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

Hi all,
Clearly the museum professional audience is limited--I tend to view that as an aspect of the field which could be improved.  Delegating responsibility needs to conducted from a base of scientific understanding and knowledge, the expertise required for informal education broadly requires a familiarity across many domains along with an appreciation and understanding of the evidence. 

From a professional development and support perspective, for the field as a whole,  attracting scientifically competent individuals and sustaining interest in science more broadly seems crucial.  I think it's a hit or miss proposition at this point.  I'd like to change that and make information an knowledge more freely available.  

Currently, transitioning to the museum community from scientific community can be spectacular first step with marginal institutional support. This could be remedied.  Our field would benefit.

The journals I envision are tools of the trade.  Yes, there is detailed and sophisticated information but there's also array of perspectives, relevant newsy stuff, and review articles.  They're all peer-viewed.  The editors are sharp.

The key feature of my suggestion is that such arrangement broadly benefits the field and would cost the commercial publishers essentially nothing, and would more likely benefit them.

I have little use for a paper version and online access would suffice.

I'd love to hear if there's interest and enthusiasm, or if this is more superfluous notion.
C

Sent from Charlie's iPad
Charles Carlson
2739 Stuart St.
Berkeley, CA 94705

Mobile 510-499-8086
Skypein: (510) 984-3543

On Feb 13, 2011, at 8:39 AM, Martin Weiss <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> Charlie
> 
> I  wonder how many would use these specialized journals? many exhibits on
> complex technical ideas are developed using expert advisors who are tasked
> with interpreting the "raw" data from these journals.
> 
> Martin
> 
> On Sat, Feb 12, 2011 at 5:42 PM, Charlie Carlson <[log in to unmask]
>> wrote:
> 
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
>> institutions.
>> 
>> *****************************************************************************
>> 
>> Hi All,
>> 
>> I was thinking journals such as Science, Nature, PNAS, Physics Education,
>> Chemistry Education, PLoS, an important one or two on climate and
>> environmental research, and cognitive sciences, etc.  While I view journals
>> that directly market to museums and science centers as valuable as well, and
>> important to the field,  I was deeming the science that affects the public
>> and society more broadly and that embraces STEM and biomedical research as
>> the target for ASTC access.  The journals I was thinking of have a direct
>> relationship to scientists and areas of scientific study.  Museum
>> publications are undoubtedly of value but more specific relevant to exhibit
>> techniques, visitor studies, effectiveness assessments, etc.  What I'm going
>> for is the science that informs the content of what we use in creating
>> exhibitions and informing the public, and not so much the technique.  I'm
>> sure there's overlap––my suggestion is directed towards broad access to
>> scientific discovery.
>> 
>> Such a focus would make for a win win situation.  The limited use of peer
>> reviewed science journals by museum staff, might actually broaden the reach
>> of the journals, attract some interest in them, and not negatively affect
>> their readerships in a monetarily significant way.  Access would further
>> serve to broaden access to scientific information and discovery in the
>> museum community.
>> 
>> C
>> On Feb 12, 2011, at 1:51 PM, Eric Siegel wrote:
>> 
>>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
>> institutions.
>>> 
>> *****************************************************************************
>>> 
>>> I hope you all know that back issues of the Exhibitionist are available
>> for free downloading at www.name-aam.org.  There's some real gold in those
>> back issues.
>>> 
>>> eric
>>> 
>>> ***********************************************************************
>>> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and
>> the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
>>> 
>>> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at
>> www.exhibitfiles.org.
>>> 
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>> 
>> The opinions and thoughts expressed here are my own and should in no way be
>> construed or attributed to the Exploratorium or related organization, and do
>> not represent an institutional position.
>> 
>> Charles Carlson
>> Senior Scientist
>> exploratorium
>> 3601 Lyon St.
>> San Francisco, CA 94123
>> [log in to unmask]
>> Tel:   415-561-0319
>> Fax:  415-561-0370
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ***********************************************************************
>> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the
>> Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
>> 
>> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at
>> www.exhibitfiles.org.
>> 
>> The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To
>> learn more, visit
>> http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
>> 
>> 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, PhD
> Science Interpretation, Consultant
> New York Hall of Science
> mweiss at nyscience.org
> 347-460-1858
> 
> ***********************************************************************
> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
> 
> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.
> 
> The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit
> http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
> 
> 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]

***********************************************************************
For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.

Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

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