iSaveSpecies—Great Apes Summative Evaluation Report for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

The iSaveSpecies project, created by Project Dragonfly at Miami University and a consortium of zoos and aquariums, designed and implemented a socially-networked exhibit system to engage family visitors to zoos and aquariums in inquiry and conservation. The first wave of the iSaveSpecies exhibit stations focused on Great Apes, allowing families to conduct research on captive ape populations and to help save wild apes by joining the work of experienced field conservationists. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium incorporated three touchscreen-based research and action kiosks in or near their ape and bonobo exhibits. In this report, we describe the impact of the kiosks to engage family visitors in inquiry, STEM, and conservation actions. Findings indicate that visitors who engaged with the iSaveSpecies inquiry kiosks reported they used basic science inquiry skills during their zoo visit, felt more knowledgeable about gorillas and bonobos (including how to study and protect them) and that the kiosks added value to their visit.

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