the aims of the five-year study will be to test instruments that could eventually be used by the global zoo and aquarium community to measure the long-term impacts of informal STEM learning programs. Designing tools to better understand the long-term impacts of informal STEM learning at zoos and aquariums will contribute to our ability to measure STEM learning outcomes. Additional benefits include improved science literacy and STEM skills amongst visitors over time and an understanding of how education programs contribute to wildlife conservation worldwide.