Beyond Learning: Exploring Visitors' Perceptions of the Value and Benefits of Museum Experiences

Abstract This paper explores the beneficial outcomes that visitors seek and obtain from a museum visit, in terms that are not related to learning outcomes. It uses a deductive qualitative approach to investigate the meaning and value of a museum visit from the visitors' perspective. Three different levels of the meaning of the experience are considered: the attributes of the setting that visitors value; the experiences they engage in; and the benefits they derive. The findings confirm the importance of the “satisfying experiences” framework for understanding visitor experiences in museums, and extend this understanding in relation to the beneficial outcomes these experiences produce. The study also highlights the importance of “restoration” as an outcome of a museum visit. It is argued that the concept of the museum as a restorative environment, which enables visitors to relax and recover from the stresses of life, is worthy of further research attention. These insights will enable museum practitioners to better understand and meet their visitors' multiple needs and expectations.     

Sport mega-events and security: the 2018 World Cup as an extraordinarily securitized event

Following 9/11, the security at sport mega-events (SMEs) has become increasingly central. Yet, this is an area where numerous scholars have called for further academic attention. The FIFA World Cups are commonly seen as the largest SME in the world, and will in 2018, be held in Russia. However, the existing trends of spectator violence and terrorism, in addition to the political situation in Russia, and concerns over a violent, racist, football culture in the host-country, makes the securitization of the 2018 World Cup extraordinary. Here, an analysis of the most prominent security threats ahead of Russia 2018 is provided. Further, it is argued that the extent of these threats – not the mere existence – makes Russia a unique case. Following calls for further academic attention dedicated security and SMEs – Russia should be utilized ‘for all it is worth’ – to gather spectators’ perceptions of SME security.     

Reliability and Validity of Finger Strength and Endurance Measurements in Rock Climbing

Purpose: An advanced system for the assessment of climbing-specific performance was developed and used to: (a) investigate the effect of arm fixation (AF) on construct validity evidence and reliability of climbing-specific finger-strength measurement; (b) assess reliability of finger-strength and endurance measurements; and (c) evaluate the relationship between finger flexor all-out test scores and climbing ability. Methods: To determine the effect of AF, 22 male climbers performed 2 maximal strength and all-out tests with AF (shoulder and elbow flexed at 90°) and without AF (shoulder flexed at 180° and elbow fully extended). To determine reliability, 9 male climbers completed 2 maximal strength tests with and without AF and an all-out and intermittent test without AF. Results: The maximal strength test without AF more strongly determined climbing ability than the test with AF (r² = .48 and r² = .42 for sport climbing; r² = .66 and r² = .42 for bouldering, respectively). Force and time variables were highly reliable; the rate of force development and fatigue index had moderate and low reliability. The maximal strength test with AF provided slightly higher reliability than without AF (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.94, ICC = 0.88, respectively). However, smaller maximal forces were achieved during AF (484 ± 112 N) than without AF (546 ± 132 N). All-out test average force had sufficiently high reliability (ICC = 0.92) and a relationship to sport climbing (r² = .42) and bouldering ability (r² = .58). Conclusion: Finger strength and endurance measurements provided sufficient construct validity evidence and high reliability for time and force parameters. Arm fixation provides more reliable results; however, the position without AF is recommended as it is more related to climbing ability.     

An Investigation of High-Achieving African-American Students Attending Community Colleges: A Mixed Methods Research Study

While much more research has been conducted about African-American college students in recent decades, there still exists a need for further explorations concerning factors related to student success and retention. For example, articles often explore the experiences of African-American students at four-year institutions and often use deficit frameworks instead of focusing on the experiences of successful students. To add to what is known, this article summarizes the findings of a multi-institutional mixed methods research study that explored the experiences of high-achieving African-American students attending community colleges. Specifically, the researchers explored noncognitive factors that influenced high academic achievement—defined as grade point average (GPA) higher than 3.00, why students considered leaving an institution, and why students decided to remain enrolled. Findings suggested that studying alone promoted a high cumulative GPA and increased the likelihood students never seriously considered leaving their institution. Studying alone, family relationships, hours spent studying with family, engaged and supportive faculty, financial aid, and the strive to succeed also promoted persistence. Relating to sex differences, student organizational involvement appeared to be more important for male persistence than female persistence at a significant level. The article closes with implications for future research and practice.     

Penguin Promises: encouraging aquarium visitors to take conservation action

This study investigates the impact of an innovative conservation action campaign called Penguin Promises implemented at uShaka Sea World in Durban, South Africa. Communication tools included interpretive signage, exhibits with and without animals, presentations, and personal interactions, along with a specially designed postcard, on which visitors could write a promise (pledge) to make a change in their daily lives to become more environmentally responsible. Visitors who completed a card were contacted a year or more after their visit and asked about the outcomes of their promise. The results (N = 316) showed that 49.4% of respondents could give an example of something positive they had done for the environment, that they attributed to the campaign. Based on the study, recommendations are provided for the design of effective visitor conservation action campaigns.     

Philosophy with children,self-regulation and engaged participation for children with emotional-behavioural and social communication needs

This study examined the effectiveness of Community of Philosophical Inquiry (CoPI) as an inclusive pedagogical approach by which to support the communicative interaction and opportunities for collaborative dialogue for children with social, emotional and behavioural needs in two mainstream classes. There is currently no empirical work that considers children with these particular needs participating in practical philosophy, particularly in CoPI. Two groups of children, aged between nine and twelve, engaged in CoPI over a period of 10 weeks. The philosophy sessions were conducted as part of the regular class work. The results show that the children were able to engage in collaborative, philosophical dialogue with their peers without being any more disruptive than their classmates. The findings of this study lead to the assertion that it is the structure of CoPI that supported the children’s engaged participation and self-regulation and that this might usefully be considered in creating classroom activities for all children.     

Towards a better understanding of the potential of interactive whiteboards in stimulating mathematics learning

This research explored the stimulation of mathematics understanding and learning in an Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) environment. IWB affordances appear to be best used when mathematical tasks engage students in mathematical reasoning and when all students are involved in the discussion. The intent of this project was to design and implement, together with a small group of teachers, a series of lessons for the purpose of developing a useful framework for effective IWB use. In a first phase, the potential of the IWB in pursuing high-level mathematical tasks and promoting classroom interactivity was discussed in depth by the teachers and the researchers. Lessons were also planned in detail. In a second phase, the planned lessons were taught in the presence of the researchers, audiotaped and subsequently analysed by the researchers and teachers. The analyses highlighted the usefulness of the IWB in (a) improving high-level mathematical tasks and (b) creating a dialogic interactive discourse for better mathematical understanding and learning. Two main patterns in productive IWB use emerged from the study. The first pattern was that the IWB promoted problem-solving activities through intensive use of geometrical or other mathematical software. The second pattern was using the IWB as a notepad with links to external sources, geometrical and other mathematical constructions, problems and activities, which the teacher, in collaboration with the students, ‘tailors’ following a thread. For both patterns, developing a strong synergy between the IWB affordances and students’ interaction with it seemed critical. The IWB appears to be a powerful tool that allows students and teachers to alternate between different points of view and different visualisations of the same topic.     

A physically active lifestyle is related to a lower level of skin autofluorescence in a large population with chronic-disease (LifeLines cohort)

Background:Physical activity(PA)has substantial health benefits and is important in combatting chronic diseases,which have been associated with elevated levels of advanced glycation endproducts(AGEs).AGEs play a role in the aging process,and an association between PA and AGEs has been reported.We aimed to investigate the relationship between PA and AGE accumulation in a general population and in a population with chronic diseases.Methods:This large cross-sectional population study used data from adult participants in the LifeLines project,with participant information drawn from the LifeLines database as well data from patients with diabetes mellitus or renal and/or cardiovascular diseases.Tissue AGE accumulation was assessed non-invasively by skin-autofluorescence(SAF)using an AGE reader(DiagnOptics Technologies BV,Groningen,the Netherlands).PA was assessed using the short questionnaire to assess health-enhancing physical activity(SQUASH).Multivariate linear regression analyses were adjusted for age,body mass index,sex,and smoking status.Results:Data from 63,452 participants(general population n=59,177,chronic disease n=4275)were analyzed.The general population was significantly younger(43.58±11.77 years,mean±SD)and had significantly lower SAF(1.90±0.42 arbitrary units(AU))compared to the population with chronic disease(age:55.51±12.07 years;SAF:2.27±0.51 AU).In the group with chronic disease,more hours of moderate to vigorous physical activities per week were associated with lower SAF(β=-0.002,95%confidence interval(95%CI):-0.002 to-0.001).For the general population,there was no association between hours of moderate to vigorous activity and SAF(β=3.2×10^-5,95%CI:0.000-0.001,p=0.742).However,there was an association in the general population between total hours of PA per week and SAF(β=4.2×10^-4,95%CI:0.000-0.001,p<0.001),but this association was not found in the chronic disease population(β=-3.2×10^-4,95%CI:-0.001 to 0.000,p=0.347).Conclusion:Our study demonstrates that an inverse relationship exists between PA and AGE accumulation in the population with chronic disease.More hours of moderate to vigorous activity is associated a significantly decreased SAF.More PA is associated a lower SAF,even after for the established predictors(age,body mass index,smoking status,and sex).Our findings could help to promote health and prolong longevity.     

Outlier detection by means of robust regression estimators for use in engineering science

This study compares the ability of different robust regression estimators to detect and classify outliers. Well-known estimators with high breakdown points were compared using simulated data. Mean success rates （MSR） were computed and used as comparison criteria. The results showed that the least median of squares （LMS） and least trimmed squares （LTS） were the most successful methods for data that included leverage points, masking and swamping effects or critical and concentrated outliers. We recommend using LMS and LTS as diagnostic tools to classify outliers, because they remain robust even when applied to models that are heavily contaminated or that have a complicated structure of outliers.