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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Paulette M. McManusVisitor Studies Association
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
In this forward, Stephen Bitgood, editor of "Visitor Behavior," briefly acknowledges supporters of the publication, evaluates the progress of visitor studies activities, and introduces the current issue which focuses on the upcoming First Annual Visitor Studies Meeting in Alabama as well as the problem of visitor misbehavior.
This document, released in September 2013, grew out of a Joint Committee of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) that was convened to establish cross-agency guidelines for improving the quality, coherence, and pace of knowledge development in STEM education. In this report, the Joint Committee 1) defines the types of ED- and NSF-funded research that relates to the development and testing of interventions and strategies designed to increase learning, and 2) specifies how the types of research relate to one another, and describe the theoretical and
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National Science FoundationU.S. Department of Education
In this article, VSA President Harris Shettel examines some of the issues that are relevant to the continued growth and development of the field of visitor studies. Shettel presents these issues in the form of questions and shares his answers about the status of exhibit evaluation, the flaws of traditional visitor evaluation, etc.
In this editor's note, Stephen Bitgood discusses the upcoming 1992 Visitor Studies Conference in St. Louis and summarizes the theme of the issue of "Visitor Behavior," which focuses on the design and evaluation of interactive exhibits.
In this article, Harris Shettel, museum evaluation consultant and President of the Visitor Studies Association (1991-1993), discusses the state of the field of visitor studies and makes predictions about and recommendations for the future. This paper was part of a panel discussion, "A Look To The Future," that was scheduled as the final session of a visitor studies conference held in London.
In this article, Harris H. Shettel, museum consultant, questions why so few museums evaluate educational program and evaluations. Shettel provides six factors that she that explain why this is the case.
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Harris H. ShettelVisitor Studies Association
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
In this article, Ross J. Loomis of the Colorado State University discusses the evolving field of visitor research. Loomis identifies three indicators of a presence of a field of visitor studies, but argues that this field is not very well organized.
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Ross J. Loomis
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
This is an introduction to the "Visitor Studies" journal by Stephen Bitgood of Jacksonville State University. Bitgood summarizes discussions and highlights important issues from the First Annual Visitor Studies Conference. Bitgood analyzes visitor studies as a separate field.
This paper offers a simple view of the institutionalization process and describes case studies of three institutions (High Desert Museum, Chicago Academy of Sciences, and Chicago Children's Museum). It is a summary of remarks from the 1994 Visitor Studies Conference in Raleigh, NC.
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D. PerryK. RonningJ. SiskaS. WeaverErica ReedVisitor Studies Association
In this article, Lynn D. Dierking of Science Learning, inc. (SLi) discusses the summative evaluation of the Pacific Science Center's Science Carnival Consortium Project, a National Science Foundation funded program designed to assist new or developing science centers with opening and operating their institutions. The evaluation was designed to determine the extent to which the Science Carnival Consortium fulfilled its primary mission of facilitating the creation of these new science centers, as well as to assess the relative efficacy of the project as a model for future collaborative endeavors
In this article, Ethan Allen (Teachers Academy for Mathematics & Science in Chicago) describes two types of museum collaborations and how they improve visitor experience through different modes. Allen discusses the Chicago Museum Exhibitors Group (CMEG) and the Museum Partners of Chicago's Urban Systemic Initiative as two models of museum collaboration.