Design for linking science learning to the informal spaces

While learning in informal contexts has been discussed for decades, there has been limited attention paid to the influence of informal learning on students’ learning in the formal spaces. Studies of students’ thinking and doing in the informal context that relate to their learning in the formal context have not often been conducted. Toward the aim of bridging the gap between informal learning and formal learning, and studying the impact of informal learning on the formal learning with the use of mobile technology, this chapter introduces relevant definitions of informal learning, and then discusses the challenges encountered by the informal learning studies. Some design principles are articulated to suggest ways of integrating informal learning into the formal school system supported by the incorporation of technology use in science learning. Copyright © 2016 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.