ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
Bill - Thank you so much for your input. Your information is exactly what I
was looking for. I knew worksheets are old school, but haven't kept up on
what new is going on out there lately. I really appreciate it.
**************************************************
Carol Ryan
Interpretive Services & Outreach Program Leader
Rivers Project Office/National Great Rivers Museum
PO Box 337
Alton, IL 62002
(618) 462-6979
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bill Watson
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 1:28 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: School groups
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
*****************************************************************************
Carol -
There has been some research on the use of activity sheets (worksheets) on
field trips. A good summary, with references, is included in Elsa Bailey's
"Science Centers and Schools", which you can read at:
http://www.astc.org/resource/education/bailey.htm
You might also contact Marianne Mortensen (www.mariannemortensen.com), who, I
believe, has done some research on the value of worksheets. I think Ben
Dickow, who frequents this listserv, also has some interest in (and
interesting ideas about) worksheets.
Worksheets seem to be a topic about which people in the informal education
community have strong opinions. From what I've observed, it looks like the
"old style" worksheet, which contains questions (usually factual) to be
answered by reading text on signs or observing an exhibit, has gone out of
vogue. I think the common wisdom is that such instruments limit the
possibilities of what children can learn from their experiences with exhibits
by providing too much structure. One school of thought about worksheets now
appears to be to develop and use "new style" worksheets that provide students
with activities they might do at exhibits or ask them to draw conclusions
from observations, in order to encourage more thoughtful interaction with
exhibits. I haven't seen any research or heard too much discussion about this
kind of worksheet, though. Perhaps others on this list have more experience
with these instruments.
The other school of thought seems to be commitment to the idea that
worksheets provide too much structure and are too school-like for the
informal learning environment.
I found one statement in your post particularly intriguing: "...many do not
do it [the worksheet] because they are too busy with the exhibits themselves
or don't have the time." I'm wondering why you think you need a worksheet.
The kids seem to be engaged with the exhibits already. Are you not seeing the
kind of engagement that you think would lead to learning important content
addressed by the exhibits?
Bill
Bill Watson
Research Assistant, SCALE-uP
The George Washington University
Graduate School of Education and Human Development Department of Teacher
Preparation and Special Education
2134 G St. NW
Washington, DC 20052
Phone: (202) 994-1171
Fax: (202) 994-0692
[log in to unmask]
www.gwu.edu/~scale-up
-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Ryan, Carol J MVS
Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2005 2:38 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: School groups
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
****************************************************************************
*
Could you all help me with something? We get many, many school groups
through our museum in the spring & fall. In addition to a 45 minute guided
tour of a lock, we have tried to give some structured activity for the groups
as they go through our exhibits (7,000 sq ft). We have a very limited staff
of usually 1 to 2 docents available to assist the exhibit groups and one of
them has to stay at the front desk. Many of our schools come with 50-100
students at one time and want to only spend about 1.5 to 2 hours hours. We
typically break them in to groups of 25 with some going on the tour, some go
to the film and the rest to a gallery tour and then all rotate when the
guided tour returns. So far, we have been giving the gallery tour groups an
activity sheet on a clipboard to complete as they go through the exhibits so
that they look for and take away the important messages we want them to know.
However, many do not do it because they are too busy with the exhibits
themselves or don't have the time. What do you do? Is there good research
on this type of situation out there? If so, where?
**************************************************
Carol Ryan
Interpretive Services & Outreach Program Leader Rivers Project
Office/National Great Rivers Museum PO Box 337 Alton, IL 62002
(618) 462-6979
[log in to unmask]
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Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at
http://www.astc.org.
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]
***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
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
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