The National Academies has just released a handbook of sorts that seeks to give educators and others practical advice on how they can use museums, science centers, and other “informal” forms of education to improve student learning.
The guide, titled “Surrounded by Science: Learning Science in Informal Environments,” is based on the research found in a study of informal science learning, released by the National Research Council earlier this year. Museums and science centers, as well as TV shows and other efforts, can be a major resource for science teachers and parents—if they know how to use them.