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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The recent discussions of evolution and learning have brought to mind Jeremy
Roschelle's excellent article "Learning in Interactive Environments: Prior
Knowledge and New Experience." Thinking some of you might be interested, we
recently re-posted it on the ASTC web site, at
http://www.astc.org/resource/education/priorknw.htm

As Roschelle writes: 
"Educators often focus on the ideas that they want their audience to have.
But research has shown that a learner's prior knowledge often confounds an
educator's best efforts to deliver ideas accurately." 

He advises: 
"Be wary of viewing prior knowledge as an enemy fortress that is wrong,
alternative, or theoretical in character, and instead see prior knowledge as
a disorganized collection of building blocks."

In my experience, integrating that perspective into development of
exhibitions is an ongoing challenge.
___________________________
Wendy Pollock
Director
Research, Publications, and Exhibitions
Association of Science-Technology Centers
1025 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
202/783-7200 x 114
202/783-7207 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
www.astc.org 

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