ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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SPRING 2006 INTERNSHIP/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY IN RESEARCH AND
EVALUATION 

 

The Institute for Learning Innovation, a not-for-profit learning research
and development organization that works to describe, assess, and advance
learning in free-choice settings such as museums, libraries, community-based
programs, and websites, as well as in the formal education system, is
offering a three-month, paid internship/professional development opportunity
as a Research and Evaluation Assistant. The Spring 2006 Deborah A. Carey
Internship begins in February or March 2006 and ends twelve weeks later in
April or May 2006. Start and end dates can be tailored to accommodate the
intern's schedule. The internship is three months long, and interns are paid
$1200 per month.  Internships occur at our office in Annapolis, Maryland.  

 

The Research and Evaluation Assistant will work on a variety of projects
including the evaluation of museum exhibitions and/or programs, as well as
the evaluation of community-based and/or technology-based programs. Past
interns have worked with projects such as a front-end evaluation of an
exhibition at the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum, an audience research
project at the American Philosophical Society to understand visitor's
attitudes about museums' use of reproductions and original artifacts in
exhibitions, a summative evaluation of a teacher development program, and a
variety of other evaluations conducted at museums and with community and
free-choice learning organizations.  Duties are specific to projects that
are available at the time and will include some or all of the following

tasks:

 

* Coordinating aspects of evaluation planning and design. The candidate may
work with a project manager to formulate the initial design and
conceptualization of an evaluation project. 

 

* Collecting data in the field. Data collection may involve conducting
interviews, observations, or tracking in a museum, community-based
organization, or free-choice learning institution.

 

* Reducing and analyzing data. Candidates may code and then enter data into
the appropriate software program. 

 

* Writing technical reports that interpret and summarize data. 

 

The ideal candidate has a keen interest in better understanding how, what,
where and why people learn in all aspects of their lives, but especially
related to experiences in free-choice learning organizations. Having some
prior experience in research and evaluation and/or coursework in research
and evaluation or statistics is recommended. The candidate should have
strong analytical thinking skills, excellent written and oral communication
skills, as well as sound interpersonal skills.  The candidate must also
learn quickly, and should be able to work simultaneously on multiple,
diverse tasks.  Successful interns are working toward, or have just
completed, a graduate degree, and professionals in the field are encouraged
to apply.  Unfortunately, we can accept only U. S. citizens for applicants

at this time.   

 

Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2005. 

 

Interested candidates should send a cv/resume, three letters of reference,
and a cover letter to: 

 

Institute for Learning Innovation, 

166 West St. 

Annapolis, MD 21401. 

Attention: Dale Jones. 

 

Please note that all materials can be sent by email if desired. 

 

For further information, please contact: 

Dale Jones 

(410) 268-5149,  

(410) 268-2179 (fax) 

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The Institute for Learning Innovation, a not-for-profit established in 1986,
is committed to better understanding the nature of free-choice learning and
its role in a Learning Society. We disseminate the results of our research,
evaluation, and planning efforts through publications, presentations,
workshops and professional trainings in order to provide educational policy
makers, researchers and practitioners with up-to-date understandings of
free-choice learning and to encourage a more encompassing and accurate
understanding of where, when and how learning occurs. 

 

  

Our efforts are focused in three areas: 

 

. We investigate free-choice learning in multiple settings and across
generations; 

. We support and document efforts to create effective free-choice learning
experiences; and, 

. We help professionals develop and build their skills and capacities in
free-choice learning. 

 

For further information, visit the Institute's website located at
www.ilinet.org <file:///\\www.ilinet.org>  

 

 


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