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 larger problem is the nature of standardized tests. Whether you like
them or you don't, the reality is that they're here to stay. Perhaps a
good role for the science center community is to advocate for
standardized tests, if they must exist, that more truly reflect the
inquiry and process skills students have gained.

Perhaps a *simpler* research question would be a comparison of the
performance of a control and sample population of students on a variety
of measures, where one group had "exposure" to whatever kind of science
center experience you defined, and the other did not. You might be able
to make a broad statement about impact on a variety of measures with
such a study.

Bill

Bill Watson
Education Director
Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center
Mobile, AL
(251) 208-6851

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-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Joanna Fisher
Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2004 11:20 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Science Centers & Testing

ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
************************************************************************
*****

I dream of helping children to have the 'aha' moment, to put them over
the top, as Jeff says.
If our mission is to stimulate inquiry, and our product is the process,
are we selling out if we focus on outcome measures? How do we continue
to focus on the higher learning processes (which lead to smarter kids in
the end) but still have the support of the schools and funders?

Joanna Fisher
The Children's Museum of Utah
801-456-5437 x104

-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of jeff courtman
Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2004 7:50 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Science Centers & Testing

ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
************************************************************************
*****

i tend to agree with bob, eric, and david - the notion of being able to
measure, through standardized testing, the impact of single, or even a
few,
visits to centers is setting up unrealisitc expectations, even thought
science centers are constantly connecting the dots.

connecting those dots is most often a rationalization used to attract
both
schools and funders.

the curious thing is you may have a child who is at the threshold of an
'aha' experience and who may experience something at a science center
that
puts them over the top, yet as david points out, how could you resonably
isolate it from other possible building blocks in this child's
construction
of their universe?

we all have our own personal takes - mine is this:  if a child has a
positive experience with science, in a center's informal setting, is it
wrong to consider this outcome the most important measure?  There are
lots
of things that fall out from such a view, such as empowerment, allowing
for
social learning, etc.  But by its nature, the experience is the
antithesis
to standardized testing.

having added my 2 cents, what about going back to the question of
rationalization?  do we as a group perpetuate  misperceptions because
such
rationalizing is vital to our survival?


Jeff Courtman
Mind-Works
4026 Richmond Ave
Shreveport, LA  71106
214.450.8872

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More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
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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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