Talk of the Nation: Science Friday is a weekly two-hour listener call-in talk radio show devoted to the understanding of complex scientific topics and methods. The series is hosted by science correspondent Ira Flatow. With support from the National Science Foundation, Multimedia Research presents the first study of a two-part summative evaluation on the impact of Science Friday on public radio listeners, focusing on the series’ future increased emphasis on public understanding of basic research. The evaluation assessed what demographic or background characteristics relate to whether or not
This evaluation provides feedback from a tracking and timing study from the project "Seeing: The Interaction of Physiology, Culture, and Technology" at the Exploratorium. The evaluation concludes that Seeing is a large, complex collection of loosely related exhibit elements that attract and hold visitors’ attention well, but not exceptionally well. Yet, given the size and scope of the exhibits, a longer average time and more stops would not be expected. The individual interactive elements range from many that are modestly engaging, to some that are highly engaging, with a few exceptionally
This report presents the findings from a front-end evaluation for an exhibition about tuna, which is currently under development at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Visitors were intercepted on the second floor of the Aquarium and invited to view tuna in the big tank from the lower level of the Aquarium and to review, and ultimately select, one of six prototype interpretive panels, all of which were about different aspects of tuna. The evaluation goals for this study were to determine: • what visitors overall reactions are when they view the tuna in the big tank from the lower level of the aquarium
Knight-Williams collaborated with five aquaria to solicit the reactions of a random sample of their aquaria members to the PBS broadcast of the Shape of Life series. The collaborating aquaria were located in geographically diverse regions of the country and included: The Seattle Aquarium, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Shedd Aquarium, and New York Aquarium. The report focuses on questionnaire data provided by both the non-viewer respondents and by viewers of two or more episodes from the series.
The first phase of the evaluation, a front-end visitor study, assessing visitors' knowledge of and interest in space science and the cosmos, was conducted in May and June of 2000 at Boston's Museum of Science (MOS). The evaluation's second phase, a formative evaluation of the exhibition prototype, was completed in February of 2001 at the MOS. This summative report represents the third round of the evaluation process conducted by PERG, and is an evaluation of the current Cosmic Questions exhibition and related activities, based on data obtained by evaluators at two sites Boston's Museum of
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Joan KarpJudah LeblangSusan Baker CohenHarvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
The Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) contracted Randi Korn & Associates, Inc. (RK&A) to simultaneously conduct a remedial evaluation of the exhibition Tissues of Life and its associated elements: the Web site with the same name, presentations at the Demonstration Station, and the What is Life?, play. The National Institutes of Health funded all elements. Data collection took place between July and October 2003. Three data collection strategies were employed: timing and tracking observations, uncued exit interviews, and telephone interviews. Additionally, to understand presenters' experiences
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Randi Korn & Associates, Inc.Science Museum of Minnesota
Evaluation of the Space Command Exhibit began in October 2002 with a tracking and timing study. A random sample of 100 visitors to the exhibit was tracked and timed. A member of a visiting group was selected at random as the subject. Subjects were tracked from station to station and the time spent at each exhibit or panel was recorded. This gives a measure of the relative attracting and holding power of each exhibit station. After a subject completed a visit, a "sweep" count was made, which involved counting the number of people at each exhibit station. Sweeps give another measure of the
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Minda BorunFranklin Institute Science Museum
The San Francisco Zoo's new Lemur Forest Exhibit is successful on almost every measure of visitor experience, education and inspiration. A summative evaluation, consisting of pre- and post-visit testing, and a tracking and timing study confirms that cued visitors gain knowledge about lemur types, lemur behavior, lemurs' endangerment status, and lemurs' land of origin. Visitors also demonstrate enhanced appreciation for lemurs and emotional connection to them post-visit. While many pre-visit respondents are inclined to value protecting lemurs and their environment, post-visit responses that
This report presents and analyzes the findings from a front-end evaluation of Vicious Fishes and Other Riches, a National Science Foundation-funded traveling exhibition being developed by the Miami Museum of Science in Miami, Florida (MMS) in collaboration with the Science Museum of Minnesota in Saint Paul, Minnesota (SMM). Front-end evaluation helps planners understand how visitors comprehend and think about themes, ideas, concepts, and objects that will be displayed in an exhibition. It seeks common ground between visitors and the exhibition. Findings from the study demonstrate visitors'
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Randi Korn & Associates, Inc.Miami Museum of Science
The purpose of this summative evaluation was to document visitors' use and impressions of Vanishing Wildlife immediately upon viewing the exhibit and, again, several months after their visit. In addition, staff members wanted to determine if the exhibit motivates visitors to perform specific conservation actions once they leave the aquarium. By collecting data three different ways (through timing and tracking observations, on-site exit questionnaires, and telephone questionnaires), and then comparing the results with data from Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA) exit surveys, the evaluators were able
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Randi Korn & Associates, Inc.Monterey Bay Aquarium
Evidence from the data collected on the Midwest Wild Weather Project indicates that the teachers are very excited about its potential for increasing their students' science literacy and understanding of the scientific process, as well as increasing their knowledge of the weather and exciting them about science in general. Students are very focused, enthusiastic and excited when interacting with the exhibits and universally pleased with their exploration and explainer experiences. MWW is also effectively reaching the intended underserved and underrepresented students across the nine sites are
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Gregory AloiaSciTech Hands On Museum
RK&A conducted 56 timing and tracking observations of visitors, 20 exit interviews with visitors, an interview with the Cell Lab Program Manager, and interviews with 13 Lab Crew in the summer and fall of 2003. The Cell Lab succeeded in engaging visitors in enjoyable and educational activities. It also excelled in providing Lab Crew teens with valuable employment and life experiences. The concept and design of the Cell Lab - its level of interactivity, staffing, and resource allocation - offers visitors a unique experience. In some ways, the SMM was taking a risk by offering in-depth
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Randi Korn & Associates, Inc.Science Museum of Minnesota