In this article I critically examine the historical context of science education in a natural history museum and its relevance to using museum resources to teach science today. I begin with a discussion of the historical display of race and its relevance to my practice of using the Museum’s resources to teach science. I continue with a critical review of the history of the education department in a natural history museum to demonstrate the historical constitution of current practices of the education department. Using sociocultural constructs around identity formation and transformation, I
Informal STEM education institutions seek to engage broader cross sections of their communities to address inequities in STEM participation and remain relevant in a multicultural society. In this chapter, we advance the role that evaluation can play in helping the field adopt more inclusive practices and achieve greater equity than at present through evaluation that addresses sociopolitical contexts and reflects the perspectives and values of non-dominant communities. To do this for specific projects, we argue that evaluation should privilege the voices and lived experiences of non-dominant
Informal science learning (ISL) organizations that are successful at providing meaningful science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) experiences for Latino children, youth, and their families share some common traits. They have leaders and staff who believe in the importance of developing culturally relevant models and frameworks that meet the needs and acknowledge the legacy of STEAM in Latino communities. Such organizations are willing to take risks to create experiences that are culturally meaningful, garner funding and implement programs by working closely with their
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Cheryl JuarezVerónika NúñezExploratorium
During the GENIAL Summit, the Marketing, Communication, and Media strand examined the role of marketing and communications in connecting Latino audiences with STEAM in informal science learning (ISL) environments. ISL organizations do not generally think to include a marketing perspective early on in the process of developing audience experiences. When ISL practitioners seek to connect with key audiences, specifically, Latino audiences, marketing efforts are often considered when an exhibit or program is fully developed, in production, or already launched. This causes an immediate and inherent
This article explores science communication from the perspective of those most at risk of exclusion, drawing on ethnographic fieldwork. I conducted five focus groups and 32 interviews with participants from low-income, minority ethnic backgrounds. Using theories of social reproduction and social justice, I argue that participation in science communication is marked by structural inequalities (particularly ethnicity and class) in two ways. First, participants’ involvement in science communication practices was narrow (limited to science media consumption). Second, their experiences of exclusion
Marked by the diversity of initiatives linking science and art and by new presentation formats, the 15th Congress of the Network for Popularisation of Science and Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean (RedPOP) saw heated debates on science, culture, politics and society. Between 21st and 25th August, it brought together in Buenos Aires (Argentina) about 400 participants from 14 countries in order to share new visions, initiatives and research work in science communication. During the event, which included a vast cultural programme, a series of challenges were raised for the future
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), located in Portland, is a hands-on science museum. In 2013, OMSI received funding from the National Science Foundation for the project Researching the Value of Educator Actions for Learning (REVEAL) to study how museum educators can better help families learn math while interacting with museum exhibits. Through REVEAL, OMSI was able to partner with Adelante Mujeres, a non-profit community organization located in Forest Grove that educates and empowers Latina women and their families. Here we share some of the lessons learned from the
This paper explores how people from low-income, minority ethnic groups perceive and experience exclusion from informal science education (ISE) institutions, such as museums and science centers. Drawing on qualitative data from four focus groups, 32 interviews, four accompanied visits to ISE institutions, and field notes, this paper presents an analysis of exclusion from science learning opportunities during visits alongside participants’ attitudes, expectations, and conclusions about participation in ISE. Participants came from four community groups in central London: a Sierra Leonean group (n
This report addresses findings from the Bilingual Exhibit Research Initiative (BERI), a National Science Foundation-‐funded project (NSF DRL#1265662) through the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program. This Pathways (planning grant) project was a 3-‐year project designed to better understand current practices in bilingual exhibitions and Spanish-‐speaking visitors’ uses and perceptions of bilingual exhibitions. Responding to a lack of extensive evaluation or audience research in informal science education (ISE) bilingual interpretation, the Bilingual Exhibit Research Initiative
In this paper, researchers from University of Michigan discuss a major problem facing zoo administrators in major urban metropolitan areas: the relevance and attraction of urban zoos to inner-city minority residents. They present an overview of the methodology and findings from a study that examined zoo visitation to the Detroit Zoo by white and minority residents of Detroit.
In this article related to evaluation and multicultural audiences, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood presents a "progress report" on a visitor center and environmental education project in Puerto Rico that is being designed to serve both the local Puerto rican audience as well as the international visitor. Bitgood shares findings from the study featured in a report to the Caribbean National Forest, part of the USDA National Forest Service.
In this article, Susan Fisher of the Harn Museum of Art and John J. Koran, Jr. of the Florida Museum of Natural History discuss their study designed to demonstrate the feasibility of conducting evaluations at archeological sites. Specifically, the researchers conducted a summative evaluation of epistemic curiosity and knowledge of Spanish speaking and non-Spanish speaking visitors to the Maya site of Uxmal in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.