The current world research agenda is comprehensive. The results of many studies and experiments in which scientists are currently engaged will undoubtedly have profound impacts on the lives of citizens in developed and developing nations. Yet few people even know what research is being conducted, much less understand why it is being done and what the potential implications may be. This is a critical shortcoming of our public information system. Given the frenetic pace of science research in multi-disciplinary fields, it is increasingly vital that the public be made aware of new findings in a
'The Breathing City' is an Arts & Science collaboration between Urban Meteorologist, Dr Janet Barlow (University of Reading); Designer Chris Rose (University of Brighton); and Composer Holger Zschenderlein (University of Brighton). It centres on developing multi-sensory perspectives based on the interpretation and representation of scientific data.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Janet BarlowChris RoseHolger Zschenderlein
The drawing of 'outlines' can be shown to be dependent upon the bounding edge aspect of visual cognition, which is a principal means of discerning 'identity' from other features of experience in the visual field. Visual 'signatures' can be noticed when using techniques for the scientific visualization of data. Using examples from an ongoing art-science project between the Faculty of Arts and Architecture (Brighton) and the Meteorology Dept at the University of Reading, the paper will explore the boundary between the 'rational' and the subjective, and between the representation of knowledge and
There is a movement afoot to turn the acronym STEM—which stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—into STEAM by adding the arts. Science educators have finally begun to realize that the skills required by innovative STEM professionals include arts and crafts thinking. Visual thinking; recognizing and forming patterns; modeling; getting a "feel" for systems; and the manipulative skills learned by using tools, pens, and brushes are all demonstrably valuable for developing STEM abilities. And the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts have gotten
This study explores the effects of visitor observation of giant panda play on visitor concern for endangered species and satisfaction with seeing giant pandas. A total of 335 visitors to three institutions that house giant pandas participated in the study. These institutions are: the Chengdu Research Base of giant Panda Breeding, and the Chengdu Zoo, in China; and Zoo Atlanta in the U.S. After viewing the giant pandas, visitors were interviewed on whether they ever observed a panda play session, whether they observed panda play on the day of the visit, whether they wanted additional
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Sarah BexellOlga JarrettLuo LanHu YanEstelle SandhausZhang ZhiheTerry Maple
While many museums aim to reach underserved or non-traditional audiences, often including immigrant communities, little attention is given to understanding what is actually meant by "immigrant" and how the experience of many immigrant groups may have unique implications for museums and other informal learning institutions. This article raises key questions about the relationship between museums and immigrant communities in the U.S., the diverse and multivalent nature of immigrant groups, and important issues that museums should consider when thinking about engaging immigrant audiences--such as
Building on and extending existing research, this article proposes a 4-phase model of interest development. The model describes 4 phases in the development and deepening of learner interest: triggered situational interest, maintained situational interest, emerging (less-developed) individual interest, and well-developed individual interest. Affective as well as cognitive factors are considered. Educational implications of the proposed model are identified.
This chapter draws attention to the self-regulatory skills that students use in informal learning settings. Formal and informal learning settings are defined as complementary learning environments and it is pointed out that students differ with respect to the learning environments they find conducive to learning. It is suggested that the goals students set for themselves when learning in an informal learning context are different from the goals they set for themselves in a formal learning context. Furthermore, it is speculated that students attend to different clues and select different self
This study investigated the effectiveness of a combined museum and classroom intervention project on science learning in low-income children. The focus of the program was on children's content knowledge and concept complexity. Thirty children were in the experimental group. A control group of 18 children visited literacy and social studies exhibits at the museum. Results indicate that children in the experimental group learned content knowledge about the components of bubbles and the definition of a current. Although children in the experimental group exhibited more complex concepts about
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Harriet TenenbaumGabrielle Rappolt-SchlichtmannVirginia Vogel Zanger
Museums are excellent locations for testing ubiquitous systems; the Exploratorium in San Francisco offers a unique and challenging environment for just such a system. An important design consideration is how users switch between virtual and physical interactions.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Margaret FleckMarcos FridEamonn O'Brien-StrainRakhi RajaniMirjana Spasojevic
Several instruments have been developed to assess student images of scientists, but most require children to respond in writing. Since not all children can respond appropriately to written instruments. Chambers (1983) developed the Draw-A-Scientist Test (DAST) in which children's drawings are rated according to particular characteristics present or absent in the drawings, allowing researchers to determine the images of scientists children hold. In order to improve the objectivity and interrater reliability of this means of assessment, the authors built upon Chambers' study to develop a
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Kevin FinsonJohn BeaverBonnie Cramond
Thomas Kuhn's notion of a disciplinary matrix provides a useful framework for investigating the growth of research on family learning in and from museums over the last decade. To track the emergence of this disciplinary matrix we consider three issues. First are shifting theoretical perspectives that result in new shared language, beliefs, values, understandings, and assumptions about what counts as family learning. Second are realigning methodologies, driven by underlying disciplinary assumptions about how research in this arena is best conducted, what questions should be addressed, and