An important challenge in urban science education is finding ways to engage all students in the learning of science. However, research in this area has consistently shown that around middle school student engagement in science wanes. Using critical ethnographic methods this study reveals how students cultivate a sense of ownership in an informal science video project. Student ownership of what they they learn plays an important role in how they engage in the learning environment. In this study ownership is characterized by five themes, and the notion of student ownership science is challenged
The article presents information on International Technology Education Association's document "Standards for Technological Literacy" (STL). This document is generally thought of as a tool for K-12 schooling that identifies what students should know and be able to do in order to achieve technological literacy. However, the standards in STL are moving into another, broader venue, one that will potentially reach youth and adults of all ages. This article describes how the Boston Museum of Science has assumed the leadership in informal education's museum arena to implement STL and advance the
Community learning of science and technology has undergone radical review in the past few years. This paper outlines changes that have taken place in research methods that have addressed the informal learning of science, particularly in the museum sector. We discuss the shift in perspective that has occurred over the past three decades in the public understanding movement, examine some current issues, and suggest future directions for research. The paper concludes with a personal vision for the future of community learning about science and technology.
The use of mobile devices for informal learning has gained attention over recent years. Museum learning is also regarded as an important research topic in the field of informal learning. This study explored a blended mobile museum learning environment (BMMLE). Moreover, this study applied three blended museum learning modes: (a) the traditional museum visit accompanied by a learning website, (b) paper-based learning sheets used during museum visits accompanied by a learning website, and (c) an interactive mobile learning system used during museum visits accompanied by a learning website (i.e
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Huei-Tse HouSheng-Yi WuPeng-Chun LinYao-Ting SungJhe-Wei LinKuo-En Chang
A multimodal semiotic approach is applied in this chapter to three examples to illustrate how the use of digital technology in museums and galleries can re-mediated the visitor experience (Jewitt, 2009; Kress, 2009). The examples are selected to expand upon the themes raised in Chapter X. They each explore different technologies, contexts and purposes and to illustrate the successful use of digital technology in exhibitions, galleries, or interventions: 1. You Tube and Flickr: The Weather Project by Olafur Eliasson at the Tate Modern Museum; 2. Interactive artefacts, virtual tours and Websites
The article discusses the significance of student's participation in a wireless, handheld field trip in the U.S. It is a program that comprises of a mix of podcasts, student multimedia creation, Web research and interviewing, designed by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The innovation is vital to students' learning because it will allow them to interact with museum exhibits in a guided yet exploratory way and to increase both the amount of time students spend at exhibits and the depth of engagement with each exhibit. It revealed that in a museum setting, the technology can be used to
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Aliece WellerJohn BickarPaul McGuiness
This is a study of the opportunities currently provided by interactive science and technology centres for visitors’ engagement in the field of acoustics. E-mails, requesting a description of exhibits on acoustics (sound and hearing) in use, were sent to members of staff of interactive science and technology centres around the world as well as to companies that design and sell exhibits. Eighty-seven descriptions of distinctive interactive exhibits were received and analysed. Results show that: there are few analogy-based exhibits concerning the more complex aspects of acoustics; narratives
The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework for initiatives focused on supporting learning across settings in the domains of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The conceptual framework emerges from ecological perspectives on learning that suggest a need to consider how learning develops across settings, through a range of supportive interactions and relationships (Barron, 2006; Bronfenbrenner, 1979). The framework presents initial design principles for organizing learning opportunities that connect people to practices in multiple settings. It also
Much of the work done in the field of tangible interaction has focused on creating tools for learning; however, in many cases, little evidence has been provided that tangible interfaces offer educational benefits compared to more conventional interaction techniques. In this paper, we present a study comparing the use of a tangible and a graphical interface as part of an interactive computer programming and robotics exhibit that we designed for the Boston Museum of Science. In this study, we have collected observations of 260 museum visitors and conducted interviews with 13 family groups. Our
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Michael HornErin SoloveyR. Jordan CrouserRobert Jacob
The development and use of the Web by science-technology museums, mass media, and other informal science learning resource centers to enable remote public access to their resources and expand their educational outreach programs has grown enormously over the past decade. Similarly, many "open source" learning and education portals are rapidly growing into major free global lifelong learning resources. At the same time, U.S. student achievement in science in middle and high schools continues to be lag far behind that of students in many developed countries, and many American K-8 science teachers
The EU-funded MultiMatch project aims to overcome language barriers, and media and distribution problems currently affecting access to on-line cultural heritage material. Partners are developing a vertical search engine able to harvest heterogeneous information from distributed sources and present it in a synthesized manner. To design such a system, user requirements were initially gathered and then translated into specific design features to ensure that the search engine developed was consistent with user needs. This paper presents these user requirements, the initial design of the MultiMatch
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Jennifer MarlowPaul CloughNeil IresonJuan Manuel Cigarran RecueroJavier ArtilesFranca Debole
Museums and galleries collect more visitor data today than ever before. But how much of it gives us real insight into visitors motivations, behaviour, experiences and responses? And how much of it simply ticks a box on a funding form? Commissioned by some of the UK’s leading institutions, including Tate, The British Museum, V&A and the Imperial War Museum North, Morris Hargreaves McIntyre has tackled this insight deficit head on. In doing so, we have helped these organisations to move beyond the data routinely collected to get to the knowledge they actually need.