Toward Enhanced Learning of Science: An Educational Scheme for Informal Science Institutions

evaluation;constructivism;knowledge construction;visitor behavior;informal science education;an operations manual

Suzuki, Midori ; Dr. John E. Penick, Committee Chair,Dr. Neal E. Blair, Committee Member,Dr. Robert C. Serow, Committee Member,Dr. Harriett S. Stubbs, Committee Member,Dr. Tzuoo-Yee Chen, Committee Member,Dr. Mary H. Schweitzer, Committee Member,Suzuki, Midori ; Dr. John E. Penick ; Committee Chair ; Dr. Neal E. Blair ; Committee Member ; Dr. Robert C. Serow ; Committee Member ; Dr. Harriett S. Stubbs ; Committee Member ; Dr. Tzuoo-Yee Chen ; Committee Member ; Dr. Mary H. Schweitzer ; Committee Member

University:North Carolina State University

关键词: evaluation;    constructivism;    knowledge construction;    visitor behavior;    informal science education;    an operations manual;   

Others  :  https://repository.lib.ncsu.edu/bitstream/handle/1840.16/3144/etd.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

美国|英语

来源: null

【 摘 要 】

Current educational operation for informal science institutions tend to be based on the staff's experience and intuition rather than on educational theories or research findings. This status study sought research evidence to develop an educational scheme for informal science institutions. Evidence for this scheme came from surveys to determine specific circumstances of educational operations and visitor behaviors, observational research in museums, and from the literature of informal science education. The Provus discrepancy model, seeking gaps between the actual and desired states, guided this investigation of how informal science education institution staff view the nature and status of educational operations. Another investigation sought visitors' views of the effectiveness of viewing the main idea for exhibit understanding, effective labels, expectations toward on-site lessons, and possibilities for assessments of museum operations. Institutional data were collected via a web portal, with a separate site created for administrators, exhibit developers, and program planners. The survey asked about actual and desired states in terms of goals and roles of staff, contents of exhibits and programs, assessment, and professional development. Four additional visitor surveys were administered individually at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The institutional survey found that most institutions focus on attitudinal reinforcement rather than visitor learning, do not overtly value research or long-term assessment, and value partnerships with K-12 schools more than other groups. At the same time, the staff do not have a clear vision of the nature or function of an operations manuals. Large gaps were found between the actual and desired states in terms of assessment (administrators, exhibit developers, and program planners), professional development (exhibit developers and program planners), and partnerships (program planners), indicating that their current visions and attempts are not consistent and may need improvement. The survey of effective labels did not find a preference for any one particular type of label, and, although visitors prefer concise labels, they perceive 'being concise' in a variety of ways. Student visitor expectations toward on-site lessons closely matched that of their teachers, which is for science learning beyond the classroom. Assessment of daily operation indicated that a tailored design for long-term assessments could overcome perceived drawbacks of feasibility (for the staff to interpret the results and for the visitors to fill in the survey) and measurement of visitor learning. No statistically significant difference was found between respondents who were provided the main exhibit ideas those who were not. Four notions were generated from these five surveys: (1) Assessment instruments must include evaluation of visitor learning as well as their state of mind of them; (2) Staff professional development sessions must include acquisition of assessment skills and general knowledge in science and science education; (3) K-12 partnerships can be an initial step in bridging between institutions and their visitors; and (4) An operations manual could help direct an informal science institutions to more effective educational operations. The importance of a fair and systematic assessment system would help achieve all these notions.