In this paper, John K. Haeseler of Economics Research Associates discusses how the total length of time a visitor spends at a cultural attraction such as a museum or zoo can be used to measure the holding power of the attraction. Haeseler describes methods which can be used to measure average visitor length of stay, provides examples of findings from various research investigations and discusses several considerations likely to affect length of stay.
In this paper, R.S. Miles reviews three evaluation studies of audivisuals carried out by researchers at The Natural History Museum, London between 1979 and 1987. Miles' review can inform the design of effective audiovisuals, which are expensive to produce, difficult to mock-up and test during development, and expensive to modify once produced.
This paper discusses research on visitor behavior in museums, specific visitor interest, attention and learning. It presents findings from a study conducted by researchers at the University of Florida, which evaluated 47 undergraduates' viewing patterns and learning at 11 static case exhibits at the Florida Museum of Natural History.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
John J. Koran, Jr.John Scott FosterMary Lou Koran
This paper discusses the evolution of zoo exhibits from cages to naturalistic enclosures and the research of these exhibits. It focuses on an evaluation of the Gorillas of Cameroon exhibit located in the Ford African Rain Forest of Zoo Atlanta. This paper presents findings from the study that mainly focus on the visitor responses to the exhibit.
In this paper, Jeff Bonner of the St. Louis Science Center discusses the merits of formal versus naturalistic evaluation within the museum context. Bonner also presents the approach and findings of a two-part study designed to compare the results of these two evaluation approaches. They compared the the results of a formal analysis of the holding power, ease of use, readability of text, and overall enjoyability of nine exhibits with a naturalistic study focused on how one volunteer, two part-time employees and a staff supervisor viewed the same exhibits.
This paper discusses two important initiatives at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). The first was an experiment that tested the impact of interpretive devices on visitors to an installation of contemporary art. The second was a major collaborative project in which educators and curators joined forces and reinstalled a part of the AGO's permanent collection using innovative design and interpretive strategies. In both instances, audience research constituted an important part of the initiative and has flagged important issues that may have a significant impact on exhibit development at the AGO.
This paper the development and success of an ambitious plan launched by the Philadelphia Zoo in late 1970's and early 1980s to streamline operating procedures, repair and replace buildings and exhibits, and evaluate and upgrade visitor services. A key part of this service strategy was a visitor survey, which aimed to identify weaknesses and provide regular feedback for operating staff and management. A copy of this questionnaire is included in this paper.
This paper discusses four years of visitor evaluation the Anniston Museum of Natural History. It includes an overview of the evaluation program including the collaboration between the museum and the Psychology Institute at Jacksonville State University, varying views of evaluation design, and recent research projects and findings.
This article develops an argument that the type of intervention research most useful for improving science teaching and learning and leading to scalable interventions includes both research to develop and gather evidence of the efficacy of innovations and a different kind of research, design-based implementation research (DBIR). DBIR in education focuses on what is required to bring interventions and knowledge about learning to all students, wherever they might engage in science learning. This research focuses on implementation, both in the development and initial testing of interventions and
This funding solicitation for FY2014 in the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program at the National Science Foundation seeks to advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments; provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments; and develop understandings of deeper learning by participants. The AISL program supports five kinds of projects: 1) Pathways, 2) Research in
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National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation
Roto, an exhibition design and production firm, contracted Randi Korn & Associates, Inc. (RK&A) to conduct a front-end evaluation of Speed, an exhibition being developed for The Science Museum of Virginia (SMV) in Richmond, Virginia. RK&A explored visitors’ thoughts, perceptions, and understandings of exhibition concepts related to speed, defined as change over time. How did we approach this study? RK&A worked closely with Roto to identify the goals and objectives for the Speed exhibition. Findings from the front-end evaluation were designed to help Roto and SMV find common ground between
This paper explains how and why many American museums of science and nature moved away from the traditional content and methods of natural history in the period from 1930 to 1980. It explores diverse motivations for the shift from dead, stuffed displays to live, interactive exhibits, and the consequences of that shift for museums as both educational institutions and as institutions of research. Ultimately, it argues that debates over museums' content and display strategies drew strength from and reinforced a profound transformation in the institutional history of twentieth-century American