This report is made possible by the important contributions of the National Research Council (NRC) staff, the study committee, and many other experts. First, we acknowledge the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation (NSF). We particularly thank NSF program officers Denis Schatz, Al DeSena, and Julie Johnson.
This report was informed by a National Summit on Successful Out-of-School STEM L-earning on June 3-4, 2014. Organized by the study committee, the summit was held in Washington, D.C. On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank the people who made presentations at the summit: for videos of the presentations, and slides used by the presenters, see http://sites.nationalacademies.org/DBASSE/BOSE/DBASSE_086989 [February 2015]. The summit agenda is in Appendix A, and the list of commissioned papers presented at the summit is in Appendix B.
This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the Report Review Committee of NRC. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the process.
I thank the following individuals for their review of this report: Sue Allen, Research, Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, Augusta, ME; James Bell, Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education, Association of Science-Technology Centers, Washington, D.C.; William B. Bridges, Department of Engineering Emeritus, California Institute of Technology; Ilan Chabay, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, Potsdam, Germany; Ellen S. Gannett, National Institute on Out-of-School Time, Wellesley Centers for Women; Richard M. Lerner, Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development, Tufts University; Lester L. Lyles, Independent Consultant, The Lyles Group, Vienna VA; Dale McCreedy, Gender, Adult Learning and Community Engagement, The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA; David Pines, Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign; and Robert M. West, Informal Learning Experiences, Denver, CO.
Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the content of the report nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Eugenie C. Scott, National Center for Science Education, and Stephen R. Berry, University of Chicago. Appointed by NRC, they were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the committee and the institution.
Thanks are also due to the project staff and staff of the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education (DBASSE). Joanna Roberts managed the study’s logistical and administrative needs, making sure meetings and workshops ran efficiently and smoothly. Eugenia Grohman of the DBASSE staff substantially improved the readability of the report. We are also grateful to Argenta Price (Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Fellow) for her contribution to the study. Kirsten Sampson Snyder of the DBASSE staff expertly guided us through the NRC review process, and Yvonne Wise of the DBASSE staff oversaw the production of the report. Most importantly, Michael Feder, NRC Board on Science Education, directed the study and played a key role in the report drafting process.
Eric Jolly, Chair
Committee on Successful Out-of-School STEM Learning
PHOTO CREDITS
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