Research in experimental and developmental psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience, suggests that tool fluency depends on the merging of perceptual and motor aspects of its use, an achievement we call perceptuomotor integration. We investigate the development of perceptuomotor integration and its role in mathematical thinking and learning. Just as expertise in playing a piano relies on the interanimation of finger movements and perceived sounds, we argue that mathematical expertise involves the systematic interpenetration of perceptual and motor aspects of playing mathematical
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Ricardo NemirovskyMolly KeltonBohdan Rhodehamel
This report presents the findings from a summative evaluation of the NSF-funded Wild Music traveling exhibition conducted by Randi Korn & Associates, Inc. (RK&A), for the Science Museum of Minnesota in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The evaluation documents the exhibition’s impact and effectiveness using timing and tracking observations and onsite exit interviews. Data were collected at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) in July and August 2007 and at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (PNNM) in March and April 2008.
This poster was presented at the 2014 AISL PI Meeting in Washington, DC. The project seeks to develop and study a model that would integrate the science research on urban systems into science museum exhibits and programs, starting in this phase in a new "City Science" exhibit space at the EcoTarium. The goal is to learn how to assist citizens in decision-making and shaping a sustainable future for their communities.
This poster was presented at the 2014 AISL PI Meeting in Washington, DC. It describes a project that engages 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 are communicated and promoted within culturally relevant contexts as valuable, complementary ways of knowing, understanding, and caring for the world. OMSI, partner institutions, Native scientists, tribal museum partners, exhibit developers, advisors, and members of Native
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Oregon Museum of Science and IndustryVictoria Coats
This poster was presented at the 2014 AISL PI Meeting in Washington, DC. The project created a bilingual exhibit and surrounding activities to explore the concept of sustainability.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Oregon Museum of Science and IndustryMarilyn Johnson
This poster was presented at the 2014 AISL PI Meeting in Washington, DC. It describes a professional development collaborative research project to explore commonalities between native and western science, infusing an indigenous voice into programs and exhibits focused on environmental change. Native Universe builds on the Cosmic Serpent project.
A major goal for the Garibay Group is to provide the team with a working document that could help inform their thinking in developing the new Gallery of Natural Sciences. This report is an analysis and synthesis of the literature on dioramas. The review focused on the question: "What do we know about visitor outcomes at habitat dioramas and how are those outcomes achieved?"
This document contains the proceedings from the Natural Science Gallery Symposium held by the Oakland Museum of California on September 15 & 16, 2008. Attendees discussed plans and ideas for an updated design of the Natural Science Gallery.
As part of the Oakland Museum of California’s (OMCA) Hotspot California project funded by NSF, Garibay Group conducted research investigating whether habitat dioramas contribute to visitors’ development of Sense of Place. The main research question for the study was: What role does sense of place play in visitors’ experiences with habitat dioramas?
This research investigated ways in which habitat dioramas contribute to visitors’ development of Sense of Place. Visitors’ responses to dioramas at the Field Museum (Chicago) and Denver Museum of Nature and Science were studied, using observations, interviews, and a Diorama Sense of Place survey instrument. Although observations revealed few conversations about the places depicted in the dioramas, other data revealed that dioramas inspired memories and connections to place. A complex set of factors contributed to visitors’ feelings of Place Bondedness. Visitors expressed the strongest
The value of dioramas has been hotly debated within many institutions. Are they still relevant as museum exhibitions? Can they deeply engage a diverse public in this digital age? Some museum professionals regard dioramas as “boring” and “static,” while visitors have called them “creepy” displays of “dead animals.” Yet many more professionals and visitors alike describe dioramas as “evocative,” “beautiful” and “powerful” fusions of art and science (Wonders, 1989; Quinn, 2006; Yanni, 2008; Benton, 2009). Since dioramas occupy significant square footage in many natural science museum galleries
This final report summarizes the findings from three summative evaluation activities conducted by Serrell & Associates and the Oakland Museum of California with visitors to the newly renovated, reinstalled, and reinterpreted Gallery of California Natural Sciences in April and July 2014: the stay-time study, the cued questionnaire study, and the personal connections study.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Serrell & AssociatesBeverly SerrellMary T. Faria