In this paper, Minda Borun of the Franklin Institute discusses the publics' naive notions of science and how museums provide the opportune place to study the pre-existing misconceptions of visitors of all ages. Borun reveals findings from the Franklin Institute's 18-month study to discover visitors' naive notions about gravity and air pressure and to develop exhibits which help restructure these concepts. The project is intended to establish a new model for the design of effective science museum exhibits.
In this paper, Douglas Hoy of the National Museum of Natural Sciences the impact of new admission fee guidelines from a comprehensive study commissioned by the Canadian government. Hoy presents an overview of the new fees program enacted in June 1988 and its influence on museum attendance throughout Canada.
In this paper, Conny Graft presents a brief overview of the interpretive planning process used on larger projects at Colonial Williamsburg as well as lessons learned from one specific program. Graft provides insight into the challenges of planning interpretations and evaluating live interpretive programs.
This paper discusses the programs, specifically field trip programs, for young children at art museums. The author explains how programs can teach the aesthetics of art (looking, distinguishing, loving) to young children and offers suggestions on how to run a successful program.
This paper presents research related to labels that assist visitors in interpreting objects in scientific museums. The authors present an overview of the linguistic tendencies of labeling in museums and scientific exhibitions. In addition, initial findings from a study of modified label text will shed light on the impact of variable text. Note: the figures in this paper are in French.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Julie DesjardinsDaniel JacobiMarie-Sylvie Poli
This paper discusses the the value of interpretive inquiry in examining visitors' reactions to museum environments as well as evaluating visitor outcomes expected by those producing the environments. This paper provides an explanation of interpretive inquiry as well as examples of this methodology in action at the Gibson House Living History Museum, Ontario Science Centre, and the Art Gallery of Ontario.
This paper discusses the Museum Impact and Evaluation Study, a research collaborative originated by the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and made up of nine museums from across the country. The intent of the study was to reach toward understanding the long-term outcomes of museums visits, focusing on the relationships that develop between visitors and museums and exhibits within museums over time. This overview provides a summation of the project's scope, research process, plan, and current status.
In this paper, researchers from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee discuss some of the advantages as well as challenges of self-directed learning environments such as museums. The authors discuss the methodology and findings from their study of visitor learning style preference and its effect upon learning in an informal setting. This evaluation took place at the "Rain Forest: Exploring Life on Earth" exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum.
This paper explains the Interactive Experience Model, which encompasses the actions that the visitor is engaged in during a museum visit. This model is useful for thinking about issues related to museum learning and provides a framework for understanding the totality of the museum experience--a socially, cognitively, kinesthetically, and aesthetically rich experience.
This paper shares innovative evaluation techniques employed by staff at the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris to plan, design, launch, and implement its newly renovated Grande Galeries de Zoologie. Their evaluation techniques combined quantitative and qualitative research techniques.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Jacqueline EidelmanDenis SamsonBernard SchieleMichel Van Praet
This paper shares research findings that explore the link between conceptual understanding, free exploration of hands-on science center exhibits, and Piagetian cognitive developmental levels. Implications on museum exhibits and field trip experiences are examined as well.
This paper presents findings from a label study project at the Franklin Institute Science Museum, part of the Naive Knowledge Research Project, funded by NSF to identify "naive notions" about science, in particular the cause and nature of gravity, and test the power of interactive devices to alter them. The device which prompted this label study was designed to correct the misconception that spinning pulls things in and, more specifically, that the earth's rotation generates its gravitational pull.