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This is in response to the last comment, wondering whether the  effectiveness 
of human-intervention has been compared to stand-alone  interactives etc.  To 
me, this is apples and oranges.  Both kinds of  experiences have an important 
place, but here I will just make a few comments  about the importance of 
people in learning.
 
To point out some basic psych 101, social modeling is fundamental to human  
learning.  We learn by watching others and are also motivated by wanting to  
emulate others.  This is a key idea in Albert Bandura's work on social  
modeling.  Vygotsky is also relevant here.
 
Theater has long been a fundamental form of human expression, passing on  
culture, etc etc.  It has also been used very effectively in museum  settings, 
ranging for re-enactors to theatrical productions.
 
Dynamic presentations by people works very well. Boring lectures  don't.  So 
the question isn't so much, does it work in general, but what  kinds of human 
interventions, presentations really work well in an interactive  museum.
 
In another venue, social modeling is used very effectively in social  
marketing and education entertainment, where educational messages (e.g., disease  of 
the week on ER, literacy campaigns on radio or telenovelas) are integrated  
into entertainment media.  People take action because they are influenced  by 
the actions of the fictional characters or situations on the shows.
 
Bob
 
Robert L.  Russell, Ph.D.
Learning Experience Design
(202)  997-5539
[log in to unmask]

Interim Executive Director & Science  Advisor, Self-Reliance Foundation
Project Director, Celebra la Ciencia
_www.celebralaciencia.org_ (http://www.celebralaciencia.org/) 
(202)  360-4117

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