Multimedia Science Kits: A Museum Project on Women Scientists and Their Research

The University of Nebraska State Museum (UNSM) is creating multimedia outreach kits on the research of women scientists. The collaborative effort has included Nebraska Educational Telecommunications, curricula developers, biographers, graphic designers, and evaluators. The goal of the project is to increase the number of girls interested in pursuing careers in science, and to this end, women scientists are presented as role models. Wonderwise kits target students in grades four through six through student-centered, inquiry-based activities, specimens and tools, videos of the scientists working in the field, resource-based CD-ROMs, and short biographies of the scientists. This project presents a model of how museums can collaborate with schools to improve science education on a statewide basis.     

Public Perception and Expectations of Biomimetics Technology: Empirical Survey of Museum Visitors in Japan

Biomimetic is proposed as an existing or potential future technology that motivates conservation of biodiversity and environment in existing literature. However, empirical analysis is absent. To identify the public perception and expectations of biomimetics technology, questionnaire survey of museum visitors was conducted in the National Museum of Nature and Science in Japan, where the exhibition of biomimetics was held. This research identified that expectations of biomimetics were high generally for the medical applications. The expectation varies with age groups and the age over thirties tended to expect higher in the field related to environmental protection. The expectations of biomimetics were higher for all the age groups after visiting the exhibitions for both commercial use and drivers for life style changes. The results of this study provide basis of expectations and trends with different age groups which will serve as basis to understand and explore implementation of biomimetic related technology for sustainable society.     

基于科技馆场景的科学家主题电视节目的探索创新——以中国科技馆《党史里的科学家》为例

为承担弘扬科学家精神的使命,中国科技馆推出系列节目《党史里的科学家》,结合科技馆资源优势及现实需求,从节目形式、内容叙事与传播路径等全维度实现创新突破。这次探索为当代科学家题材电视节目创作、科普创作提供了新思路,更为媒介融合时代建构实体场馆与媒介的全新关系,通过科普影视作品将科普场馆、媒介、科技工作者与大众有机联系起来,提供了可借鉴、可推广的创作经验。     

Communicating Science to the Public:

This paper is based on a speech given by the author to the Library Information Exchange Forum of St. Johns University. The talk, given to staff librarians, described problems involved in the complex process of scientific communication, causes of science illiteracy, and possible remedies of the problem. The author encouraged the audience to become science literate by reading popular science literature, watching science programs on television and visiting science museums but to be aware of factors contributing to science illiteracy in the various media.     

Behavior vs. Time: Understanding How Visitors Utilize the Milan Natural History Museum

Abstract To evaluate visitors' use of the exhibitions and the communication strategy of the Milan Natural History Museum, we compared results gathered with two methods, based respectively on the timing of visitors and on the unobtrusive observation of exhibit‐use behaviors. We collected data from a sample of 100 groups of visitors (not guided), randomly selected at the museum entrance. We recorded the following data for each group: halls visited, length of stay in each hall, any kind of behavior showing visitor/exhibition interaction and the displays where interactions occurred. The study shows that visiting time does not give enough information about the actual use of exhibits by the audience. The investigation of visitor/exhibition interactions revealed itself to be the most usual method to describe the visitors' use of the exhibitions. The most important factor influencing visits to the Milan Natural History Museum is the communication technique used in the exhibition areas.     

Rethinking Museum Visitors: Using K‐means Cluster Analysis to Explore a Museum's Audience

Abstract Understanding visitors is a necessary and complex undertaking. In this article, we present K‐means cluster analysis as one strategy that is particularly useful in unpacking the complex nature of museum visitors. Three questions organize the article and are as follows: 1) What is K‐means cluster analysis? 2) How is K‐means cluster analysis conducted? 3) Most importantly: What are the applications of K‐means cluster analysis for museum practitioners? To answer these questions, we present five steps that are vital to conducting a K‐means cluster analysis. We also present three cases studies to demonstrate differences among the results of three K‐means cluster analyses and provide practical applications of the findings.     

从卓越博物馆到卓越科技馆:理论、实践与评估探讨

培育具有卓越特性的科技馆群体是促进科技馆建设质量整体提升的重要手段之一。本研究对国内外博物馆领域追求卓越的理论与实践成果进行整体概述,重点梳理卓越绩效模式在欧洲博物馆的应用,以及美国博物馆联盟卓越认证的进程。结合国外科技馆追求卓越的实践经验,厘清卓越科技馆的内涵外延,有助于在现有的科技馆评估研究的基础上,构建卓越科技馆评估路径,为培育卓越的科技馆群体,促进现代科技馆体系更高层次的创新与发展提供借鉴参考。     

Media and the Museum: A Response to Learning Science in Informal Environments

Abstract Digital environments are one of the newest methods of resource‐ and program‐creation to be added to the museum toolkit, and are increasingly employed by museums across all fields to support learning. Unfortunately, this category is also one of the least‐fleshed‐out components in the Learning Science in Informal Environments (LSIE) chapter devoted to media. The report does not take into account the increasingly interwoven nature of media resources, particularly those found in digital environments. It is imperative that museums both become familiar with the breadth of research that is available related to digital environments and that they continue to specifically build an understanding of how this works in a museum setting.     

如何进行科技馆展品串联辅导

展品是科技馆科学教育信息的最主要载体。如何通过辅导不仅将展品的科技知识传递给观众,而且实现更高层次的科学教育效果,是目前我国科技馆提升展览教育能力与水平的重要命题。本文首先分析了科技馆教育与学校教育的区别和联系,对目前科技馆展览教育的情况进行了研究,论证了为什么要进行展品辅导、需要什么样的展品辅导等问题,提出了通过串联辅导将分散孤立的展品联系起来的观点,进而探讨进行展品串联辅导的方法。     

Technical Note: Using Latent Class Analysis versus K‐means or Hierarchical Clustering to Understand Museum Visitors

This paper discusses the benefits of using Latent Class Analysis (LCA) versus K‐means Cluster Analysis or Hierarchical Clustering as a way to understand differences among visitors in museums, and is part of a larger research program directed toward improving the museum‐visit experience. For our comparison of LCA and K‐means Clustering, we use data collected from 190 visitors leaving the exhibition Against All Odds; Rescue at the Chilean Mine in the National Museum of Natural History in January 2012. For the comparison of LCA and Hierarchical Clustering, we use data from 312 visitors leaving the exhibition Elvis at 21 in the National Portrait Gallery in January 2011.     

科学课程标准对科技博物馆科学教育的启示

本文通过分析,提出近年来科学教育的两个重要进展,一是对科学学习目标与过程的重新认识;二是STEM教育的异军突起。在进一步分析2013年美国颁布的《新一代科学教育标准》和我国刚刚颁布的《小学科学课程标准》中对目前科学教育变革应对的具体表现之后,对科技博物馆教育活动的设计提出三点启示:一是科技博物馆教育活动应该成为学生开展科学与工程实践的重要场所;二是科技博物馆教育活动设计需要考虑大概念和儿童学习的进程,开发适合不同年龄层次儿童需求的有结构的探索活动;三是结合STEM教育与创客教育,需要大力发展跨学科综合类学习活动。     

谈科学博物馆的数字化建设——立足英国科学博物馆集团的经验

数字化是未来发展的大势所趋,科学博物馆进行数字化建设势在必行。以英国科学博物馆集团为例,从综合运用多种数字技术,提升观众的参观体验;深入挖掘资源价值,拓展网络观众群体;探索创新合作方式,促进公众参与三个方面,分析了其数字化建设的主要举措。在此基础上,总结了科学博物馆数字化建设的三点经验:以总体战略为核心,统领科学博物馆的数字化建设;以观众研究为基础,指导科学博物馆的数字化建设;以新兴数字技术为突破,强化科学博物馆的数字化建设。     

新时期科技博物馆的发展趋势:提高科学教育能力

科技博物馆在传播前沿科学知识、提高公民科学素养、营造城市科技文化底蕴等方面发挥着重要作用。近年来,我国各类科普场馆数量逐年上升,观众参观量与日俱增,教育活动内容不断丰富。同时,新形势下国内科技博物馆也面临科学教育创新的转折点与急迫点。本文在分析国外科技博物馆发展现状的基础上,总结思考它们在新阶段教育研究、藏品管理、社区公众等方面的优势及创新特色,为国内场馆结合馆情突破现有瓶颈,对标世界一流提高自身科学教育能力提供借鉴。     

提升科技馆展品科学传播效果的方式

目前有些科技馆的参与体验型展品存在过多地关注于科学知识的传递,将“直接经验”的自主获取退化为“间接经验”的灌输等问题。经实践调研、案例剖析,笔者认为其问题原因是科学信息通过展览展品向观众传递的过程中“过程与方法”“情感、态度、价值观”等较高层次的科学信息损失过多。在此基础上,运用科学信息传播模型理论进行分析,应将参与体验型展品看作是科技馆向观众进行科学传播的最重要的信息载体。为此,在科技馆展览展品的设计中必须关注如何让展品能够准确、高效、尽可能多地将科普信息传递给观众。     

我国专业科技博物馆发展现状与对策研究

本文在课题调研和数据分析的基础上,提出了当前我国专业科技博物馆在场馆和观众数量快速增长的同时,在发展质量上存在诸多问题,制约着专业科技博物馆科普教育功能的发挥,提出了我国专业科技博物馆“十三五”期间的五个战略重点:全面免费开放;开展监测评估,进行分类指导;专业科技博物馆充分利用新媒体;强化专业科技博物馆科普职能;推动专业科技博物馆校结合。并针对存在问题提出了六项对策与建议。