How can research on teaching and learning be used to improve the design of e-content? The contents of this report are based on a series of seminars conducted during 2003 and 2004, funded by the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC), that were coordinated by Lydia Plowman, University of Stirling. They were also sponsored by a number of organisations including Futurelab. Each seminar was attended by researchers from universities, creators and managers of companies that make educational resources, and people engaged in policy making or representing Government agencies
To explore how the United States can harness the powerful features of digital games for learning, the Federation of American Scientists, the Entertainment Software Association, and the National Science Foundation convened a National Summit on Educational Games, on October 25, 2005 in Washington, DC. The Summit brought together nearly 100 experts to discuss ways to accelerate the development, commercialization, and deployment of new generation games for learning.
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Federation of American ScientistsHenry Kelly
Goodman Research Group, Inc. (GRG), a Cambridge-based research firm specializing in the evaluation of educational programs, conducted the summative evaluation of StarTalk. The overall focus was to examine how well the joint presentation of science and humor reaches a public audience, including an audience not typically exposed to informal science learning, and how well it engages and informs them, such that they are motivated to continue learning more. Primary evaluation research questions included: 1. To what extent does exposure to StarTalk lead to increased interest in and knowledge of
As mobile devices are increasingly merging into our daily lives, exhibition services are also facing innovation based on the newly available technologies. Our project addresses these new circumstances. We developed a mobile exhibition guide for the exhibition called "Mrs Brown's Big Day Out: Hamilton Women in the 1950s". That is organized by the Waikato Museum. The proposed system re-uses the TIP (Tourist Information Provider) system's framework and provides information via mobile devices to visitors on Victoria Street, which is an outdoor part of the exhibition. The information about a sight
Museums are blogging. At this writing, over 50 museum-administered blogs exist worldwide, while still more write about museums. Some blogs even focus their content specifically on the topic of museum blogging. However, museum blogging is still largely untouched in accessible professional or museological literature, save for articles on how museums can begin blogging and strategies they can employ to boost the visibility of their blog online. While useful, these articles fall under museum practice and rarely acknowledge museum theory. From a museological perspective, it is important to
Through the Digital Media in Everyday Life research initiative, The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago seeks to better understand our audience and their relationship to technology and digital media in order to inform the development of our own digital initiatives. Our definition of “audience” is necessarily broad, and includes visitors to the Museum as well as users of all our online, mobile, and social media experiences. Therefore it is not only important for us to understand what mobile devices visitors might bring into the Museum, but also how users behave online and in social networks
Produced by National Geographic Television and funded in part by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Alien Deep is a multi-platform media project designed to increase public literacy about: the fundamental principles and concepts underlying ocean systems and functions, the importance and challenges of oceanographic research and exploration, and the impact of the ocean on humanity and humanity’s impact on the ocean. The centerpiece of the project is a five-part mini-series that premiered on the National Geographic Channel in 2012. In addition to the five episodes, which were also made
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Knight Williams Inc.Valerie Knight-WilliamsDivan WilliamsRachel TeelEric AndersonGabriel Simmons
New mobile device features and the growing proportion of visitors carrying mobiles allow the range of museum exhibit design possibilities to be expanded. In particular, we see opportunities for using mobiles to help exhibits scale up to support variable-sized groups of visitors, and to support collaborative visitor-visitor interactions. Because exhibit use is generally one-time-only, any interfaces created for these purposes must be easily learnable, or visitors may not use the exhibit at all. To guide the design of learnable mobile interfaces, we chose to employ the Consistency design
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Priscilla Jimenez PazminoLeilah Lyons
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center has just started working on WILD BLUE: Using Fulldome Technology to Illustrate Aeronautics Principles, targeting school audiences from grades 3-8 as part NASA's CP4SMP+ program. Morehead will partner with NASA Langley Research Center as content advisors and Sky-Skan, Inc as content distributors. WILD BLUE's primary goal is to strengthen STEM education in the United States. WILD BLUE plans national distribution of a NASA-inspired media portfolio that supports formal and informal STEM education. The media portfolio targets grades 3-8, addresses National Science Education Standards, and includes two key deliverables: (1) a fulldome planetarium show that showcases aeronautics history and concepts, NASA's role in aeronautics research and related STEM careers (2) web-based curriculum materials that integrate current NASA curriculum materials, including Museum in a Box and Summer of Innovation activities. All WILD BLUE deliverables include NASA content -- the history, primary research and future plans of NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD); imagery illustrating aeronautics concepts; information about STEM careers with NASA; and commentary from ARMD personnel. This four-year project ensures scientific accuracy, educational value and engaging presentation through an advisory board and an external evaluation process. WILD BLUE expects outcomes that include advancing NASA Strategic Goal 6 (participation, innovation, contribution) and NASA Education Goals, facilitating knowledge of NASA's role in aeronautics research, and expanding participation by underserved students in formal and informal science education.
The NASA Science Research Mentoring Program (NASA SRMP) is an established mentoring program that presents the wonders of space exploration and planetary sciences to underserved high school students from New York City through cutting-edge, research-based courses and authentic research opportunities, using the rich resources of the American Museum of Natural History. NASA SRMP consists of a year of Earth and Planetary Science (EPS) and Astrophysics electives offered through the Museum’s After School Program, year-long mentorship placements with Museum research scientists, and summer programming through our education partners at City College of New York and the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. The primary goals of the project are: 1) to motivate and prepare high school students, especially those underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, to pursue STEM careers related to EPS and astrophysics; 2) to develop a model and strategies that can enrich the informal education field; and 3) to engage research scientists in education and outreach programs. The program features five in-depth elective courses, offered twice per year (for a total of 250 student slots per year). Students pursue these preparatory courses during the 10th or 11th grade, and a select number of those who successfully complete three of the courses are chosen the next year to conduct research with a Museum scientist. In addition to providing courses and mentoring placements, the program has produced curricula for the elective courses, an interactive student and instructor website for each course, and teacher and mentor training outlines.
The Expanding Children’s Interest through Experiential Learning (EXCITE) Project will target K-8th students in expanded learning programs to increase ongoing NASA STEM informal education opportunities for organizations that serve primarily underrepresented and underserved student populations. The AERO Institute will leverage existing collaborations to build capacity of participating organizations in NASA inspired STEM activities. Major partners include Navajo Nation in Arizona, the Beyond the Bell branch of the Los Angeles Unified School District, and the Region 8 of the California After School Program housed in the Ventura County of Education. In addition, the EXCITE Learning Project plans to work with libraries to broaden the scope and impact of NASA’s Education materials and opportunities within underrepresented and underserved local communities. AERO Education specialists will train educators and librarians using the Train-the-Trainer approach. The training sessions will be filmed and made available online via the AERO website and its network on YouTube so that educators and librarians can refresh their understanding as needed.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (Museum) is creating Curious Scientific Investigator (CSI): Beyond Spaceship Earth, a project geared towards immersing children and families in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines, which will be launched in 2016.
As the lead institution, the Museum is partnering with NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), Purdue University, and SpaceX to implement the project in Indianapolis.
CSI: Beyond Spaceship Earth will introduce children and families to the science of human space exploration in the 21st century. Through an array of informal learning experiences aimed at promoting STEM concepts and NASA’s educational outcomes the project will pursue the following objectives:
Immerse visitors in the ISS and laboratory environments;
Provide an environment to allow performing and manipulating experiments to understand the importance of NASA’s research and exploration; and
Engage in real-life and simulated experiences, including interactions with university students studying STEM disciplines, which encourage children and youth to explore STEM skills and careers through NASA’s research and exploration.
The Museum has designed an immersive International Space Station-themed exhibit along with contextual and authentic activities for children and families, with production set to begin in late 2015. Museum teams are currently completing front-end research, prototyping and exhibit design. Leveraging family and informal learning expertise and incorporating the experiences of real astronauts, this project will support understanding of NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) research and operations. This exhibit will also promote interest, engagement, and awareness of NASA’s achievements in space exploration and how these benefit life on Earth.