Developing Family-Friendly Exhibits

How can museums encourage active family learning? Four Philadelphia area science institutions—The Franklin Institute Science Museum, the New Jersey State Aquarium, the Academy of Natural Sciences, and the Philadelphia Zoo—have investigated the answer to this question as part of the PISEC (Philadelphia-Camden Informal Science Education Collaborative) Family Learning Project. PISEC is conducting research and exhibit development aimed at increasing understanding of family learning in science museums and identifying the characteristics of successful family learning exhibits. The PISEC project has three phases, two of which have been completed: (1) a research study to establish behavioral indicators for family learning; (2) the development and evaluation of four exhibit enhancements aimed at achieving family learning goals; (3) a research study of the impact of the four enhanced exhibits. This article will describe the results of formative evaluation conducted during Phase 2 of the project. “Family learning components,” or exhibit enhancements, designed to help adults and children learn together, were developed, field-tested, revised, and installed at each of the four museums. PISEC has identified seven characteristics of successful family learning exhibits: multi-sided, multi-user, accessible, multi-outcome, multi-modal, readable, and relevant. The four PISEC family learning components, embodying these characteristics, appear to have increased active family learning.     

拨动心弦,感动观众——试论历史陈列与观众的沟通

历史类陈列要改变过去只是单向发送信息，观众却无法回馈和沟通的状况，博物馆要运用多样化的交流手段，丰富观众获取信息的方式和数量，增强观众对陈列展示的先民生活的卷入感，促成观众与陈列表达的先民在情感上的沟通。在历史陈列中表现先民的日常生活片断和生产过程，布置主题鲜明，反映主人公活动的复原场景，为观众创造恍如置身其间的氛围，有助于观众体察和感受先民的内心世界和情感活动。     

Wake Up That Back Row! Interactive Library Instruction Without Hands-On Student Computers

Abstract

A review of education literature reveals a pedagogical shift away from linear, step-by-step, instruction toward a fostering of critical thinking and information literacy through active student participation. This conceptual change reflects advances toward cooperative and participatory learning in education. In addition to the students learning more when they are engaged and thinking, we are invigorated as instructors and our tendency toward burnout is reduced or alleviated. This article discusses how those bibliographic instructors who only have one teaching computer in the instruction room can involve the students in their own learning. The author shares ways to conduct a fifty-minute bibliographic instruction session in which all of the students are intellectually engaged in the research process, actively participate in the problem solving of on-line searching, and have fun in a library. Once the students are given agency in the bibliographic instruction session, they begin to develop the critical thinking skills essential to mastering the tools and methods of library research.