Facilitating Group Scientific Inquiry Using Science Museum Exhibits

这项研究(1)为普通和低收入的博物馆参观者创建了一种基于展品的集体科学探究项目，(2)确定了导致学习的关键项目特征，(3)进行了一项对照实验，以评估此类技能实际转移到博物馆以外的其他展品和参观者生活的水平和性质。一个研究人员和教育工作者团队为探索博物馆的普通参观者和服务不足的参观者创建、修订和研究展品调查。在调查过程中，教育工作者指导参观者探究技能，这是在博物馆以外接触展品或物理现象的启发式技能。对学习者与新展品互动的前后评估进行了记录和分析，以寻找在调查过程中引入的探究技能迁移的证据。离职和后续面谈决定了长期影响。调查的两个版本--有和没有总结询问技能的助记卡--在随机区组设计中与两个对照条件进行了比较，每个条件有四个条件，每个条件有50组。智力价值该项目拓宽了当前研究的重点，即在学校以外的环境下学习科学探究技能。科学博物馆具有引人入胜和互动的展品，是小组研究性学习研究的理想和未被充分研究的环境。这个项目。描述非正式学习环境中探究性学习的本质。制定利用受众多样性加强学习的原则，确定在这种环境下相关和有效的具体询问技能。评估游客对这类技能的传授程度。将这种转移与没有接受调解或基于内容的调解的控制组进行比较基于展览的小组询问采用了正规教育的最佳做法，用于博物馆的多代自由选择学习环境。这项研究产生了一系列有效的计划和一套解释其有效性的理论原则。广泛的影响项目结果和学习原则将向学术界、博物馆和非专业观众传播。该项目总共为大约1,000名探索馆游客提供服务。该项目将在AERA、ASTC、VSA和AAM等国家和地方会议上展示，接触到博物馆研究人员、从业人员和广泛的教育研究社区。论文被提交给博物馆研究和科学教育领域的同行评议期刊。项目最新情况和最后报告张贴在探索博物馆网站上(每年有1500万人访问)。结果被分发给非正式学习和学校中心(CILS)，这是探索学院、伦敦国王学院和加州大学圣克鲁斯分校的倡议。通过科学技术中心协会(ASTC)发行的一份非技术性出版物向世界各地的科学中心提供信息。

This study (1) creates a genre of exhibit-based, group scientific inquiry programs for general and low-income museum visitors, (2) determines key program characteristics that lead to learning, (3) conducts a controlled experiment to assess the levels and nature of actual transfer of such skills to other exhibits and to visitors' lives beyond the museum visit.A team of researchers and educators creates, revises, and studies Exhibit Investigations for general and underserved visitors at the Exploratorium. During Investigations, educators coach visitors in inquiry skills that are heuristics for engaging with exhibits or physical phenomena beyond the museum. Pre- and post-assessments of learner interactions with a novel exhibit are recorded and analyzed for evidence of transfer of the inquiry skills introduced during the Investigations. Exit and follow-up interviews determine long-term impact. Two versions of the Investigations-with and without mnemonic cards summarizing inquiry skills-are compared with two control conditions in a randomized block design with four conditions and 50 groups per condition. Intellectual MeritThe project broadens the focus of current research on the learning of scientific inquiry skills beyond the school setting. A science museum with engaging and interactive exhibits constitutes an ideal and understudied setting for research on inquiry learning by groups. This project. describes the nature of inquiry learning in an informal learning environment . generates principles for using audience diversity to enhance learning identifies specific inquiry skills that are relevant and effective in this environment. assesses levels of transfer of such skills by visitors. compares such transfer to control groups receiving no mediation or content-based mediationThe exhibit-based, group inquiries adapt best practices from formal education for use in the multigenerational, free-choice learning environment of a museum. The research yields a series of effective programs and a set of theoretical principles that account for their efficacy.Broader ImpactsProject results and learning principles will be disseminated to academic, museum, and lay audiences. In total, the project serves approximately 1,000 Exploratorium visitors. The project will is presented at national and local conferences such as AERA, ASTC, VSA, and AAM, reaching museum researchers, practitioners, and a broad educational research community. Articles are submitted to peer-review journals in the fields of museum studies and science education. Project updates and the final report are posted on the Exploratorium Web site (visited by 15 million annually). Outcomes are disseminated to the Center for Informal Learning and Schools (CILS), an initiative of the Exploratorium, Kings College London, and UC Santa Cruz. A non-technical publication, distributed through the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), informs science centers around the world.