We are an academic home for informal learning at the University of Pittsburgh. We do learning research, engage in community-engaged research/practice partnerships, and pursue field-building and professional development for the informal learning world.

See all our publications or browse by collections below. You can also access doctoral dissertations completed at UPCLOSE.

UPCLOSE is a project of Pitt’s Learning Research and Development Center (LRDC) and School of Education, which offers a part-time educational doctorate degree in Out-of-School Learning for those who want to be transformational leaders in educational practice.

Kevin Crowley works with practitioners and communities to understand, support, and advocate for informal learning. He holds a Ph.D. and MS in Developmental Psychology from Carnegie Mellon, and a BA in Psychology and Education from Swarthmore College.

Karen Knutson has interests in museum learning, art education, and organizational change in informal institutions. She holds a Ph.D. in Art Education from the University of British Columbia and an MA and BA (Hons) in Art History from Queen's University in Canada.

Mary Ann Steiner focuses on informal learning and community engagement. She has a background in youth development, and has worked at the Science Museum of Minnesota, the National Science Foundation, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. She has a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, an MEd from the University of Minnesota and a BFA from Bard College.

Updated July 2024