The Understanding Race website is informative, varied, accessible, and appealing. It speaks to people with a wide range of ages and backgrounds. It is a clear, understandable treatment of a difficult topic. The site is a rich resource for teachers who can use the content with their classes at varying levels. There is also information for scholars who wish to delve more deeply. No educational resource can please everyone, but this one comes close.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Minda BorunS2N MediaAmerican Anthropological Association
Partnering with National Musical Arts, the Science Museum of Minnesota seeks to develop BioMusic, a 4,000 sq. ft. traveling exhibition that explores the origins of music in nature and the connections between music and sound of living things. This project is based on planning grant ESI-0211611 (The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music) awarded to NMA. The project is based on the emerging interdisciplinary research field of biomusic, which includes musicology plus aspects of neuroscience, biology, zoology, environmental science, physics, psychology, math and anthropology. The exhibit sections -- "Humanimal" Music; Natural Symphonies; Ancient Roots; Music, Body and Mind; and World of Music -- use both music and natural sound to explore biodiversity, cultural diversity, the physics of sound and the brain. BROADER IMPACT: The exhibition is expected to travel for at least six years, reaching some two million people in 18 communities. It is to be accompanied by a six-part radio series (Sweet Bird Classics) for young children. Because of the connection to music and many other areas of public interest, this exhibition has the potential to attract and engage new audiences to science museums and stimulate their interest in STEM.
WNET is producing "The Human Spark," a multimedia project that includes a four-part television series (4 x 60 min) for national primetime broadcast on PBS, innovative outreach partnerships with museums, an extensive Web site and outreach activities, including a Spanish-language version and companion book. Hosted by Alan Alda, "The Human Spark" will explore the intriguing questions: What makes us human? Can the human spark be found in the differences between us and our closest genetic relative -- the great apes? Is there some place or process unique to the human brain where the human spark resides? And if we can identify it, could we transfer it to machines? The programs will explore these questions through presenting cutting-edge research in a number of scientific disciplines including evolution, genetics, cognitive neuroscience, behavioral science, anthropology, linguistics, AI, robotics and computing. The series will highlight opposing views within each field, and the interdisciplinary nature of science, including its intersection with the humanities. The series will develop a new innovative format, the "muse concept", which involves pairing the host with a different scientific expert throughout each program. The outreach plan is being developed with a consortium of four leading science museums, American Museum of Natural History in New York, Museum of Science in Boston, The Exploratorium in San Francisco, and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, paired with their respective local public television stations. An additional six museums and local broadcasters will be chosen through an RFP process to develop local initiatives around the series. Multimedia Research and Leflein Associates will conduct formative as well as summative evaluations of the series and web.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
William GrantJared LipworthGraham CheddBarbara Flagg
SoundVision Productions is developing and distributing a series of ten, hour-long public radio documentaries that will explore the turbulent boundary between science and the humanities, capturing the present moment of tremendous scientific and scholarly ferment with the unique and intimate power of radio. By introducing the radio audience to the thoughts and voices of some of the world\'s most accomplished scientists, in conversations with the counterparts in the humanities, the series will look at recent developments in science including physics, molecular and cell biology, environmental science, cognitive psychology and neuroscience, and the multiple disciplines of the life sciences reflecting the increasingly subtle and widespread application of evolutionary theory. In each program, a careful account of new scientific ideas and discoveries will be placed within the context of historical and contemporary thought about the human and natural worlds. Barinetta Scott, the Executive Producer, has most recently been the Executive Producer for the highly regarded NSF funded NPR series, "The DNA Files." In developing this project, she will work closely with an advisory committee that includes: John Avise, Research Professor, Dept. of Genetics, University of Georgia Samuel Barondes, Professor and Director of the University of California San Francisco\'s Center for Neurobiology and Psychiatry Terrence Deacon, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Boston University Anne Foerst, Professor of Computer Science and Theology, St. Bonaventure University Ursula Goodenough, Dept. of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis William Irons, Professor of Anthropology, Northwestern University Gordon Kane, Professor of Physics, University of Michigan Jim Miller, Senior Program Associate for the AAAS Program of Dialogue Between Science and Religion W. Mark Richardson, Episcopal Priest, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, General Theological Seminary Holmes Rolston, University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Philosophy, Colorado State University Michael Ruse, Professor of the Philosophy of Biology and Ethics, at Florida State University Mary Evelyn Tucker, Professor of Religion at Bucknell University Dorothy Wertz, Senior Scientist; Social Science, Ethics, and the Law; The Shriver Center.
In this article, Julia Rose, Director of the West Baton Rouge Museum, analyzes increased efforts by museums to include references of slave life histories into their interpretations. Rose discusses the strategies used by museums and challenges they face when presenting the tough stories of slave life.
This report presents findings from a formative evaluation of the Becoming American theme and the Choosing Revolution story. Becoming Americans tells how diverse peoples, holding different and sometimes conflicting personal ambitions, evolved into a society that valued both liberty and equality. Becoming Americans is the umbrella theme for several stories, one of which is Choosing Revolution. The Choosing Revolution story is about the changing community and the decisions people living in the colony made to shape their future. Choosing Revolution was presented at eight key sites and many
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Randi KornThe Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Audience research inspired this interpretive case study in which the evaluator compared planning for the visitor experience and visitor response to the developed environment in a living history site setting. During 1987-1988, the evaluator spent several months observing and interviewing museum workers and visitors, in situ, at The Gibson House, which is operated by the City of Toronto Historic Museums and Art Centres. The case study included a variety of data triangulation techniques to interpret the visitor experience from multiple perspectives (e.g., Soren, 1990-2000). The Gibson House
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Barbara SorenCity of Toronto Historic Museums and Art Centres
The on-line exhibition, Cloth and Clay: Communicating Culture, was a collaborative project involving the Textile Museum of Canada and Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. The two museums with very distinct collections jointly developed the content for this Web site. The development team wanted to create opportunities to: re-unite material from common cultural origins; put objects into their context; find common themes; and, discover new relationships between the collections. They also wanted to reconnect indigenous peoples whose cultures and objects are represented with this material by having them
Revealing Bodies was an experimental exhibition that explored the messages and meanings found in biomedical and anatomical representations of human bodies. It further explored what happens when these images are removed from their original context and reinterpreted for other purposes such as arts, advertising and politics. The exhibition also examined how the culture and point of view of the original creator may have shaped the image and what happens to this intent with the iterations of time and societal change. The exhibition was approximately 4000 square feet. It was a mix of artworks
This 6,000-square-foot temporary exhibition ran from March 2003 to January 2004 and was located in two galleries on the second floor, connected by a "bridge" across the atrium. The exhibition contained 55 elements grouped in six sections by sports venue and community settings: neighborhoods, Soldier Field, Comiskey Park, Wrigley Field, the Chicago Stadium/United Center, and school sports. The main message of the exhibition was, "In a city of strangers, sports brings people together." The 55 elements included two large video theaters (one in the south gallery, one in the north), four large wall
Native Universe: Indigenous Voice in Museums, a collaboration between the Indigenous Education Institute, University of California-Berkeley, and the University of Hawaii at Hilo, builds on the successful NSF-funded Cosmic Serpent collaborative (DRL 07-14631/DRL 07-14629). The Cosmic Serpent professional development project explores commonalities between native and western science, enabling participants to use STEM as an entry point for museum programs and exhibits. Native Universe endeavors to move to the next level by creating a professional development program which fosters systemic institutional change through the infusion of indigenous voice in programs and exhibits focusing on environmental change. Topics to be explored include species distribution, environmental vulnerability, adaptation of human systems, and science and policy issues on the local, regional, and global levels. This project is designed to assess how cultural background and exposure to indigenous knowledge systems integrated with western science influence these perspectives; develop sustainable institutional competence in presenting multiple perspectives on environmental change; and create models for inclusion while building an enduring community of practice. The project design relies upon a conceptual framework grounded in the literature on indigenous voice and traditional ecological knowledge, as well as current models for institutional change. Front-end, summative, and process evaluation will address questions related to how science museums facilitate engagement and inclusion of indigenous voice in the presentation of environmental change content, stages of readiness, and the emergence of models for this process. Methods for data collection include reflective logs, pre-post questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews at multiple points to measure the degree and nature of change within museums, as well as how change was initiated, supported, and sustained by staff. Project deliverables include three museum case studies developed during 9-month residencies, public experiences for visitors, a culminating virtual conference, and a dynamic community of practice among museums committed to indigenous voice in informal science education. The museum residencies will take place at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and the Museum of the North in Alaska. Intensive case studies will be conducted at each site following the Diné Strategic Planning Process (consisting of initiation, growth, implementation, and renewal) and featuring the Ìmiloa Astronomy Institute as a model for institutional change. Exhibits and programs have been identified at each site that will be developed or expanded to integrate environmental change content and native perspectives. Dissemination of the project findings will be accomplished through publications, conference presentations, videos, webinars (four per year), and the virtual conference. It is anticipated that this project will impact over 1.2 million visitors at the collaborating institutions, in addition to the professional audience of museum staff. Native Universe may provide valuable interpretive tools for the field to understand and address the challenges associated with integrating cultural perspectives and science content. The museum case studies will contribute knowledge about the cultural process of science learning, and may transform the way science is presented in museums by leveraging indigenous voice to enhance public awareness and understanding of environmental change from a culturally-grounded perspective. The overall benefit is increased participation of indigenous individuals in STEM and increased public science literacy in the area of environmental change.
This project will engage underserved Native and non-native youth and adults in environmental science content and awareness through innovative exhibitions and hands-on activities. Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and western science will be communicated and promoted within culturally relevant contexts as valuable, complementary ways of knowing, understanding, and caring for the world. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), the lead institution, and its partner organizations, The Indigenous Education Institute (IEI), The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), the Tramastklikt Cultural Institute, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Hibub Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve (Tulalip Tribes) will work collaboratively to develop and deliver all aspects of the project. An estimated 1.5 million Native American and non-Native American youth and adults are expected to be engaged in the project\'s exhibits, website, and activity kits over the five year duration of the project. Native American and non-Native American youth (ages 11-14) and their families from the Portland area and visitors to national science centers, tribal museums, and members of Native American organizations and service providers will be targeted for participation in Generations of Knowledge activities. In addition, the Professional Collaborative component will bring professionals from the partnering organizations to share resources, professional opportunities, and document their collaborative process. OMSI, project partners, Native scientists, tribal museum partner, exhibit developers, advisors, and members of various Native American communities will work collaboratively to develop four integrated deliverables. Each deliverable will be interconnected and designed to accommodate a variety of venues and audiences. Project deliverables include: (a) a 2,000 sq ft traveling exhibition, (b) a small traveling graphic panel exhibition, (c) an online virtual exhibition, (d) an activity kit for Native youth in informal and formal settings, and (e) opportunities and resources for reciprocal collaboration between ISE and Native American partners through a professional collaborative initiative. IEI and advisors from RMC Research and Native Pathways will conduct the external evaluation using a mixed method, community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach. Formative and summative evaluative data will be used to monitor, assess, and inform the project and the extent to which project goals have been met and the intended impacts achieved. The anticipated project outcomes include (but not limited to): (a) an awareness and understanding of the interconnectedness of TEK and western science, (b) a recognition of the relevancy and value of TEK and western science for understanding and caring for the natural world, (c) intergenerational learning and discussions about related TEK and western science issues, and (d) an increased capacity, supported by evidence, among the project team and partners to facilitate reciprocal collaborative efforts. This project builds on a long history of successful NSF/DRL supported work led by OMSI and IEI. It also extends existing traditional ecological knowledge focused work through a culturally contextualized hands-on traveling and virtual exhibitions, a rigorous professional development component, highly visible national partners (e.g., NMAI), and a national reach to over one million Native American and non-Native American youth and adults over a five year period. The project\'s research and evaluation findings will add to the knowledge base on strategies that can be employed to communicate and promote TEK and western science as complementary, valuable was of understanding and caring for the natural world.