In this article, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee researchers Dawn D' Amico and Wendy Pokorny discuss findings from their study that investigated the impact of a museum visit on preconceived notions of scientific explanation. D' Amico and Pokorny found that visitors' preconceptions were unlikely to change as a result of viewing exhibits.
In this article, Mark St. John of Inverness Research Associates offers new metaphors for thinking about assessment in informal settings. These metaphors relate to architecture, criticism, investigative journalism, anthropology/geography, product evaluation, narrative (storytelling), committee hearings, marketing, and cognitive science.
In this article, Harris Shettel presents a rebuttal to Mark St. John's paper, "New Metaphors for Carrying Out Evaluations in the Science Museum Setting." Shettel does not see value in substituting metaphors as suggested by St. John and does not believe the field of evaluation and visitor research is fundamentally flawed.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Visitor Studies AssociationHarris Shettel
In this article, Harris Shettel presents an allegorical tale as a response to Mark St. John's paper, "New Metaphors for Carrying Out Evaluations in the Science Museum Setting."
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Harris ShettelVisitor Studies Association
In this article, D.D. Hilke of the National Museum of American History presents his rebuttal to Mark St. John's paper "New Metaphors for Carrying Out Evaluations in the Science Museum Setting." Hilke discusses three examples that provide an alternative paradigmatic perspective to St. John's view.
In this article, Richard Schulhof of The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University discusses findings from a study at the North Carolina Botanical Garden that assessed to what extent visitors appreciate and explore the native habitat exhibit environment, and, more importantly, identify the factors influencing their response to it. This study utilized exit interviews, unobtrusive observation of visitors and visitor-employed photography to analyze visitor response.
In this article, Lisa Roberts, Manager of Public Programming at the Chicago Botanic Garden, shares her thoughts in response to the ongoing discussion about the appropriateness and use of various metaphors in visitor studies. Roberts argues that the question, "What do you want to know?" is at the heart of the issue.
In this article, Albert Ndayitwayeko, AFGRAD Fellow at the University of Florida, and John J. Koran, Jr., Professor and Curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History, analyze the informal education field in the Republic of Burundi, a small country located in Central Africa. This discussion focuses on natural history museums and zoos, their exhibits and visitor behavior, which may serve as a valuable and less expensive adjunct to formal learning.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Albert NdayitwayekoJohn J. Koran, Jr.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood discusses findings from a study that examined two aspects of the public image of visitor facilities: the expectations of what is likely to be found at different types of facilities; and, some general perceptions of these different types of visitor facilities. Facility types included science museums, history museums, historic sites, state parks, natural history museums, and art museums.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood and William Ford presents findings from a study that assessed the impact of various names on how a specific type of facility is perceived. Researchers investigated respondents' expectations associated with new names for a facility under the administration of the North Carolina Historic Site.
In this Ph.D. dissertation abstract, James D. Bigley discusses findings from his study of the motivations for museum membership and donation of the members of the San Antonio Museum Association. Bigley developed the theoretical Model of the Museum Donation Decision process, which contributed to the study.