In this paper, Lois H. Silverman of Indiana University examines visitor studies teaching and training needs. Silverman summarizes discussions and recommendations formed during a forum on this topic at a recent VSA conference.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Lois H. Silverman
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
In this message from the President of VSA, Ross J. Loomis introduces this issue of "Visitor Studies Today!" and discusses a few relevant topics including student involvement in visitor studies and VSA housekeeping items (conference, committee nominations).
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Ross Loomis
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
In this paper, Paulette M. McManus discusses the practice of visitor studies and evaluation, including the tradition of visitor observation, at institutions in the United Kingdom. Specifically, McManus compares evaluation practices at large museums and small- and medium-sized museums, examines the problem of student evaluation and studies as well as the impact of the National Lottery, and finally reports on audience advocacy.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Paulette M. McManusVisitor Studies Association
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood and Donald Thompson discuss findings from two studies, one that evaluated how people perceive museums, parks, and zoos in terms of 27 bipolar characteristics and one that studied how a visit to a science museum effects the perceptions of respondents. In both studies, the researchers used the semantic differential survey technique.
This article summates findings from research at the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle that evaluated and compared visitor behavior in the gardens, main galleries and two temporary exhibits.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood describes a study that investigated the impact of a museum visit on university students. Bitgood's report focuses on the racial similarities and differences in the students' responses.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Amy Cota and Stephen Bitgood share findings from a study of label content, specifically the effects of length and sequence. Researchers aimed to answer the following questions: (1) If the entire label is read, will retention of information be related to the length of the text? and (2) When information is presented in two paragraphs, is the order of presentation important?
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Ann Cleghorn summarizes a 1993 "Museum Management and Curatorship" article written by Paulette M. McManus. The article cites findings from a study of visitor's memories as indicators of the impact of museum visits. The study analyzed visitors ages 8-50 years, who visited "Gallery 33, A Meeting Ground of Cultures in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery," an exhibition about human society and includes materials on beliefs, values, customs, and art from around the world.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood and Ann Cleghorn share findings from a study that attempted to assess recall for three different types of exhibit events: visual (exhibit objects), semantic (label content), and other sensory impressions (sounds, temperature, darkness, touch). The aim of the study was to compare recollections for these three types of knowledge across exhibit areas at the Anniston Museum of Natural History.
In this paper, Elena Pol and Mikel Asensio of the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid discuss their research about how visitors perceive different kinds of artistic representations and which elements they interpret from masterpieces. The authors provide an overview of their work in this area, including three studies about artistic style.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Elena PolMikel Asensio
resourceprojectProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
This MSP-Start Partnership, led by Widener University, in partnership with Bryn Mawr College, Delaware County Community College, Philadelphia University, Lincoln University, and Haverford Township School District, is developing the Greater Philadelphia Environment, Energy, and Sustainability Science (ES)2 Teacher Leader Institute. Additional partners include the Center for Social and Economic Research at West Chester University, Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center, Energy Coordinating Agency, US EPA Region 3 Office of Innovation, National Center for Science and Civic Engagement and its SENCER program, Pennsylvania Campus Compact, Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development, Project Kaleidoscope, Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia, and the 21st Century Partnership for STEM Education. Building on a base of relationships developed over the past five years by many partners in the Math Science Partnership of Greater Philadelphia, the project brings together faculty and resources from multiple institutions (a "Mega-University" model) to develop a coherent, innovative, and content-rich, multi-year curriculum in environment, energy, and sustainability science for an Institute that leads to a newly developed Master's degree. Teachers participating in the Institute (A) improve their STEM content knowledge in areas critical to human environmental sustainability, (B) improve their use of project based/service learning and scientific teaching pedagogies in their teaching, (C) engage in real-world sustainability problem solving in an externship with a local business, non-profit or government organization that is active in the newly emerging green economy, and (D) develop important leadership skills as change agents in their schools to improve student interest, learning, and engagement in STEM education. The Institute aims to serve as a regional hub, connecting educational, business, non-profit and government organizations to strengthen the STEM education and workforce development pipelines in the region and simultaneously support positive social change toward environmental sustainability and citizenship. The project's "Mega-University" and "Institute as a regional connector-hub" approaches are powerful models of collaboration that could have widespread and significant national applicability as organizations and systems adjust to the new challenges of our global economy and to the needed transition to sustainability.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Stephen MadigoskyWilliam KeilbaughVictor DonnayBruce GrantThomas Schrand
The University of Washington’s Museology Program, in partnership with the Woodland Park Zoo and the Learning in Informal and Formal Environments Research Center is developing a model of university-community collaboration where students work with client museums, zoos and aquaria to evaluate exhibits and programs under the guidance of a research mentor. Students will gain experience in audience research and evaluation, as well as in project management, collaboration, and leadership. Staff at participating museums will advance their personal knowledge about visitors and the field of museum evaluation. The project will prepare a new generation of evaluators and museum practitioners through an innovative apprentice-styled laboratory that integrates the strengths of mentoring, fieldwork, academics, and client-centered experiences. Project Advisors include John Falk, Julie Johnson, Randi Korn, Marjorie Schwarzer, and Patterson Williams. Project started January, 2009 with 24 graduate students in the first cadre.