ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

Hi, Lisa

Thanks for the background to your question, it really helps to clarify
what you are trying to do.  As someone pointed out earlier, it is easier
to imagine workshop settings (as opposed to exhibitions) in science
centers could help teachers, parents, and students prepare better for
standardized tests.  In that case, science centers might be a good
resource for kids who learn differently.  I imagine it would be quite
time and labor intensive, but if you can do it, it would be a valuable
service.

I would be interested to hear how you do with this challenge.

Eric Siegel
Director of Planning
   & Program Development
Connections Project Director
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111th Street
Queens, NY 11368
[log in to unmask]
www.nyscience.org

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Informal Science Education Network
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lisa Jo Rudy
> Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2004 4:10 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Clarifying educational research query
>
>
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of
> Science-Technology Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network
> of science museums and related institutions.
> **************************************************************
> ***************
>
> Let me explain why I asked the question about hands-on
> learning and standardized tests.  I am working with a group
> of parents to create an alternative educational program for
> kids with learning difference (eg, kids who learn best in a
> multisensory, inquiry-based setting -- often kids with
> autism, ADHD, etc.).
>
> Clearly, these kids learn well doing the kind of learning
> that is most often
> found in a museum setting.   There are many other advantages:
> building gross
> and fine motor skills; building teamwork skills; learning in
> a motivated manner; exercising multiple intelligences; etc.
> And, in fact, a successful therapeutic approach for autism,
> nicknamed "Floortime," uses very much the same principles as
> inquiry-based learning!
>
> A possible down side, however, is that the learning these
> kids do with gumdrops and toothpicks might be virtually
> impossible to translate to the required standardized tests.
> And even in an alternative setting (even a homeschool
> setting!) these tests ARE required.  Furthermore, many of
> these kids are bright and capable enough to attend college --
> but not if they can't do reasonably well on the SAT or ACT.
>
> I'm hoping to determine whether there are tested techniques
> that actually help kids to cross the intellectual gap between
> hands-on learning and tests/verbalization of learning.  This
> would help tremendously in designing a successful program.
>
> Thanks so very much!
>
> Lisa Rudy
>
> Lisa Jo Rudy, Writer/Consultant
> 625 Chelten Hills Drive
> Elkins Park, PA 19027
> www.lisarudy.com
> 215-635-9735
>
> **************************************************************
> *********
> More information about the Informal Science Education Network
> and the Association of Science-Technology Centers may be
> found at http://www.astc.org. To remove your e-mail address
> from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the message  SIGNOFF
> ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to [log in to unmask]
>

***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]