Discourses and pedagogies of informal science educators at a nature-based summer camp

Abstract

Out of school learning happens in many different contexts. This paper aims to focus on the educators at a nature based summer camp and how they learn to teach and implement various teaching practices. Little research in the informal science education field focuses on the educators themselves, especially those without a background in education, and this interpretive case study explores how educators in a camp context think about and discuss teaching and learning and what successes and challenges they face when teaching. Similar to novice classroom teachers, the educators at this camp had to negotiate competing ideas about what good teaching and learning is and a multitude of challenges that prevented them from being able to teach in ways that they wanted to. However, they also had several successes in student-led teaching moments that showed a responsiveness to student interests and ideas that is impressive for inexperienced educators.