The Hansen Planetarium proposes the creation, writing, and production of a 50-minute star theatre program, Cosmic Catastrophes: A Planet At Risk?, aimed at informally educating over a million individuals regarding the vulnerability of our Earth. The further production of four interactive exhibits is planned to accompany the program. This program will be marketed and distributed at a nominal charge to 250 national planetariums, with 50 additional production packets planned for loan. In this fashion, top-quality, accurate, and timely science education can be guaranteed to a large selection of audiences. Scientific research tells us that catastrophes of global and interplanetary proportions have happened in the past, there is evidence that they could occur in the present, and they pose an imminent danger in the future. The utilization of expert consultants, in conjunction with Hansen Planetarium staff, will insure this program presents the most current information available about these cosmic catastrophes. Its interactive format is designed to stimulate a proactive approach to problem solution on the part of the audience, especially in reference to ecological or environmental issues. The star show format, with its dynamic special effects, will make scientific theories surrounding cosmic catastrophes accessible and excitiong.
In this article, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee researchers Dawn D' Amico and Wendy Pokorny discuss findings from their study that investigated the impact of a museum visit on preconceived notions of scientific explanation. D' Amico and Pokorny found that visitors' preconceptions were unlikely to change as a result of viewing exhibits.
In this article, Richard Schulhof of The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University discusses findings from a study at the North Carolina Botanical Garden that assessed to what extent visitors appreciate and explore the native habitat exhibit environment, and, more importantly, identify the factors influencing their response to it. This study utilized exit interviews, unobtrusive observation of visitors and visitor-employed photography to analyze visitor response.
The Project Jason Museum Network, comprising a group of some 10 science museums throughout the United States and represented in this proposal by the Franklin Institute, requests partial support of a major experiment in the use of electronic field trips organized by Dr. Robert Ballard and associates at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Over a two week period in May 1989, a series of satellite television transmissions will provide more than 150,000 students at some dozen museums with live, two way interactive TV coverage of a significant underwater archaeological expedition in the central Mediterranean Sea carried out by Dr. Ballard's group. The research expedition will be widely publicized, with public interest and attention similar to that obtained during his explorations of the Titanic. A variety of archaelological, oceanographic, and technological programs will be provided to museums through a Project Jason Satellite Network established for the purpose; participating schools, teachers and school children will already be familiar with the project and its methods through curriculum materials developed by NSTA with support from NSF's Instructional Materials Development program. An extensive evaluation program will accompany the first year's effort, and the Network plans to continue providing material from Project Jason for several additional years. In addition, other forms of distance learning will be investigated and developed using the infrastructure developed for Project Jason. Overall, more than a million individuals will view programs provided by the network in live presentations or later videotapes. Direct cost sharing by the Network Members is more than $3 million, with similar amounts contributed by Dr. Ballard's group at Woods Hole.
Acting on behalf of a group of academic, educational and public-service organizations the University of California-Santa Barbara proposes to improve aquatic science education in informal settings that include youth-service organizations such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, YMCA, YWCA, Boys and Girls Clubs and 4-H. The specific emphasis will be on the close interdependence between humans and the aquatic environment and on the need for enlightened social action in defense of that environment. The thrusts of the project will be to establish the California Aquatic Science Education Consortium; to develop multiple copes of sets of instructional materials on topic of aquatic science appropriate for informal educational settings; and to develop a program for training a cadre of trainers who in turn will train volunteers in the use of the materials. The program has a significant potential for broader national application.
A collaboration of staff from the University of California at Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science, School of Education, and the Cooperative Extension Service (4-H) will develop and implement SERIES (Science Experiences and Resources for Informal Education Settings), a state-wide informal science education program for the California State 4-H system. Over a three year period they will adapt existing science curricula and generate new materials for use in informal 4-H settings around the theme of science relevant to societal concerns, with an agricultural technology focus. They will design and test a comprehensive training model using the materials to insure their effective use by volunteer leaders, and develop an extensive cadre of CES staff and volunteer trainers skilled in training volunteer teachers in the use of the curriculum materials. The resulting curriculum and training materials will be published and made available at cost to all 4-H clubs. The project will directly benefit 100 paid and volunteer trainers, 1800 volunteer leaders and 12,600 youth participants, and will indirectly benefit the more than 60,000 youth enrolled in California 4-H programs each year.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Richard PonzioLaurel DeanHerbert Thier
The Field Museum of Natural History proposes to design and construct an Animal Resource Center of 24,000 square feet in the context of its encompassing larger exhibit, "Diversity and Survival in the Animal Kingdom." The Center will capitalize on the museum synoptic collections of animal mounts and models and will interpret these irreplaceable specimens in ways that will introduce central biological themes in ecology and evolution. The exhibit conjunctively will use a wide variety of learning techniques to appeal to the varied audience. The museum anticipates that the exhibit will serve fifteen million visitors over the next twenty years and that it may serve as a cost-effective model for other natural-science museums.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Michael SpockDebra MoskovitsBarbara Becker
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is developing an innovative exhibit and teaching laboratory called INTERACTIONS. The unique feature of INTERACTIONS is the combination of an exploratory, interactive natural science exhibit with an adjacent live-insect-rearing laboratory. The exhibits will give the visitors some of the exploratory tools and experiences of the scientist and involve them in the process of scientific discovery. The laboratory will provide visitors with direct experience with scientists and involve them in the scientific process. Ecological in scope, INTERACTIONS will communicate environmental issues. The museum's plant and insect halls, designed over thirty years ago, will be renovated totally. In their place, a single, large exhibit and teaching laboratory will be created focusing on the interactions of insects and plants. The exhibits, videos, computer stations, and adjacent insect rearing laboratory will invite visitors to participate, question and examine. This combination of exhibits, hands-on activities, video, and laboratory will increase the retention of information, stimulate interests in natural science, and give vitality to the museum experience. The total cost of renovation, modernizing, exhibit construction and installation is $1,340,000 with $1,000,000 raised by a vigorous capital campaign. This request is for the balance of $340,000 to complete the exhibit construction.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Dennis PowerCatherine WoolseyNorman IkedaJohn Torkington
The 4-H organization of Virginia is developing a Marine and Aquatic Education Program with a strong field study component for youngsters ages five through nine. They plan to reach these young people through local and community 4-H clubs and in summer camps. One part of the program is aimed at the handicapped and development of strategies to meet their special needs. Other components of the program include volunteer training of high school students and adult leaders and a series of publications with emphasis on "hands-on" activities. There is a strong national dissemination plan and, through a national survey, the Virginia 4-H have determined that 27 state 4-H organizations are interested in adapting program. The 4-H organization is the largest youth organization in the United States with a membership of 4.3 million young people. They have a strong network, both urban and rural, with minorities representing 22% of the membership, 53% are female and 63% are under 11 years of age. The Virginia 4-H mirrors the national picture but with a slightly more rural membership. This project provides an opportunity to strengthen science learning outside of the formal education system by supporting a test project in marine education. Over the next three years the project will be tested with 38,500 youngsters and 500 adults. The program will then be expanded to all 115,467 Virginia members as well as a strong outreach effort to the national membership. This project is directed at two important goals for the Informal Science Education Program: strengthening out-of-school science programs for young people and the handicapped. The marine science area is one of high interest and significance both locally and nationally. The staff are experienced and committed and the program is cost effective at a little over $3.00 per person.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Barry FoxWilliam ChristySusan GilleyMichael CliffordJoseph Hoffenberger
The Museum of Science in Boston proposes a major modification of its permanent New England Wildlife Zones exhibition hall in order to improve its effectiveness with visitors with impaired sight, hearing, or mobility. They will document and share with other museums the successful methods and techniques used in the exhibition development process is an effort to improve barrier free access in the country's more than 600 science and natural history museums. The museum has completed a preliminary needs assessment with the assistance of handicapped consultants, developed alternative design solutions to problems of limited accessibility and effectiveness for the hall's existing dioramas, and organized a design team that includes senior museum exhibition and education staff and a handicapped scientist and educator as Co-PI. The Massachusetts College of Art's Adaptive Environments Center will provide assistance in design for the handicapped and evaluation will be under the direction of George Hein, head of Lesley College's Program Evaluatlion and Research Group. Following an extensive design and evaluation process, new exhibit units will be constructed as educational adjuncts to the existing hall of dioramas, and the impact of the changes will be assessed, as part of a dissemination plan that will include popular and professional papers and a "how to" work book distributed to science museum exhibit designers with the assistance of the Association of Science Technology Centers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This is a challenging project with the opportunity for a significant impact on handicapped individuals who are often excluded from the motivational and informational resources of science and natural history museums by unnecessary design limitations. The Museum of Science's commitment is strong, the project staff are highly qualified, and there is active participation by handicapped individuals in the project.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Larry BellCharles HowarthBetty Davidson
The Brookfield Zoo, operated by the Chicago Zoological Society, will develop a participatory exhibition on avian anatomy, physiology, behavior and ecology, "Be a Bird", whose overall goal is to bring biology to life with participatory exhibits in a zoo setting. The Brookfield Zoo will design and construct a permanent exhibition that uses discovery learning concepts to improve visitor understanding of birds and to motivate visitors to observe avian behavior in their everyday lives. Accompanying evaluation activities will contribute to a better understanding of informal education methods in zoos.
The Florida Museum of Natural History proposes to prepare two versions of a traveling exhibit in the context of the Columbus Quincentennary. The purposes of the exhibit are to show the natural history of the Caribbean at the time when Columbus arrived and to describe the rapid modification of those natural environments for European economic gain. The exhibit will manifest two components, both of which will travel to other museums. One exhibit of approximately 3000 square feet will originate at the Florida Museum of Natural History and then will move to eight other museums around the country. Another exhibit of about 1000 square feet will travel to a different series of smaller museums, libraries and college galleries.