Because schools are not the only institutions in which learning takes place, a new report examines what is distinctive about the quality of learning in “not-school” settings, such as summer camps, music lessons, and home activities. The report was published by the MacArthur-supported Digital Media & Learning Research Hub, based at the University of California, Irvine. Learning at Not-School reviews organizations and institutions that have developed parallel to public school and have emerged as complements, supplements, or attempts to remediate the alleged shortcomings of schools. The report finds that “not-school” learning environments differ from formal institutions in meaningful ways, including emphasis on the development of interpersonal skills.
