Educators watching Star Formation activity

Professional Learning for Educators

NISE Network has many resources designed for informal educators who work in museums, university outreach centers, and other out-of-school settings. These include training materials for our educational products, tools and guides related to engaging public audiences in learning about current science, and information about developing and strengthening collaborations.

Training Videos

Educator and learner talking about an Earth and Space activity

Training Videos

Training videos are designed to show facilitation strategies for specific hands-on activities, share specific activity content and background information, and model best practices in public engagement.

Featured Resources for Program Implementation, Delivery, and Facilitation

DEAI Booklet Cover showing an illustration of a diverse group of people

Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) Booklet

Tools for engaging communities and incorporating DEAI practices into informal STEM projects. The tools, practices, and project examples are designed to support NISE Network partner efforts in making their experiences more relevant and inclusive in order to promote a more equitable STEM future in our local communities.
Earthrise Apollo 8 image Image Credit: NASA, Apollo 8 Crew, Bill Anders; Processing and License: Jim Weigang

Making Earth & Space Science More Relevant and Inclusive

These professional learning resources are based on materials developed for the NISE Network’s Earth & Space Project-Based Learning Community which took place in 2021-2022. This project supported museums and science centers across the U.S. in their efforts to make Earth & Space science relevant and inclusive for their local communities. This collection features resources and recordings presented during this virtual online learning community.
Sustainability and Museums: Cover Guide featuring a father and young child interacting with a giant balloon

Professional Resources for Sustainability

Tools to help museum professionals plan and implement sustainability projects and programs.
program guide cover for A NISE Network Guide to Creating Effective Learning Experiences for Public Audiences

Program Development: A NISE Network Guide to Creating Effective Learning Experiences for Public Audiences

Professional development guide for educators from the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network.
Group of forum participants on cover of Building with Biology Public Engagement with Science guide

Public Engagement with Science: A guide to creating conversations among publics and scientists for mutual learning and societal decision-making

Professional development guide to help staff develop activities and implement multi-directional conversations with visitors at Building with Biology events.
nanodays guide cover

NanoDays: A NISE Network Guide to Creating Activity Kits, Building Communities, and Inspiring Learning

Professional development training tool to prepare staff and volunteers to create their own activity kits, build a community network, create an event, and engage visitors about nanotechnology and other science topics.
Gaming guide cover

Gaming and the NISE Network: A Gameful Approach to STEM Learning Experiences

Professional development guide for educators on gaming and teaching nanoscale science, engineering, and technology.
Let's Do Chemistry safety guide cover showing children using liquid droppers

Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry Safety Guide

Professional development training tool to prepare staff and volunteers to facilitate the Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry activities.
Solar System Ambassador facilitating an activity at an Earth and Space event

Tips Sheets for Engaging Public Audiences

A collection of tips sheets for engaging public audiences in hands-on STEM activities. Specific sheets for: girls, young learners, bilingual audiences, preparing guest speakers, creating conversations, difficult concepts, and accessibility and inclusion.
Child in a red shirt with a preserved butterfly

Additional Resources

 

 

Featured Resources for Engaging Specific Audiences

More about NISE Network's audiences
Solar System Ambassador facilitating an activity at an Earth and Space event

Tips Sheets for Engaging Public Audiences

A collection of tips sheets for engaging public audiences in hands-on STEM activities. Specific sheets for: girls, young learners, bilingual audiences, preparing guest speakers, creating conversations, difficult concepts, and accessibility and inclusion.
Translation Process Guide cover showing Latino mother and daughter having conversation about an exhibit

Translation Process Guide

Professional development guide for educators from the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network.
Learner smells balloons with educators

Inclusive Audiences

Informal STEM education is designed for everyone! NISE Network creates materials that educators and STEM professionals can share with lifelong learners of all ages and backgrounds.
educator in yellow shirt giving a presentation

Tip Sheets and More Guides

More Guides

 

Ice Breaker Activities and Improv Exercises

  • Improv Exercises can be used by professionals as icebreakers, getting-to-know-you activities, and as tools to empower educators to facilitate positive, learning conversations with visitors.
  • Sustainability Connectagons collaborative construction challenge to help professionals build relationships across their institution or with other community organizations.
  • Changing Brains Stand Up Sit Down Icebreaker where participants vote with their feet and seats by standing up, or sitting down, to show their agreement with potential scenarios

Event Planning and Promotional Guides

Cover of the promotional guide

Explore Science: Earth & Space Event Planning and Promotion Guide

Promotional materials for Explore Science: Earth & Space events including event planning and partnership guides, release forms, and additional resources in multiple formats.
Children and and facilitator examining color changes on a piece of paper

Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry Event Planning and Partnership Guide

Event planning guide and professional development resources to prepare staff and volunteers to host your Let's Do Chemistry event.
Two actors dressed as Mary Shelley and Frankenstein's Monster interact with a family of three demonstrating how to make a battery

Frankenstein200 Planning and Promotional Materials

Planning and promotional materials for Frankenstein200 activities including welcome letter, kit content list, event planning guide, photo release form and sample press release in multiple formats.
family and educator using a biology activity with squeeze bottles

Building with Biology Event Planning and Marketing Guide

Detailed guide for planning and promoting your Building with Biology event providing an information on event preparation, volunteer recruitment and training, facilitating conversations.
Cover of the Sustainability in Science Museums Planning and Promotional Guide featuring a young learner coloring on a sheet of paper

Sustainability in Science Museums Planning and Promotional Guide

Promotional materials for SustainABLE Kit including logos, colors, and graphics in multiple formats.
Cover of the Zoom in Nano guide featuring girl with ribbon in her hair looking at a paper craft

Explore Science - Zoom into Nano Planning & Promotional Materials

Professional development guide for educators on planning and promoting your Explore Science - Zoom into Nano event.
girl in pink shirt holds kinetic sand

NanoDays Planning Guide

Professional development guide for educators on planning and promoting a NanoDays event.

Collaboration Guides

Working with STEM Experts Guide cover including an image of expert puring a liquid and using a strainer with a girl and her family at a museum public event

Working with STEM Experts: A Guide for Educators in Museums and Other Informal Learning Settings

Professional development guide to help informal STEM educators find, prepare, and work with STEM experts to engage with the public.
cover of the collaboration guide on blue background

Museum & Community Partnerships: Collaboration Guide and additional resources

Professional development guide for educators, researchers, and network leaders from the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network
cover sheet image from the museums and university guide with a watercolor illustration of a museum being connected to a university with a bridge

A Guide to Building Partnerships Between Science Museums and University-Based Research Centers

Professional development guide for scientists from the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network.

Earth & Space Frameworks

Earth and Space learning framework connecting activities to learning concepts

Earth & Space Learning and Content Frameworks

This content framework and learning framework are professional learning tools for informal educators engaging the public with the hands-on activities in the Explore Science: Earth & Space toolkits and the Sun, Earth, Universe exhibition.
Earthrise Apollo 8 image Image Credit: NASA, Apollo 8 Crew, Bill Anders; Processing and License: Jim Weigang

Making Earth & Space Science More Relevant and Inclusive

These professional learning resources are based on materials developed for the NISE Network’s Earth & Space Project-Based Learning Community which took place in 2021-2022. This project supported museums and science centers across the U.S. in their efforts to make Earth & Space science relevant and inclusive for their local communities. This collection features resources and recordings presented during this virtual online learning community.

Nano Content Maps & Key Concepts

A magnified image of a snowflake

This guide provides an overview of key concepts in nanoscale science, engineering, and technology.

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Engaging the Public in Nano Key Concepts

A lotus leaf showing off its hydrophobic properties. Water is balled up on its surface.

The nanoscience content map articulates the key ideas for our educational products.

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Nanoscale Science Informal Learning Experiences: NISE Network Content Map

Close up magnified image of a microchip

The NISE Net learning framework indicates how our educational experiences outlined by the National Research Council.

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Nanoscale Informal Learning Experiences: NISE Network Learning Framework

Intro to Nanoscale Science / Nano 101

Nano 101 slide presentation showing tiny electronics compared to a finger

Intro to Nano for Educators

Ttraining materials and resources to introduce professional and volunteer educators to nanoscience, engineering, and technology topics, as well as guidance and approaches for engaging the public in learning about current science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Browse All Professional Learning for Educators

Carbon nanotube model in a museum

Professional Learning for Educators List

NISE Net has many resources designed specifically for informal educators. These include training materials for our educational products, tools and guides related to engaging public audiences in learning about current science, and information about developing and strengthening collaborations.

 

NISE Network group photo - 2019 Network Wide Meeting
Network Wide Meeting 2019

Resource Highlight: Leading and Managing the NISE Network: Practical Solutions for Creating a Flexible National Network

This guide shares what the leadership of the NISE Net did to create this national supportive network whose scope and scale were unprecedented in the science museum field.

 

More about NISE Network’s Development Process

 

NISE Network professional learning resources are created through an iterative, collaborative process that involves professionals in the field of informal science education, scientists with expertise in the content area, and targeted public audiences. This process helps to ensure that our resources and guides represent best practices in public engagement, are scientifically accurate, and are effective experiences for all audiences.