Leveraging place-based learning at biological field stations to advance science literacy among different audiences

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Jadyn Sethna and Rachel A. Short, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, Rhonda Struminger, A. Michelle Lawing and Rachel A. Short, Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, Jill Zarestky and Lauren Vilen, School of Education, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Background/Question/Methods
Biological field stations (BFSs) are critical infrastructure for advancing ecological research but also provide out-of-school learning opportunities for general audiences through outreach programming. In addition to formal schooling, science literacy is built through lifelong learning at informal institutions such as BFSs, museums, and zoos. Research has identified immense value in the learning that takes place at informal institutions, but it is not well-understood how BFSs approach participant learning and engagement. This project documents the outreach work of BFSs and explores the connections between learner engagement and science learning to answer three main research questions: 1) What opportunities exist at BFSs to promote science learning? 2) How do BFSs approach programming? 3) How does programming differ across groups of learners?

The Informal STEM Learning (ISL) framework was developed to improve outreach offerings at BFSs by centering place among desired learning outcomes, approaches for engagement and science literacy, and STEM topics. Between 2017 and 2019, using a survey aligned with the ISL framework, we asked BFSs personnel to describe their field stations and offerings in informal STEM education. Survey respondents reported on general details, such as frequency of offerings and numbers of participants, as well as specific programming characteristics related to engagement and science literacy. We received survey responses from 223 U.S. BFSs (55%) who reported on 316 informal programs.
Results/Conclusions
Most BFSs (n = 179, 80% of responses) indicated that they do offer STEM educational outreach to the public. Programs were typically designed to be both voluntary and interest-driven. Sense of place is central to the majority (87%) of outreach programming. The most popular formats organized by BFSs for the general public were field trips (48%), lectures (42%), and guided walks (32%). Although more than half of the programs (59%) are led by professional scientists, only one quarter (25%) of programs involved data collection and sharing (e.g., citizen science and BioBlitz events). Most BFSs (81%) emphasized an experiential learning approach during programming, followed by contextual and community learning. Results indicate that groups of learners are presented with different opportunities; volunteers were more likely to participate in community service programs, whereas adult learners were more likely to attend lectures. Our findings provide a greater understanding of how different audiences experience the learning opportunities that BFSs offer to the public. BFSs often serve as place-based sites of informal learning and, as a result, promote science literacy.