Resource-Based Learning and Informal Learning Environments: Prospects and Challenges

Abstract

Recent changes in the role of resources have not only transformed how we think about resources, they have distributed production of and access to digital resources while altering fundamentally how, when, and for what purposes resources are created and used. The metamorphosis has been propelled by the exponential growth of information systems such as the Internet and the Web, and the ubiquitous presence of enabling technologies in classrooms, libraries, museums, homes, businesses, and communities. These changes portend exciting educational opportunities, particularly in resource-rich environments such as science centers and museums. In this chapter we explore RBL and ILEs, providing examples of how an RBL approach might be implemented in an ILE and describing the opportunities and challenges associated with such an endeavor.