Designing Exhibits to Support Relational Learning in a Science Museum

Frontiers in Psychology

Florencia K. Anggoro¹  Benjamin D. Jee² 

[1] Department of Psychology, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, United States;Department of Psychology, Worcester State University, Worcester, MA, United States;

关键词: relational learning;    science museum;    comparison;    informal learning;    cognitive support;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2021.636030

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Science museums aim to provide educational experiences for both children and adults. To achieve this goal, museum displays must convey scientifically-relevant relationships, such as the similarities that unite members of a natural category, and the connections between scientific models and observable objects and events. In this paper, we explore how research on comparison could be leveraged to support learning about such relationships. We describe how museum displays could promote educationally-relevant comparisons involving natural specimens and scientific models. We also discuss how these comparisons could be supported through the design of a display—in particular, by using similarity, space, and language to facilitate relational thinking for children and their adult companions. Such supports may be pivotal given the informal nature of learning in museums.

【 授权许可】

CC BY