There has been little work done on the early experiences of children looking at plant exhibits in botanical gardens. This project, a parallel study to one carried out in zoos, sought to establish what the groups talked about and whether there were differences in content when adults were present and between single sex and mixed groups. The conversations were collected during primary school visits to the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, England, whilst the groups looked at plant specimens. Transcripts of the conversations were analysed using a systemic network. The results show that children talked
This article discusses museum field trips and a study that investigated teacher approaches to visiting out-of-school learning environments for science education. This article describes teachers' and (adolescent) students' differing experiences of field trips, and discusses the need for 'museums' to communicate more effectively with teachers and students prior to school field trips.
This article discusses the goals, methods, and findings of a research study conducted by staff at the Monterey Bay Aquarium to evaluate their revised sea otter feeding program. The study evaluated the success of the volunteer training and peer coaching program as well as the effectiveness of the new program format in promoting the aquarium's mission.
This article discusses the development of the "New Heart of the Zoo" exhibit project at the San Diego Zoo. Old monkey cages and a bird yard from the 1930's will be replaced with multispecies habitats representing both Asian and African rainforests. This article outlines goals, methods and findings of a three-week formative evaluation for the new exhibit.
This research was commissioned to explore visitors’ experiences in When the Dinosaurs Were Gone (later titled "When Crocodiles Ruled", a temporary exhibition at the Science Museum of Minnesota. As a summative evaluation, the research sought to address several issues and objectives: 1. overall impressions of the exhibition — visitors’ ratings of enjoyment, interest in the information, what they liked most, and what changes they would suggest (or not want) for a traveling version of this exhibit; 2. extent of use of the exhibition — amount of time spent in the exhibition and the extent to which
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People Places & Design ResearchScience Museum of MinnesotaJolene Hart
The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) has dedicated Conservation Endowment Funds (CEF) to conduct a multi-institutional research project (MIRP) that will investigate the overall impact of visits to zoos and aquariums on visitors' conservation-related knowledge, attitudes, affect, and behavior. With oversight and input from MIRP Co-Principal Investigators and key advisors, the Institute for Learning Innovation [carried out] the following goals: 1. Conducting a literature review; 2. Developing an overall research plan, design and methodologies for conducting a multi-institutional
This report summarizes a front-end evaluation of visitors' interest in and knowledge about invasive species. The evaluation was done to inform the Florida Aquarium (FLAQ) exhibit team about visitors' entry-level understanding of the concept, to give the team ideas for ways to connect with visitors' interests in the topic, and to communicate the exhibition's big idea: Invasive species have changed Florida ecologically and economically. The report includes highlights of the findings from interviews conducted on Nov. 8, 2001. Numbers are derived from a handtally of most of the data. (Not included
Marvelous Molecules: The Secret of Life is a 3,500-square-foot exhibition installed on the lower exhibit floor of the New York Hall of Science (NYHoS) between Hidden Kingdoms and Realm of the Atom. The 27 exhibit elements are grouped in sections that feature molecules for sensing, moving, reproduction, defending, and other biological functions. The big idea of the exhibition is: Inside what appear to be very different living things, molecules interact in similar ways to make things happen. In Spring 2001, a summative evaluation of Marvelous Molecules was conducted by Serrell & Associates
This 12-month planning phase will prepare the Exploratorium to develop a major collection of exhibits and activities on human thought and behavior. Because of the abundance of dramatic, new scientific research in human cognition and how this topic can be explored in an informal setting by the public, the institution will perform a one-year research and planning project. The team will investigate work by other science centers through site visits, conduct audience research on their needs in learning about cognitive science, consult with advisors, develop and test exhibit prototypes and evaluate the process.
This report presents the findings from a front-end evaluation of the Draper Museum of Natural History (DMNH) that is being developed by the Buffalo Bill Historical Center (BBHC) in Cody, Wyoming. For this study, Randi Korn & Associates (RK&A) conducted focus groups and interviews to help the exhibition development team better understand the target audiences - tourists and residents - and find common ground between the content, themes, and interpretive strategy of the DMNH and its potential visitors. Data were collected in March, April, and May 2001.
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Randi Korn & Associates, Inc.Buffalo Bill Historical Center