The Experience of Assessing Out-of-School Learning Environments

This study aimed to investigate out-of-school learning environments within the borders of the province of İzmir in terms of various parameters. With this purpose, the researchers developed “the Out-Of-School Learning Environments Assessment Survey.” The study used the screening model, which is a descriptive research method. In the scope of this study, a total of 13 out-of-school learning environments in İzmir were investigated. These included the Young Explorers Center for Science, the Mevlana Center for Science, the Ödemiş Center for Science, Karşıyaka Museum of Science, İzmir Museum of Archeology, Museum of Ethnography, İnciraltı Naval Museum, Arkas Museum of Art, Selçuk Urban Memory, the Ancient City of Efes, Ege University Botanical Garden, and Sasalı Wild Life Park. As a result of statistical operations based on the calculation of frequencies and percentages on the obtained data, it was found that, among the designed out-of-school learning environments in the samples, centers for science satisfied the criteria expected to be determined by the survey to a certain extent, museum groups were “very inadequate” regarding desired qualities, and the levels of satisfaction of expectations for other environments had “acceptable” standards.