The purpose of this study was to examine the exhibition developer role in the context of United States (U.S.) science centers, and more specifically, to investigate the way science center exhibition developers build their professional expertise. This research investigated how successfully practicing exhibition developers described their current practices, how they learned to be exhibition developers, and what factors were the most important to the developers in building their professional expertise. Qualitative data was gathered from 10 currently practicing exhibition developers from three
In offering museum active, multi-sensorial experiences, digitally responsive exhibits are an important part of museums' strategy for attracting visitors. Such exhibits are popular, but museums lack understanding of visitors' immediate emotional and physical experience of them. Museums' approach to exhibition evaluation favours the methods of interview and questionnaire, which are not well suited to gathering feedback on the complex mix of audio, kinesthetic and visual experience encountered in digital environments. In addressing a lack of knowledge in the museum studies literature concerning
This book is a deliverable (requisite) of an NSF (National Science Foundation) grant to share the project outcomes and what we learned from the NSF grant project. This four-year NSF project was funded to provide professional development to museum educators about Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science in museums, with the goal of providing a culturally relevant way for Indigenous communities to connect to science. The name of this grant was “Cosmic Serpent: Bridging Native Ways of Knowing and Western Science in Museum Settings.”
This book is also a snapshot in time of this work in
Developmental perspectives on prejudice provide a fundamental and important key to the puzzle for determining how to address prejudice. Research with historically disadvantaged and advantaged groups in childhood and adolescence reveals the complexity of social cognitive and moral judgments about prejudice, discrimination, bias, and exclusion. Children are aware of status and hierarchies, and often reject the status quo. Intervention, to be effective, must happen early in development, before prejudice and stereotypes are deeply entrenched.
The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of Maine’s capability to promote 5th-12th graders’ engagement and achievement in STEM during out-of-school hours. The paper will provide a background for the design conference task of constructing “STEM intensives” that make optimal use of Maine’s resources and connect these resources with students in ways that make sense.
The purpose of this study is to develop an instrument to assess civic scientific literacy measurement (SLiM), based on media coverage. A total of 50 multiple-choice items were developed based on the most common scientific terms appearing in media within Taiwan. These questions covered the subjects of biology (45.26%, 22 items), earth science (37.90%, 19 items), physics (11.58%, 6 items) and chemistry (5.26%, 3 items). A total of 1034 students from three distinct groups (7th graders, 10th graders, and undergraduates) were invited to participate in this study. The reliability of this instrument
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Carl-Johan RundgrenShu-Nu Chang RundgrenYuen-Hsien TsengPei-Ling LinChun-Yen Chang
In this article, we theorize the relation between race and schooling and consider the implications for learning. While the body of research on culture and learning has come to define learning as an inherently cultural and social process, scholars have few theoretical tools to help us think about the role of race and racism in relation to students' access to identities as learners and to learning. We draw on both theoretical and empirical literature to make three core arguments: (a) racial 'storylines' or narratives are prevalent in our society and have powerful implications for learners
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Na'ilah Suad NasirCyndy R. SnyderNiral Shah
As a form of public engagement, science festivals have rapidly expanded in size and number over recent years. However, as with other domains of informal public engagement that are not linked to policy outcomes, existing research does not fully address science festivals’ impacts and popularity. This study adduces evidence from surveys and focus groups to elucidate the perspectives of visitors at a large UK science festival. Results show that visitors value the opportunities afforded by the science festival to interact with scientific researchers and to encounter different types of science
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
To address the challenges of recruiting, training, impacting, and retaining scientists in informal outreach and to capitalize on access to the public through a local science center, Washington University and the St. Louis Science Center (SLSC; http://www.slsc.org) collaborated to create a program that combines informal science communication and the professional development of graduate students. The program sought to produce scientists who were trained to be effective informal educators. Workshops developed and led by SLSC staff, followed by personalized coaching, covered essential science
Students in the U.S. educational system are increasingly diverse, and this diversity is reflected in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Diversity in education encompasses students from many races, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds; students who speak a variety of languages; and students from many cultures. For instance, ethnic diversity increased by 5% across primary and secondary public schools from 2000 to 2007 (Aud, Fox, & KewalRamani, 2010). Diversity is also evident in the socioeconomic make-up of students, with almost half of 4th graders in public
The Anthropologist examines climate change like no other film before. The fate of the planet is considered from the perspective of American teenager Katie Crate. Over the course of five years, she travels alongside her mother Susie, an anthropologist studying the impact of climate change on indigenous communities. Their journey parallels that of renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead, who for decades sought to understand how global change affects remote cultures.
From January 2012 to May 2012, SmartStart Educational Consulting Services conducted a front-end evaluation of the documentary