In August 2012, the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) contracted with Audience Focus (AF), a Maryland-‐based research and evaluation organization, to evaluate visitors’ experiences with the Scientist Is In program. Specifically, AF was asked to design a comprehensive study that would provide insight into the nature of visitors’ engagement with the program, and how participation in the program influenced visitors’ understanding of and curiosity about science topics, awareness of science careers, perceptions of NMNH as a research institution, and recognition of the connections between
The CSMC-OMSI Partnership for Public Engagement (COPPE) project was developed to establish a strong and long-lasting partnership between the Center for Sustainable Materials Chemistry (CSMC) and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). Through participation in this project, COPPE researchers and OMSI educators sought a deeper understanding of each other's profession while simultaneously developing a suite of Informal Science Education (ISE) outreach programs that engage the public in new and enduring ways. These new ISE platforms were developed to enhance public awareness in the areas
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Oregon Museum of Science and IndustryAnne Sinkey
This tool was created by Museum of Science, Boston Design Challenges educators and the Research and Evaluation team, intended to record observations of children’s engagement in the engineering design process during participation in design-based activities in a science museum setting. It consists of a checklist of behaviors corresponding with steps of the engineering design process, previously developed for the program based on state and national standards, educator input, and past evaluator observations. The behavioral checklist matches to parts of the engineering design process, including
The Gallery of California Natural Sciences hosted four preview events before officially opening all sections. The target audiences for the evaluation of developing exhibits were Members and the general public with a focus on families. Researchers collected qualitative data in response to prototypes and developing exhibits for the Introduction and Oakland Sections, as well as for the developing Now and Then and Coastal Issues Lounges, and for the prototyping of live gallery animations. An exit survey was also administered to capture narrative, qualitative responses to visitors’ experience of
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Oakland Museum of CaliforniaMary T. Faria
This report describes the findings of an evaluation of the Gallery Guide program at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, Washington. It aimed to determine if and how 6 identified public tour goals are being met and examined how visitors are generally engaging during public tours at the museum. List of Key Findings: Overall all Gallery Guide goals were met to varying degrees. The majority of surveyed visitors reported they would feel comfortable leading a friend through the Frye after their tour experience. Gallery Guides provided a high number of informative statements (47%). Visitors appear more
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Peder NelsonMark RosenRose Paquet KinsleyThe Frye Art Museum
In spring 2012, our team of Museology graduate students conducted a formative evaluation of Pacific Science Center’s (PSC) ongoing Live Science Shows. These shows, which happen daily and cover a range of science topics in an engaging and theatrical way, had never been formally evaluated before, so our evaluation was largely descriptive with some exploration of visitor experiences. Key Findings •Attendee response to the shows was overwhelmingly positive. •Most attendees were repeat visitors who were not members. •Most attendees came to the shows because they are something fun to do. •Most
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Erin BaileyAndrea MichelbachCarrie PlankPacific Science Center
Our Year 3 formative evaluation of Go Botany, a four-year NSF-funded project focused on botanical learning, centered on tracking the continued development and the launch of the Go Botany Simple Key, which contains botanical data on more than 1200 native plants in the New England region. The project is a collaboration between the New England Wild Flower Society and three partnering institutions: The Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, VT; The Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset, Maine; and the Yale Peabody Museum on Natural History in New Haven, CT. During Year 3, the Go Botany Simple Key was
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Judah LeblangNew England Wild Flower Society
The Koshland Youth Research Lab (Research Lab) began as an eight-month pilot program funded by the DEK Family Fund at the San Francisco Foundation. The project (initially implemented in 2011) used frontend and formative evaluation to develop the program in line with the needs and interests of its target audience of Hispanic youth. The summative evaluation took place in the last month of the program (December 2011). Researchers from UXR Consulting, Inc. were engaged to conduct all phases of the evaluation. This report includes the interview protocol and surveys used in the study.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Jes A. KoepflerKoshland Science Museum
A NOAA scientist-in‐residence program at the Exploratorium was evaluated to determine impacts on front‐line staff (Explainers), visitors, and the scientists involved. A model for hosting scientists at a museum was developed to include a one‐week residency that helped scientists understand the museum followed by a two-week residency during which scientists, working with the Explainers, interacted with visitors in a topic-specific installation space. Data for the evaluation was collected using observations along with interviews and surveys with Exploratorium staff, scientists and visitors