In Chapter 3, the author states that informal learning allows for a person to develop an understanding of the topic even in as a child. The chapter mentions how informal science should be used to foster one’s own thoughts and opinions about the matter, helping a person draw conclusion of their own, while delving deeper into the topic. This can be accomplished by juxtaposing the learner’s understanding of natural phenomena, which will make the learner reflect on what he/she has learned and gage how much he/she has learned. Another strategy mention is providing multiple mediums in which the learner can attain the information. This appeals to the learner, as there are multiple ways to engage in topic and therefore increases the amount of knowledge gained by the learner. The last strategy is interactivity and allowing the learner to be actively involved in the learning process. This increases interest in the topic as well as develops a deeper understanding of the topic, as learners are able to experience what would normally be written in a textbook.

I believe that these methods are very effective in engaging the learner and increasing his/her understanding of the topic. Furthermore, these methods do not isolate a certain group of people. A child is able to pick up the same amount of information as an adult would through the methods mentioned in the reading whereas if a child may not be able to grasp the same amount of knowledge as a scholarly adult if they both were to read the same science journal. Furthermore, most people learn through experiences and hands on training and therefore being able to be actively involved in the field of study will further enhance the amount of information retained. However, age will still play role, in that an adult brain is much more developed and may be able to understand abstract topics as opposed to a child who has not yet been exposed to such.