Expanding and Focusing Infrastructuring Analysis for Informal STEM Education

Abstract

In our efforts to build transformative informal STEM learning environments, we must consider how innovative educational practices and tools are adaptable, sustainable, and equitable. The lens of infrastructuring allows us to attend to the ways that people, practices, and objects already present in these environments can be leveraged and redesigned to support equitable learning outcomes. Through qualitative analysis of 16 facilitator interviews across three informal STEM organizations, we determined six types of infrastructure that support engagement with computational tinkering in informal learning environments: institutional routines and resources, social and facilitation practices, institutional and facilitator values, facilitator expertise, tools and materials, and physical space. We also point out some critical gaps or challenges within these categories that can serve as points for reflection and redesign. This work has implications for researchers, designers, and facilitators/managers who work in informal STEM settings and aim to engage learners with STEM in new ways.