Kevin Crowley is a professor of Learning Sciences and Policy at the University of Pittsburgh, where he also directs the University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out-of-School Environments (UPCLOSE) and is a Senior Scientists at the Learning Research and Development Center. Crowley works in partnership with museums, community organizations, and other informal educators to develop innovative learning environments. Crowley’s group conducts learning sciences research in informal settings and develops new theories of how people learn about science, technology, engineering, and art.
For the most up-to-date info on Crowley's work, visit the UPCLOSE web site: upclose.pitt.edu
School Affiliations
Recent Grants
National Science Foundation (DRL 1906368). Climate Rural Systems Partnership (CRSP), $794,923, Crowley (PI), 2019-2023. Collaborative proposal with the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, $1,254,205, Giarrantani (PI), Heller (Co-PI). Total: $2M.
William Penn Foundation, Supporting the Informal Learning Initiative, Phase II, Crowley & Knutson, 2019-2022, $600,000.
National Science Foundation, Center for the Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE). $14,395,147, 2007-2021. J. Bell (PI), Crowley (Co-PI), Bevan (Co-PI), Storkskeik (Co-PI).
William Penn Foundation, Supporting the Informal Learning Initiative, $365,670, Crowley, Knutson, Russell, 2017-2019.
National Science Foundation, Learning to See, Seeing to Learn: A Sociotechnical System Supporting Taxonomic Identification Activities in Volunteer-Based Water Quality Biomonitoring. $1,690,278, 2015-2018. Louw (PI), Crowley (Co-PI).
National Science Foundation, Climate Change Education Partnership-II: Climate and Urban Systems Partnership (CUSP). $5,600,000, 2012-2018. Elhich (PI), Crowley (Co-PI), & Horton (Co-PI). 2012-2018.
Recent Publications
Knutson, K and Crowley, C. (in press). Engaging older adults in climate science education: Making the case for relevant, neighborhood-focused interventions In P. Hetland, P. Pierroux, and L. Esborg (Eds), A History of Participation in Museums and Archives. Traversing Citizen Science and Citizen Humanities. Routledge.
Bonnette, R.N.*, Crowley, K., Schunn, C.D. (in press). Falling in love and staying in love with science: ongoing informal science experiences support fascination for all children. International Journal of Science Education.
Steiner, M.A.*, Lyon, M., & Crowley, K. (in press). Museums That Connect Science and Citizen: Using boundary objects and networks to encourage dialogue and collective response to wicked, socio-scientific problems. In P. Hetland, P. Pierroux, and L. Esborg (Eds), A History of Participation in Museums and Archives. Traversing Citizen Science and Citizen Humanities. Routledge.
Hecht, M. *, Knutson, K, & Crowley, K. (in press). Becoming a naturalist: Interest development across the learning ecology. Science Education.
Eberbach, C.E.* & Crowley, K. (2017) From Seeing to Observing: How Parents and Children Learn to See Science in a Botanical Garden, Journal of the Learning Sciences, 26:4, 608-642.
Dorph, R., Schunn, C., & Crowley, K. (2017). Crumpled molecules and edible plastic: Science learning Activation in Out-of-School Time. Afterschool Matters, 25, pp. 18-28.