EAGER: Collaborative Research: Designing Digital Rails to Foster Scientific Curiosity around Museum Collections

让人们在年轻时参与科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)的最好方式之一是通过非正式的博物馆体验。然而，基于理解学习和参与是如何通过这些经历发展起来的研究仍在兴起。技术为研究这些体验开辟了新的途径，以更好地理解这些过程。在这项提案中，来自西北大学和芝加哥田野博物馆的研究人员将合作开发数字互动显示器，通过提供从简单的菜单导航到3D模型操作再到完全互动的游戏等复杂程度不同的附加功能，来增强各种展品的体验。这些将取代与展览配套的典型静态斑块。除了增强展品的体验外，这些展品还允许研究人员收集更多关于人们与展品互动的数据，特别是关于参观者如何与3D模型、游戏和触摸屏互动的触摸屏信息。这项拟议的研究将有助于解决有关游戏在学习中的作用的问题，例如，这些游戏是否提供了增强的动机和学习，或者它们是否限制了社交活动，并在集体体验中创造了一个小竖井？它还将通过观察互动并将其与收集的数字数据相结合，回答如何在这些环境中培养创造力的问题，以便更全面地了解参与和学习的发展。来自西北大学和芝加哥田野博物馆的研究人员将开发数字轨道，即安装在展柜栏杆上的交互式计算机显示器，其功能类似于动态标签，并提供增强的体验功能，如3D建模和游戏的集成。他们建议用近场通信(NFC)跟踪设备(RFID读取器)来增强数字轨道，以监控交互的数量并与用户的手机连接。他们将收集NFC跟踪数据、触摸互动的计算机日志以及与移动应用程序的互动，并观察互动展柜周围的游客行为。这项早期研究将采用基于设计的研究来研究这种新形式的交互技术。通过反复观察并将观测数据与数字收集的数据联系起来，该团队将发展对数字轨道设计原则的理解，以最好地促进互动、社交、创造力和对展品关注的材料的学习。

One of the best ways to engage people in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) at a young age is through informal museum experiences. Yet, the research base on understanding how learning and engagement develops through these experiences is still emerging. Technology opens new ways to research these experiences to understand these processes better. In this proposal, researchers from Northwestern University and the Chicago Field Museum will collaborate to develop digital interactive displays to enhance the experience at various exhibits by providing additions varying in complexity from simple menu navigation, to 3D model manipulation, to fully interactive games. These will replace the typical static plaques that go along with an exhibit. In addition to enhancing the experience with the exhibits, these displays allow researchers to collect more data on people's interaction with exhibits, particularly touch screen information regarding how visitors interacted with the 3D models, games and touchscreens. The proposed research will help address questions regarding the role of games in learning, for instance, do these games provide enhanced motivation and learning, or do they limit social interaction and create small silos in the midst of a group experience? It will also answer questions about how creativity is fostered in these environments by observing interactions and combining that with the digital data collected for a fuller picture of the development of engagement and learning.Researchers from Northwestern University and the Chicago Field Museum will develop digital rails, interactive computer displays mounted on exhibit case railings that function as dynamic labels and provide enhanced experience features such as the integration of 3D modeling and games. They propose to augment the digital rails with near-field communication (NFC) tracking devices (RFID readers) to monitor amount of interaction and to link with user cell phones. They will collect NFC tracking data, computer logs of touch interaction, and interaction with mobile apps and observe visitor behavior around the interactive display cases. This early stage research study will employ design-based research to investigate this new form of interactive technology. Through iterating on observations and linking the observational data with the digitally collected data, the team will develop an understanding of the design principles for digital rails that best foster interactivity, social interaction, creativity, and learning of the material the exhibits focus on.