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1. Identifying, projecting, and evaluating informal urban expansion spatial patterns

   https://doi.org/10.1080/1747423X.2021.2020919  

   Tellman, Beth; Eakin, Hallie; Turner, B.L. (January 2022, Journal of Land Use Science)

   Informal urban land expansion is produced through a diversity of social and political transactions, yet ‘pixelizable’ data capturing these transactions is commonly unavailable. Understanding informal urbanization entails differentiating spatial patterns of informal settlement from formal growth, associating such patterns with the social transactions that produce them, and evaluating the social and environmental outcomes of distinct settlement types. Demonstrating causality between distinct urban spatial patterns and social-institutional processes requires both highresolution spatial temporal time-series data of urban change and insights into social transactions giving rise to these patterns. We demonstrate an example of linking distinct spatial patterns of informal urban expansion to the institutional processes each engenders in Mexico City. The approach presented here can be applied across cases, potentially improving land projection models in the rapidly urbanizing Global South, characterized by high informality. We conclude with a research agenda to identify, project, and evaluate informal urban expansion patterns. 

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2. Expanding and Focusing Infrastructuring Analysis for Informal STEM Education

   https://doi.org/10.22318/icls2023.317400  

   Hayden, Ronni; Hladik, Stephanie; Roque, Ricarose (October 2023, International Society of the Learning Sciences)

   In our efforts to build transformative informal STEM learning environments, we must consider how innovative educational practices and tools are adaptable, sustainable, and equitable. The lens of infrastructuring allows us to attend to the ways that people, practices, and objects already present in these environments can be leveraged and redesigned to support equitable learning outcomes. Through qualitative analysis of 16 facilitator interviews across three informal STEM organizations, we determined six types of infrastructure that support engagement with computational tinkering in informal learning environments: institutional routines and resources, social and facilitation practices, institutional and facilitator values, facilitator expertise, tools and materials, and physical space. We also point out some critical gaps or challenges within these categories that can serve as points for reflection and redesign. This work has implications for researchers, designers, and facilitators/managers who work in informal STEM settings and aim to engage learners with STEM in new ways. 

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3. Outlier Antecedents, Processes, and Consequences in the Emergence of New Ventures

   Crawford, G. C.; Linder, C.; Lechner, C. (January 2017, Frontiers of entrepreneurship research)

   We investigate whether differences in individual opportunity cost influence the choice of a new venture’s strategy and, subsequently, how that strategy effects venture outcomes. Analyzing longitudinal data from a representative sample of nascent ventures with fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis techniques, we identify six distinct strategy configurations, of which two are exclusive to outlier entrepreneurs (those individuals with the highest opportunity costs). Our findings demonstrate that global strategies focused on internationalization and innovation are central to the emergence and growth of outlier entrepreneurs, whereas those with much lower opportunity costs improve their chance for successful emergence with more local strategies. 

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4. Social Networks and Policy Entrepreneurship: How Relationships Shape Municipal Decision Making about High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing

   Arnold, Gwen; Nguyen Long, Le Anh; Gottlieb, Madeline (January 2016, Policy studies journal)

   Well-resourced and well-connected individuals, or “policy entrepreneurs,” often play an important role in advocating and securing the adoption of policies. There is a striking lack of inquiry into the ways that social networks shape the ability of these actors to achieve their aims, including the ways in which network ties may channel policy conflict. To address these gaps, we analyze data from an original survey and an original database of policies to assess the success of policy entrepreneurs active in a highly contentious arena: municipal policymaking concerning high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) in New York. We use text-mining to collect social network data from local newspaper archives, then use those data to construct municipal HVHF policy networks. Municipal anti-HVHF policy entrepreneurs appear more successful when they operate in less cohesive networks, act as bridges to relative newcomers to the governance network, and have a larger number of network connections. Pro-HVHF policy entrepreneurs appear more successful when they can forge high-value connections to key decision-makers. Policy entrepreneurs on both sides of the issue are more successful when they have a greater number of sympathetic coalition partners. 

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5. Learning math through a game-based personal excursion

   Sager, Marc; Sherard, Maximilian; Milton, Saki; Walkington, Candace; Petrosino, Anthony (June 2024, Proceedings of the 18th International Conference of the Learning Sciences - ICLS 2024)

   Lindgren, R; Asino, T I; Kyza, E A; Looi, C K; Keifert, D T; Suárez, E (Ed.)

   This case study explores how middle-grade learners use a game-based app for math learning at an informal site, the Nature Center. We apply distributed and self-directed learning theories, emphasizing learning in specific contexts, social settings, and through tools like an iPad app. We employ the embodied action conversation framework to analyze critical interactions. Two cases emerged: (1) learners followed MathExplorer app rules, and (2) learners went on personal excursions, creating their own rules to improve their MathExplorer rankings. We discuss implications for designing technologies for informal math learning. 

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