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Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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I recently worked with a team from the Museum of Natural Sciences in
Brussels to produce focused, laboratory-type 'challenges' for 10 - 14
year-old schoolchildren and families in their new XperiLAB science truck.
There are 9 specially set up lab benches. Up to 27 children work in groups
of three, each group tacking three of the scientific challenges during their
visit. Each bench has a computer screen directing the progress of that
particular challenge.

We thought long and hard about how best to balance the 'different degrees of
open-ended-ness' that Eric mentioned. If too open-ended it would have been
messy, with unpredictable learning outcomes. If too prescriptive it would
have been less engaging, less empowering and less like real science.

I believe it has been very successful, but the XperiLAB team are better
people to ask about its operation.

http://www.naturalsciences.be/museum/exhibitions/xperilab
http://www.naturalsciences.be/common/flash/xperilab/index.html

I found some good photos of children working in XperiLAB here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/anja.rottiers/Xperilab#

And a movie (in French) is here:
http://bit.ly/9cjMjC

Promoting public engagement with science
through a contagious delight in phenomena
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[log in to unmask] * http://www.interactives.co.uk
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Give people facts and you feed their minds for an hour.
Awaken curiosity and they feed their own minds for a lifetime.
*
Ian Russell (Twitter: ianrusselluk)

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