Young learners explore and discover during a HOSO activity

Informal Science Education

Hands-On-Science Student Internships:

Undergraduate education majors were recruited to assist in an after-school informal science program

A major innovation that distinguishes Project Nexus from other teacher preparation programs is the support offered to teacher interns by both formal and informal programs. Project Nexus worked with Hands On Science Outreach, Inc. (HOSO), an informal program, so that the elementary interns pursuing minors science could increase their comfort level with upper level elementary and middle level students (in particular) and the teaching of science to such students.

History and philosophy of HOSO
HOSO was first developed in 1980 as an alternative to voluntary after school classes in music, sports and dance.  As such, it was designed for small age/grade clustered groups to take into account children’s general prior experience and physical development. HOSO’s science educators made assumptions about large and small motor development, reading capacity and general cultural exposure as they planned activities which would focus on the potential science explorations in games, toys, music, arts and crafts and safe, simple science experiments.  Materials are provided for each child for each activity.  Some of these materials go home each week with the child for family discussion, display and/or re-use.   

Project Nexus interns’ experience with HOSO
During their junior year, Project Nexus interns assisted upper elementary school children with their observations and adventures in the spring 2006 and 2007 sessions.  They worked alongside HOSO trained Adult Leaders.  Before meeting with the learners, the interns participated in an adapted version of the HOSO Adult Leader training.  As with all adults who teach HOSO programs, the Project Nexus interns reviewed the science they had committed to sharing with children as they learned to meet the learning needs of the specific students they found in their groups. 

Project Nexus interns and the HOSO adult leader guide learners in an informal setting

This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0455752. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

© 2005 University of Maryland