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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Hi Charlie,
We're about to open in MArch, and there are only two I just sent your comment to my board, as it is the clearest distillation of "Museum 101" I have seen in a long time.  Brilliant!
Beryl
On Aug 16, 2010, at 2:29 PM, Jeff Rosenblatt 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 like it.
> 
> What I say to explain what a science center is at its' core, to a person
> who has never been -- "it's a place filled with big toys you can't fit
> in your own house, and you can learn or re-learn something when you're
> there."
> 
> Jeff Rosenblatt
> Director, Science City
> 
> Union Station Kansas City, Inc.
> 30 W. Pershing Rd.  Suite 850
> Kansas City, MO  64108
> Office:  816-460-2218
> [log in to unmask]
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Informal Science Education Network
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Charlie Carlson
> Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 12:46 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: science staff
> 
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> ************************************************************************
> *****
> 
> With respect to science staff versus other staff, I would suggest that
> museums and science centers should seriously rethink the notion of their
> place within the educational frameworks, and staff composition.  Museums
> are and should best represent the muse of science perhaps best summed as
> the expression of human curiosity and exploration.  Museums are physical
> communication devices and mechanisms of sharing.  
> 
> Evidence tends to indicate they are at best mediocre and inefficient
> constructs for direct didactic, highly organized teaching vehicles.  "No
> one ever flunk a museum," but few have passed them, either.  They don't
> have that metric.
> 
> As learning constructs are unlikely to be places of new discoveries in
> teaching mechanisms, or radical redefinitions of teaching pedagogy.
> People have been learning for 100,000's of years and more.   The
> re-discovered "hands-on learning" was probably the very first type of
> learning.  It may have evolved before language.
> 
> In the broadest sense museums are about stuff, the natural world and
> people that are passionately interested in it. (They also reflect social
> cultural values; another subject.)  Sporadic visits by the vast majority
> of visitors to museums are complex enjoyable human social events.  The
> science content and presentation can have positively affective benefits
> and positively engage a diverse array of visitors.  These are starting
> points.  The muse springs from science, scientists, engineers, builders,
> and artists.  To the extent affordable, the staff needs to reflect the
> process of science and the associated human interest, passion, history,
> and discipline.
> 
> Charlie
> On Aug 16, 2010, at 2:53 AM, Lynn Baum wrote:
> 
> UNITY.LSOFT.COM.
> 
> ***********************************************************************
> 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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Beryl Rosenthal, PhD
Executive Director, Waterworks Museum
[log in to unmask]
617.277.0065


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

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