ABSTRACT
The four case stories in this chapter explore the different ways adults learned about science and technology by pursuing something in which they were interested. The first two stories are written by dedicated hobbyists: Richard, who wanted to build a replica Logie Baird televisor, and Michael’s quest to design and create pieces of silverware that others thought could not be made. Both were involved in the founding of clubs devoted to their hobbies and both became mentors for other learners in their respective fields. The next two stories concern environmental interests. Tina encountered a bumblebee and in searching for its identification found that many bumblebee species were threatened. She discovered a citizen science project to which she continues to contribute. Paulette was intrigued by the chalk streams in her town running dry and began a detailed exploration of the under-pinning local geology. She found herself in a mesh of political and economic decision-making about the conflict between the science and the economics of water supply. Led by their curiosity and a search for “what works”, these case study authors accessed a variety of media and human resources and demonstrated considerable persistence to satisfy their need for knowledge in ways that were personally fulfilling.
