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Hi All,

This conversation has developed terrifically.  Starting at bottom, in response to Alan's email.  I agree that exhibit development can (and I say should have a scientific orientation).  Learning itself is complex component of universal human behavior.  It involves a range of sciences that encompass a much broader spectrum than traditional museum studies curricula.  By its nature, it may neither adequately nor appropriately described or understood via these approaches.  It involves tool use, instrumentation, scientific discipline, experience teaching, mentoring, parenting; imagination, and creativity.  It requires passion and a love of sharing.

Educational theory and paradigms are small components.  It's not about teaching to the test.  And rather use right brain left brain, I think it's unconscious and conscious behaviors and decision making that result from our brain structures and capabilities.  

Museum visits themselves probably tend to teach people very little that is highly measurable focused content.  We may be stuck with that reality.  This is not to diminish their value, but it highly suggests that they should not be viewed as such educational instruments, at minimum without other cognitive social scaffolding.  They can provide important complex, scientifically and culturally rich experiences.

I have some thoughts and ideas regarding future directions that I'll share in subsequent emails.

All best,
C



Sent from Charlie's iPad
These remarks and opinions are mine.

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Exploratorium
3601 Lyon St.
San Francisco, CA 94123


On Oct 30, 2011, at 9:49 PM, Alan Friedman <[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.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> Just a few short points this time:
> 
> 1.  Evaluation isn't just about cognition.  It can also be about finding
> joy, curiosity, enthusiasm, skills...all that good stuff in the affective
> domain.  Yes, these can be observed and reported too, and why not?  NSF
> and other funders encourage looking at any of these, even if we don't look
> for cognitive impact.  The Moore Foundation is looking for ways to measure
> what activates learning, rather than the learning itself.  So if we don't
> want to measure cognitive impact, we can measure impact on feelings.
> Unless we are afraid to find out what visitors really feel, of course.
> 
> 2.  Evaluation doesn't all have to be quantitative.  There are excellent
> examples of "naturalistic" and other forms of qualitative evaluation.
> 
> 3.  We don't always have to spend a lot of money, or any cash at all, to
> do evaluation.  We can learn to do it ourselves, and we might turn out to
> be very good at it.  We might even enjoy it (see point 1)!
> 
> 4.  Science is a mixture of curiosity, risk-taking, hunches, luck,
> inspiration, life experience....just like exhibition development.  But
> science also pays attention to evaluation to keep itself learning and
> knowing when something new has real power or needs a fresh direction.  I
> don't see why exhibition development too cannot involve both our
> left-brain and right-brain thinking.  Perhaps exhibition development can a
> science itself.  We do believe in science, don't we?
> 
> 5.  Standardized testing in schools is indeed a very different animal,
> largely because for so long it has neglected the affective domain almost
> entirely.  Even in the cognitive domain it has ignored most skills beyond
> rote memory and following rules.  We don't have to make those mistakes.
> [Neither does testing in schools, and a lot of people are working very
> hard to see that testing in schools illuminates much more of what kids are
> all about.  Check out the new NAEP Technology and Engineering Literacy
> assessment, or the international PISA science assessment, for hopeful
> signs of a new era.]
> 
> Alan
> .

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