NASA recognizes the valuable contribution informal education makes to science and math literacy. Informal education provides a variety of stimulating experiences for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning outside of formal classroom environments. In recent years, NASA has established a number of partnerships with informal educators in museums and science centers, youth groups, national parks, and other venues. With these partners NASA is working to increase interest in, understanding of, and engagement with, STEM disciplines by individuals of all ages.

NASA's Informal Education Office's role is to coordinate and lead the agency's informal education efforts, in support of NASA's overall education and outreach objectives.

The strategic goals for this office are to:

• Engage the public in shaping and sharing the experience of exploration and discovery.
• Improve public understanding and appreciation of science and technology, including NASA aerospace technology, research, and exploration missions.

The agency's plans to target the following results by 2008:

• Establish a national program to engage the informal education community with NASA Science and Technology.
• Provide instructional materials (and information) derived from NASA research and scientific activities that meet the needs of NASA's informal education partners.
• Provide professional development for NASA's informal education partners.

In 2004 NASA established the Explorer Institute program, aimed at building and strengthening connections between NASA and the informal education community.

In its first year, NASA Explorer Institutes (NEI) funded 17 pilot projects. Six NEI Professional Development Workshops were hosted at NASA facilities between September and December 2004, Earth to Sky being the first. Eleven NEI Focus Groups were hosted by members of the informal education community in January and February 2005. Project leaders from these 17 groups convened with NASA officials in March 2005 to share results and best practices and to advise NASA on the needs of the informal education community. View the final report of the first year of NASA Explorer Institutes.