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.
In this brief article, VSA President Ridgeley Williams reflects on the past VSA conference in Minnesota and discusses the value of professional development workshops at VSA conferences.
This article features Arlene Benefield's interview with Beverly Serrell. Serrell, an expert on labels. Serrell discusses her work while on sabbatical, focusing on the development of labels and the role of labels in the exhibit development process, explains the 51% Solution, and other thoughts on visitor studies work.
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Arlene BenefieldVisitor Studies AssociationBeverly Serrell
In this article, Harris H. Shettel provides a critique of the 51% Solution, describing some of his concerns in detail. Shettel presents counterarguments to Beverly Serrell's support of the approach.
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Harris H. ShettelVisitor Studies Association
This article is a summary of a 1994 paper entitled, "Looking Back at Summative Evaluation" by Jeff Hayward and Ross Loomis, and refers to the discussion they led at the 1994 Visitor Studies Conference in Raleigh, NC. The discussion served to provide a meta-analysis of summative evaluation.
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Jeff HaywordRoss LoomisVisitor Studies Association
In this article, Beverly Serrell of Serrell & Associates proposes a type of standardized summative evaluation that sets criteria for determining the success of an exhibition. Serrell outlines her support of the "51% Solution."
In this article, Stephen Bitgood and Arlene Benefield, both of the Center for Social Design at Jacksonville State University, present a critical appraisal of "The Heart Exhibition" which was set to undergo changes at the Franklin Institute of Science. This critical appraisal differs from an objective evaluation in that it is based on the opinions of the visitor experts (Bitgood and Benefield). The authors provide analysis and recommendations for each element of the exhibition.
In this article, Stephen Bitgood, of Jacksonville State University, discusses summative evaluation and explains what comprises an effective summative evaluation. Specifically, Bitgood presents criteria for summative evaluation measurement stystems.
In his "President's Column," VSA President Ridgeley Williams discusses the usefulness of queues and goodness of crowds. He cites two recent experiences that improved his opinion of crowds and queuing.
In this article, Petra Seidensticker and Heiner Treinen, both of Universitat Bochum, discuss their evaluation work of the 1995 exhibition "Im Takt der Maschine," of the Deutsche Arbeitsschutzausstellung (German Exhibition for Safety on the Job, abbr. DASA) run by the Bundesanstalt fur Arbeitsschutz and Unfallforschung (Federal Institution for Worker Safety and Accident Research, BAU) in Dortmund. The purpose of the exhibition is to graphically familiarize visitors with important problems of worker safety in industrial production.
In this article, Hermann Schafer of the Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Museum for Contemporary History in Germany), discusses the institution's visitor studies work since its inception. Schafer outlines key moments in the museum's evaluation history, including its work after the unification of Germany.
In this article, Annette Noschka-Roos discusses a study of a computer-supported information system (CIS) touch-screen interactive in the "New Energy Techniques" gallery at the Deutsches Museum. The objective of the study was to gather systematic data on how the medium is used by visitors. Noschka-Roos provides key findings from the study.
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Annette Noschka-RoosVisitor Studies Association