ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
As a developmental psychologist by background, it has been my experience
that museums favor particular theories of intellectual development that are
currently in vogue and attempt to design exhibits and/or programs that use a
particular theory -- multiple intelligences, for example -- as THE pedagogy.
Piaget's theory of intellectual development, Gardner's theory of multiple
intelligences, and Vygotsky's theory of social learning have all had their time
and all have some good points to take into consideration when designing an
educational program. There are, of course, many other psychologists who also
have much to tell educators and designers, such as Albert Bandura, whose
theory of social learning can tell us much about the role of people, imitation,
and role models in development.
So I would caution museum educators against fully embracing any particular
theory and adopting it as THE framework. Rather, I would suggest becoming
familiar with useful theories and applying some key points as they are relevant.
Some years ago, I wrote two articles for the Informal Learning Review that
informal educators may find useful:
1. "Experience-Based Learning Theories" (compilations/overviews of the
theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, etc. including brief bibliographies).
2. Bob's Top Ten Points (a framework of key points, derived from learning
theories, that educators and designers can consider when developing exhibits
and programs).
Designers may also find another article by Ted Ansbacher providing an
overview of John Dewey's theory as it can be applied to exhibit design, What Do You
See and Do: An Introduction to Experience Based Exhibits."
These articles are available online under the heading Exhibition Design
Resources at:
_http://www.informallearning.com/links.htm_
(http://www.informallearning.com/links.htm)
I encourage any educators and designers to put "learning theories" or
"intellectual development" into Google; you find a myriad of theories and not much
closure.
As a further resource, educators and designers may want to read any of
several books by John Falk, Lynn Dierking, and others of the Institute of Learning
Innovation, where learning theories are integrated into an overarching
framework for informal educators. You can find titles and other useful resources
at their website:
_www.ilinet.org_ (http://www.ilinet.org)
Bob
Robert L. Russell, Ph.D.
Science Advisor, Self-Reliance Foundation
Project Director, Celebra la Ciencia & ConCiencia/Hispanic Science Newswire
(202) 360-4117 (office) (202) 997-5539 (cell)
[log in to unmask]
_www.celebralaciencia.org_ (http://www.celebralaciencia.org/)
_www.selfreliancefoundation.org_ (http://www.selfreliancefoundation.org/)
1126 16th St. NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20036
In a message dated 5/16/2008 9:06:19 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
*****************************************************************************
There is a tradition in some art museums of presenting art without
interpretation on the theory that visitors can and should engage on
their own terms. So here's the question: does that qualify as
transactive? Certainly it is open-ended and allows the visitor to
bring whatever multiple intelligences they wish to explore the art in
whatever way they find satisfying?
Before you say that this has nothing to do with science centers, I
have heard more than one visitor to the Exploratorium complain that
they are ill-equipped to deal with the real intellectual challenges
the place presents (just as some of us are intimidated by art
museums), and that they find the experience inaccessible as a result,
while others such as myself love the place and find it both engaging
and stimulating.
James Bradburne, whom I have not had the pleasure to meet, argued in
a 2002 article that interactivity is a property of people, not
exhibits, and that an artifact-based display can support very real
and meaningful interactions—or not. Same with push-button
electromechanicals in a science center—some promote interactive in a
real sense, and others don't. Depends on what the visitor does with
them, and the experience they have. Bradburne has been director of
a science center (newMetropolis) and an art museum (Museum für
Angewandte Kunst) so he is speaking from personal experience here.
Bradburne didn't discuss transactive experiences because his article
was written six years ago and the term wasn't yet much in use in the
museum context, but I imagine he would make the same point:
transactive experiences act at the level of the individual visitor
(it is the visitor doing the transacting, not the exhibit), and such
experiences may or may not include any sort of physical interaction.
And more: some visitors will require help, and maybe lots of it, to
get to the point where they can have meaningful open-ended
experiences, while others with different backgrounds are ready to
jump right in. So what we really need to be talking about are
exhibits that can be used in multiple ways by multiple users
depending on where they are in their individual learning curves, no?
Chuck Howarth
Gyroscope
283 4th Street
Oakland, CA 94607
***********************************************************************
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.
The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To
learn more, visit
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
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]
**************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family
favorites at AOL Food.
(http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)
***********************************************************************
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.
The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
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]
|