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

	I think the problem with evolution exhibits in our museums 
(science and natural history) are manifold; and the soon to be 
published ASTC Dimensions will document some of these.

	In short, knowing more about our visitors underlying 
understanding of evolution will go a long way to our developing 
meaningful and effective exhibitions on evolution. I think this 
discussion, while useful, is top down. What exhibits can we use (do 
we have) to explain evolution or natural selection? I think we should 
be asking the question(s) from the bottom; what do our visitors, 
children more so than adults, understand and what can they understand 
about the principles underlying evolution? And how do we effectively 
develop exhibits and programs to help them understand-and perhaps 
accept-evolution.

Martin



>David,
>your observations I think highlight one of the key challanges we 
>face in tackling evolution.
>
>If we present things like peppered moths, then its easy for people 
>to see a RATIONAL framework in play. It presents (as you say 
>yourself) obvious, rational and directed change ( intellegent?). I 
>went through uni (biochem, microbiology) with a friend that (because 
>of a particular religous background)accepted micoevolution ( she 
>conducted antibiotic based selection trilas each week in the lab).. 
>but could not accept macro-evolution.
>
>What a challange we face.. How do we take people through DEEP TIME, 
>and show the emergence of useful BUT UNEXPECTED adatpations.
>
>Steven J Gould had a good approach by showing what I think of as 
>examples of "STUPID DESIGN"... where the adaptations where usefull, 
>but no-one would design it that way, or run the game so badly. Mate 
>selection is a good area to expose this ( and something close to 
>our.. hearts). Elk evlolving antlers that (apart from showing off) 
>are a dead liability, male birds sporting dangerously bright colors. 
>If you had a camera built as badly as as the human eye you'd sue the 
>manufacturer ( the intellegent designer obvioulsy had a soft spot 
>for octupus, they have their eyes biult the right way round).
>
>So.. anyone got a GOOD exhibit about STUPID design?
>
>Dr Stuart Kohlhagen
>Manager New Concepts
>Quesatcon
>Australia -Kangaroos, platypus, Koala.. great animals.. stupid designs
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Informal Science Education Network on behalf of David Smith
>Sent: Wed 2/8/2006 9:25 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Naural selection computer interactives?
>
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>There is one in the AMNH Darwin exhibit where you control leaf color
>with a slider and watch birds prey on two different colored populations
>of bugs.  It was well done, simple, graphically appealing, and easy to
>use, however, as someone who has seen and taught with very crude DOS
>versions of a similar demo, I didn't find it either surprising or
>particularly engaging.  For what it's worth, I also didn't see a lot of
>interaction around it as I went through nearby parts of the exhibit.
>
>David L. Smith, Ph.D.
>Director of Professional Development
>Da Vinci Discovery Center, Allentown, PA
>http://www.davinci-center.org
>"Who will pick up where Leonardo left off?"
>
>
>
>>  -----Original Message-----
>>  From: Informal Science Education Network
>>  [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Julie Desmond
>>  Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 3:08 PM
>>  To: [log in to unmask]
>>  Subject: Naural selection computer interactives?
>>
>>
>>  ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of
>>  Science-Technology Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network
>>  of science museums and related institutions.
>>  **************************************************************
>>  ***************
>>
>>
>>
>>  Hi,
>>
>>  We're looking for a computer interactive that demonstrates
>>  how the process of natural selection works, for an upcoming
>>  exhibit we're planning on island ecology and evolution.  Has
>>  anyone seen any such interactives out there?  I heard there
>>  might be one in the new Darwin exhibit at the American Museum
>>  but haven't been to see it yet.  Any information would be
>>  much appreciated.  Thanks,
>>
>>  Julie
>>
>>
>>  ...................................
>>  Julie S. Desmond
>>  Senior Exhibit Researcher, Ecology
>>  Exhibit Development Department
>>  California Science Center
>>  700 State Drive
>>  Los Angeles, CA  90037
>>  www.californiasciencecenter.org ...................................
>>
>>
>>  **************************************************************
>>  *********
>>  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]
>
>***********************************************************************
>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]

-- 
Martin Weiss, Ph.D
Vice President, Science
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111 th Street
Corona, New York 11368
718 699 0005 x 356

***********************************************************************
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]