ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Yes, I agree, however, the reality is that funders don't care about
experience.  The trend has been towards more and more evaluation
demonstrating hard core content.  Perhaps it's the result of congress
asking for justification of spending by federal agencies.  Perhaps
it's the result of  funders wanting to know if their money has been
well spent.  We all know that education/learning/etc. is
exceptionally difficult to measure, and the easiest handle to use is
that of test scores and rote memorization and "spit back".  We all
know that you may not see the results of an experience until 10 years
down the road.  It saddens me that we are being strongarmed into
being something we are not, and losing the primary hallmark of
informal learning settings.
Beryl

>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>Many of the comments regarding evaluation treat the outcome of a museum visit
>as the purpose rather than the quality of the museum experience itself.  In a
>way, asking about the outcome of a museum visit is odd.  Do we ask about the
>outcome of a visit to the art museum or hearing the symphony?  Ted Ansbacher
>has written extensively about experience-based exhibits and Ted and I have
>conducted a number of workshops on the same issue.
>
>We urge that museum designers and educators place more emphasis on the museum
>experience itself than on the outcomes. What are visitors seeing and doing
>while in an exhibit?  Are they fully engaged in the experience?  Are they
>thinking?  Are they asking themselves questions?  Are they trying out new
>experiments/experiences?  Are the exhibits designed to fully engaged
>visitors -- their
>minds, bodies, or both?  Without such direct engagement, there really can't be
>a significant outcome.
>
>Ted has written a number of papers on the subject, inspired by John Dewey's
>writings.  I have also tried to capture the qualities of engaging exhibits in
>my brief paper "Bob's Top Ten Points."
>
>You can find Ted's interesting papers on experience-based exhibits at his
>website:
>
>www.scienceservs.com
>
>You can find my "Top Ten Points" at:
>
>http://informallearning.com/links.htm  (scroll down to exhibit design
>resources)
>
>Bob Russell
>Learning Experience Design
>Science Advisor, Celebra la Ciencia (www.celebralaciencia.org)
>
>(202) 997-5539
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>
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--
Beryl Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs
MIT Museum
265 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA  02139
Tel: 617-452-2111
Fax: 617-253-8994
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