This conceptual paper explores the nexus between travel and learning; an area of investigation long neglected by tourism researchers. Using Aristotle’s concepts of phronesis, techne and episteme a framework for the major areas of literature dealing with touristic learning are considered and opportunities and challenges for expanding the boundaries of knowledge are explored. Key proposals are: learning resulting from tourist experiences is likely to be highly personal and strongly tied to individual interests, motivations and prior knowledge; the nature of learning from a tourist experience
This article represents a companion to an article critiquing Falk's identity-related visitor motivations model. Provided here are a summary of the theory and assumptions that underlie the identity-related visitor motivations model and the empirical approaches that were used to develop the model. Particular attention is directed to clarifying the ways in which the identity-related visitor motivations model has and can be used as a segmentation tool, and the growing body of data from a wide range of institutions that support the basic validity and reliability of using the model for this purpose
This brief synthesis presents the main points of agreement between Dawson and Jensen's article, “‘Towards a ‘Contextual Turn’ in Visitor Studies: Evaluating Visitor Segmentation and Identity-Related Motivations” (this issue) and Falk's reply, “Contextualizing Falk's Identity-Related Visitor Motivation Model” (this issue), and it highlights important considerations for future research.
The Seattle Aquarium seeks to discover how toddler families experience its exhibits and how to best incorporate toddler family needs in future exhibit developments. The goal of this study is to begin to document toddler-exhibit interactions in order to better understand the Aquarium experience for that audience. The specific research goal was to determine which exhibit elements are attracting and holding the attention of the toddler family audience. A total of 47 caregiver interviews and 297 toddler observations across three exhibit areas were collected from January-March 2011 at the Seattle
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Andrea BarberKaleen PovisSeattle Aquarium
This mixed-methods evaluation, which was conducted at the request of the museum’s Communications department, answers two questions about a suite of special family events at the Burke Museum. First, this project sought to develop a profile of Family Day visitors – including any differences in audiences across individual events, and how visitors were receiving information about the events. Second, this evaluation sought to explore visitors’ expectations of and experiences at the events. Specific evaluation questions included the extent to which expectations and experiences aligned with one
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Emily CraigBetsy O'BrienRenae YoungsBurke Museum of Natural History and Culture
All youth in the Science Museum of Minnesota's Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center (KAYSC) are invited to complete a web-based exit survey upon leaving their current team. The survey is the same across all KAYSC teams, with the addition of some questions specific to a team experience and outcomes. This report includes select data from the exit surveys for the Invention, Design, Engineering, and Art (IDEA) Cooperative high school team, called the Invention Crew. The purpose of the exit surveys were to understand youth's overall experience on the IDEA Coop as well as the impact of the IDEA Coop
All youth in the Science Museum of Minnesota's Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center (KAYSC) are invited to complete a web-based exit survey upon leaving their current team. The survey is the same across all KAYSC teams, with the addition of some questions specific to a teamâs experience and outcomes. This report includes select data from the exit surveys for the Invention, Design, Engineering, and Art (IDEA) Cooperative middle school team, called the Design Team. The purpose of the exit surveys were to understand youth's overall experience on the IDEA Coop as well as the impact of the IDEA
Science + You, an 11-component, immersive traveling exhibit developed by Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago (KCM) in conjunction with scientists at Abbott, a global health care company, with support from the Abbott Fund, opened to the public on July 19, 2011. Aimed at children ages 3 through 8 and the adults who accompany them, Science + You offers visitors opportunities to investigate, experiment, and understand how science and scientists approach and solve problems related to human health and nutrition. Blue Scarf Consulting, LLC, has conducted two phases of evaluation: a post
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater ChicagoCheryl Kessler
Presentation on NSF grant DRL-0917536 (""Studying and Improving Networks for Disseminating STEM Educational Materials in After-School Programs"") presented at the CAISE Convening on Organizational Networks, November 17th, 2011.
Presentation on NSF grant DRL-0840230 (""Communities of Learning for Urban Environments"") presented at the CAISE Convening on Organizational Networks, November 17th, 2011.
Presentation on NSF grant DRL-1113648 "Creating Communities of Learners for Informal Cognitive Science Education" presented at the CAISE Convening on ISE Organizational Networks, November 17, 2011.