Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL)

Overview

<div>The Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program seeks to advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning opportunities for the public in informal environments; provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments; and engage the public of all ages in learning STEM in informal environments.</div> <div></div> <div>The AISL program's priorities are: (1) Maximizing Strategic Impact, (2) Enhancing Knowledge-Building, (3) Promoting Innovation, (4) Advancing Collaboration,(5) Strengthening Infrastructure and Building Capacity, and (6) Broadening Participation. Through these priorities, described in more detail throughout the solicitation, the program contributes to STEM engagement and literacy, workforce development, and educational success. It may also narrow the gap betweenthe advancements in scientific discovery and the publics understanding of science. </div> <div><strong>What is informal science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning? </strong>It is "lifelong learning in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) that takes place across a multitude of designed settings and experiences outside ofthe formal classroom" (Center for the Advancement of Informal Science Education website). For more information see the Center for the CAISE website,<a href="http://www.informalscience.org">http://www.informalscience.org</a>.</di…; <div>AISL program investments should be of interest and utility to public audiences, informal STEM practitioners, and decision-makers. All proposals must articulate clear rationales describing why a project is primarily informal and how it adds value to the informal STEM learning community.</div> <div></div> <div><strong>Audiences for AISL Projects.</strong> AISL projects engage participants drawn from both public and professional audiences.</div> <div></div> <div><strong>STEM content areas</strong>. Content may focus on any areas of STEM that NSF supports, including interdisciplinary learning and learning that positions STEM within meaningful personal,cultural or societal frameworks. The proposals should discuss the STEM content area(s) in sufficient depth to provide a clear understanding of concepts, topics,processes, and associated skills that are conveyed to the audience. Topics should be relevant to the age levels of proposed audience(s). Projects may integrateSTEM and art or the humanities, as long as the primary goal is to enhance STEM learning in informal environments.</div> <div></div> <div><strong>Priorities. </strong>This section describes six priorities that the AISL program believes are essential for achieving its goals. These priorities are also strategies to incorporate asapproaches to the work. Every project does not need to address every priority. Thus, proposals should be clear about how the priorities are being addressed.These priorities should be addressed at the level appropriate to the proposal type and amount of funding requested.</div> <ol> <li>Maximizing Strategic Impact</li> <li>Enhancing Knowledge-building</li> <li>Promoting Innovation</li> <li>Advancing Collaboration</li> <li>Strengthening Infrastructure and Building Capacity</li> <li>Broadening Participation</li> </ol> <div></div> <div></div> <div><strong>Project Types.</strong> The AISL program supports six types of projects: (1) Pilots and Feasibility Studies, (2) Research in Service to Practice, (3) Innovations in Development, (4) Broad Implementation, (5) Literature Reviews, Syntheses, or Meta-Analyses, and (6) Conferences. The range of project types available serve different functions and support varied strategies for guiding proposed work. The first project type, Pilots and FeasibilityStudies, is for investigating approaches to STEM learning and design of learning environments or problems that establish the basis for future research, design, and development of models or approaches. The next three project types, Research in Service to Practice, Innovations in Development, and BroadImplementation, provide opportunities to more fully explore questions and issues for which there are preliminary findings, significant literature, or a practice base.Proposers are cautioned against trying to do too much within a single project. Consider whether the proposed work is in the theory-building, theory-refining, orready-to-scale stage. The last two project types, Conferences and Literature Reviews, Syntheses, or Meta-analyses, offer additional mechanisms for buildingcapacity, advancing informal STEM learning, and synthesizing knowledge.</div>