Informal Learning

Informal learning happens throughout people's lives in a highly personalized manner based on their particular needs, interests, and past experiences. For youth, informal learning occurs in a variety of settings, such as afterschool and summer programs, museums and science centers.

For the purposes of NGCP, research-based strategies in informal learning relate to strategies used with girls in STEM in informal settings that have research and/or evaluation data to support their effectiveness.

The Informal Learning Resources included here must meet at least 3 of the following 5 criteria:

1. Replicable/Scalable
   1. Program resource must be replicable in other geographic areas, communities, and situations. Program should not be dependent on access to a specific local resource such as a science museum, university, corporate headquarters, or geographic features unless such resources can be widely found in other areas.
   2. Resources should be provided/shared free or at very low cost. Ideally program information should be available online.
   3. Resources should be usable across cultural, ethnic and socio-economic groups.
   4. Program resource should be appropriate to scale or replicate to serve increasing numbers of girls. Required tools should not limit scalability.
2. Research Based
   Program resource should include research and evaluation of the effectiveness, or alternately, be based upon established promising practices in informal STEM education for girls.
3. Evidence of Success
   Program should have documented success/outcomes evidenced by participant, parent and/or staff evaluations and/or program evaluation data.
4. Timeless
   Program content should be durable and long-lasting. For example, this would exclude programs reliant on limited-run television programs, popular culture fads, or programs that rely on technology that is out of date or becoming obsolete.
5. Girl Centered
   Though resources designed for boys and girls are not automatically excluded, programs should have a clear focus on serving/attracting girls and/or use methodology based upon promising practices for educating girls in STEM disciplines.

 

Informal Learning Resources