The SAGE Encyclopedia of Out-of-School Learning

This comprehensive encyclopedia delivers exactly what educators and researchers need: a definitive guide to learning that happens beyond classroom walls, from museum visits and after-school programs to community initiatives and digital platforms. Organized alphabetically across two volumes, it features approximately 260 articles by leading experts that examine how informal education develops skills, what environmental factors support it, and why these experiences are crucial for talent development. The work systematically explores the conditions that either foster or hinder out-of-school learning, providing evidence-based insights into where and how meaningful informal education occurs most effectively.

What sets this reference work apart is its scholarly yet practical approach to documenting how community-based learning strengthens both individual capabilities and social networks. Researchers will appreciate the commissioned articles from field specialists, while program developers and policy makers gain actionable knowledge about designing impactful learning environments outside traditional institutions. This encyclopedia makes a compelling case for why we should value and invest in the rich learning that happens when formal education ends, positioning out-of-school experiences not as supplementary but as essential components of holistic development.