Today’s science centers are becoming more aware of changes in their local contexts and are concerned about playing a role in building and contributing to society. The Mechelen Declaration, resulting from the Science Centre World Summit 2014 held in Mechelen, Belgium, clearly expresses this commitment with two of its goals (SCWS, 2014):
1. “We will investigate how to engage even more effectively with local communities and increasingly diverse audiences.”
2. “We will take the lead in developing the best methods for engaging learners and optimizing their education in both formal and
This is a supplement to an article that appeared in the March/April 2016 issue of Dimensions magazine. We asked science centers, museums, and aquariums to share how they are making their facilities and their practices more green and energy efficient, and how they have used these efforts to educate their visitors and communities about energy efficiency and sustainability.
If you follow at least one culturally minded Washington, D.C., resident on social media, you’ve likely seen images of WONDER. Launched with the reopening of the Smithsonian Institution’s newly renovated Renwick Gallery last November, the exhibition comprised nine contemporary works. (Two remain on view.) Each took over an entire gallery, filling the museum with rainbows of thread, a model of the Chesapeake Bay made from fiberglass marbles, and geometric designs fashioned from insect specimens.
Irresistibly Instagrammable—the museum even posted “Photography Encouraged” signs—the
This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the May/June 2016 issue of Dimensions magazine. It discusses whether smartphones benefit or detract from the museum experience from a variety of perspectives from the field.
This is a supplement to an article on place-based learning that appeared in the May/June 2016 issue of Dimensions magazine.
In a green park just beyond historic Old Town Fort Collins and bordered by the local public library, Fort Collins Museum of Discovery’s Heritage Courtyard welcomes visitors back to the early years of this Northern Colorado city. Founded as a military outpost in 1864, Fort Collins evolved into a desirable place for pioneers to settle with access to agriculture (fertile soil for sugar beets), goods (along a major train route), and education (home to Colorado’s land-grant
On a May morning in 2007, fourth grader Joshua White hopped on a city bus with his grandmother and rode across Washington, D.C., for his first visit to the nature center at Rock Creek Park. He came to participate in the first annual national park BioBlitz organized by the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) and National Geographic.
We asked science centers and museums to share their best pieces of advice and most important lessons learned regarding the following: 1) selecting topics and activities for out-of-school time programs, 2) partnering with afterschool providers and other community partners, 3) meeting the needs of underserved communities in out-of-school time programs, and 4) running successful camps or programs during school vacations.
In the 11 years since the inception of the Science Minors and Achievers program, the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI), Chicago, has had plenty of anecdotal evidence that this out-of-school time program has a meaningful impact on its participants. Word of mouth was the strongest driver of recruitment, and teens were open with staff about other aspects of their lives. These and other characteristics suggested a deep connection between teens and the program. As the program grew in popularity and size, the museum wanted to see whether these informal observations survived more rigorous scrutiny
Having been part of the ASTC Equity and Diversity Committee for much of its history, outgoing committee chair Ann Fumarolo has seen the difference equity and diversity initiatives can make. Fumarolo, who serves as president and CEO of Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center in Shreveport, spoke to Dimensions about the importance of maintaining a diverse staff and engaging audiences of all backgrounds, as well as the work the field still has to take on.
The majority of countries in the world have seen a rise in immigration since the beginning of this century. Between 2000 and 2013, the number of international migrants increased in 165 countries or areas, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. In 2015, there were 244 million international migrants around the world, the largest proportion of which lived in the United States, followed by Germany, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates, according to the UN.
As
At the entryway to Chicago Children’s Museum (CCM), a vibrant collection of nearly 400 self-portraits greets visitors, proclaiming, “We are Chicago Children’s Museum.” The faces of children, teachers, community leaders, parents, and caregivers from a variety of backgrounds are intermingled with mirrors so that all visitors are reflected in the museum’s community.
This collection is much more than a “monument” to diversity and inclusion. Each portrait was created by an individual as an expression of his or her personal story. The collection reflects CCM’s approach to community engagement
This project will advance efforts of the innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by producing empirical findings and/or research tools that contribute to knowledge about which models and interventions with K-12 students and teachers are most likely to increase capacity in the STEM and STEM cognate intensive workforce of the future.
The project will build a path to further research on best practices for Native American youth education. It will enhance the existing Indigenous Arts and Sciences (IAS) project by addressing cultural perspectives of Native students and educators. The approach describes the need to include ecological relevance in STEM learning for Native American youth, with an integration of Western science with Native knowledge, process, and core values, which will give a positive impact on Native American youth's interest in and learning of science. The project will deliver a culturally relevant stewardship-based education model applying science to indigenous knowledge and community culture connections in collaboration with four tribal communities in Wisconsin. Informal science education will come through the Earth Partnership (EP) and will involve participants in habitat restoration and stewardship as a context for intergenerational science learning across age, discipline, culture and place. EP Indigenous Arts and Sciences (IAS) integrates Western science with Native knowledge, process, and core values including relationship, reciprocity, respect and responsibility.
The project will convene the expertise of elders and community members from Red Cliff, Bad River, Lac du Flambeau, and Ho-Chunk Nations with university social, physical, and life scientists to expand informal science learning incorporating ecological protection and restoration, citizen science, and cultural diversity. STEM learning and career pathways for underrepresented groups will occur in an informal and culturally relevant contexts becoming important for enhancing ecological and STEM literacy, efficacy and civic engagement. IAS will engage students, educators, elders, informal educators, natural resource professionals, and parents in community dialogues and relationship building, informal-formal professional development collaborations, and indigenized STEM learning experiences and mentoring for students in grades 8-12. The science content will be explored through technology-enhanced, project-based learning in real-life contexts integrating culture in classroom and informal settings. This project is based on a growing body of research on Indigenous wisdom that reconnects Native youth and the broader community with the environment. The project occurs broadly at the intersection of science learning, environmental justice, ecological restoration, tribal history, and culture at a crucial time of global climate and social change. IAS will use this project-based learning model to advance the knowledge of how and why indigenizing informal science learning through a collaborative effort including elders, families, youth, formal and informal educators will revitalize culture, community and education.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Cheryl Bauer-ArmstrongNaomi TillisonMichelle CloudDelores Gokee-RindalBrian Gauthier