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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Erich, Paul
All forms of evaluation are learning tools so no one should have an
inferiority complex about doing evaluation. it is not a competition. It is
away of not only learning about the exhibition making process (not everyone
is a Steve Jobs or anyone else you think have done exemplary exhibitions)
but a process for learning about what you have attempted and what has
worked. Talk is a prerequisite to working together and I don't think that
you experience being exasperated by excessive talk is necessarily
generalizable.
Alan Friedman has provided several specific examples of exhibitions that
have been made better by evaluation so here is a challenge. Can you point
specifically to projects that you feel have suffered from evaluation?
Paul you analogy to the testing requirements of No Child left Behind is not
quite a good fit. NSF or fundors have a legitimate need to know how their
money is spent are not telling anyone how to validate use of their funds.
There is leeway in the methods we can use and there are a series of
practices that have been developed to help you.
Maybe summative is not used uniformly well so then what do you suggest?
Throw everything out and just say everything is fine because you say " by
my measure visitors are having a good time". Hardly, if you expect to get
your next grant. Any should not!
I look forward to your specific responses to my two requests as I am
finding it exasperating reading (and your right I do not have to read this)
generalized objections to learning from what we do in creating exhibitions
and programs. Come on produce!
Martin
On Sun, Oct 30, 2011 at 8:02 AM, Erich Rose <[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.
>
> *****************************************************************************
>
> THANK YOU PAUL!
>
> Oh lord, I have been sitting this one out because I didn't know how to say
> just that in as few words. Thank you Paul.
>
> What I will say is that on too many occasions I found myself sitting in
> yet another meeting getting all antsy and wanting to just yell out "Can we
> stop talking, I need to build something!" The only question that will
> really matter is "Did you have a good time at the museum?" AND I assure
> everyone here that if the answer is "yes", then they DID learn something,
> even if they can't tell you what it was.
No, it is clear that fundors want more than just fun though that is part of
the experience for visitors. and if (visitors) they can't tell you what it
was about how do YOU know they DID learn?
Martin
>
> If you want to call tweaking a prototype "testing" then fine but all in
> all it's just another tool in the bag and we don't always need a wrench to
> build a box. Testing afterwards is fine as well but only as good as what
> is shared with others. Most small museums I work(ed) with barely have the
> resources to get the thing built in the first place. All this talk of
> formal evaluation just gives them an even greater inferiority complex.
>
> As always a bit more than two cents...
>
> Erich Rose
>
> Erich Rose Design
> 807 The Living End
> Austin, TX 78746
> 512-626-9930; [log in to unmask]
>
>
> On Oct 30, 2011, at 6:03 AM, Paul Orselli wrote:
>
> > ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> > Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> >
> *****************************************************************************
> >
> > For a group that so often argues about the important differences between
> "informal" museum experiences and "formal" classroom experiences, I find it
> ironic how vociferously the benefits of summative evaluation are stressed
> --- and how often we are reminded that funders will only give money to
> enterprises that can demonstrate "impact."
> >
> > I can't help but hear echoes of the "need" for standardized testing in
> schools --- most often tied to educational funding, as well.
> >
> > There is something in a creative enterprise (which I sincerely believe
> the making of exhibits to be) that resists experts and data, and I can't
> help but think that the world of books and movies and art, and, yes, even
> classrooms and museums, are better for this tension.
> >
> > Of course, I don't have any longitudinal studies to support my position
> ... ;-)
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Paul Orselli, President and Chief Instigator
> >
>
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--
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Martin Weiss, PhD
Senior Scientist
New York Hall of Science
mweiss at nyscience.org
cell 347-460-1858
desk 718 595 9156
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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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