As part of its overall strategy to enhance learning in informal environments, the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program funds innovative resources for use in a variety of settings. This project aims to enhance the National Parks System in the U.S. by engaging the system as a resource for science education. The advantage of using national parks for science education is that they are natural settings with dynamic changes and offering countless avenues for citizen inquiry. The project will build collaborations between park-based scientists whose work happens out of the public eye and interpreters who are visible to millions of annual visitors. Based on pilot studies done at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, the researchers will extend this work in six national parks with different characteristics. Partners in this endeavor include Winston-Salem State University, and TERC, Inc.
This project's goal is to establish a model for how national parks can be resources for science education and learning. The project will concentrate on the that is being done in six national parks, by scientists who are generally from academic institutions. The scientists have selected each park for research because of its unique features, for example, Carlsbad Caverns' unique feature is its bat population. The main methodology of this proposed effort is to translate these research endeavors and results from the scientists to the park visitors in such ways as to make the process enjoyable, informative, and thought-provoking. Evaluation elements will be included every step in this process in order to not only determine if learning has occurred but also how effectively the science has been translated.
