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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Eric:
Here's two "open-ended" classics that are somewhat workbench like I presume you already know about:
1. OMSI's Engineer It exhibits, which allow visitors to use some pre-made parts to assemble somewhat unique boats, flying things, etc and then test them out.
http://www.omsi.edu/exhibits/engineerit/
2. Science Museum of Minnesota's workbench exhibits developed by Jay Newlin that allow visitors to use a variety of "user friendly" parts to assemble, for example, different types of electric circuits.
http://www.smm.org/exhibitservices/history/scienceandart/gallery/2/
Bob Russell
Informal Learning Solutions
informallearningsolutions.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Eric Siegel <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sat, Apr 2, 2011 7:59 am
Subject: workbench-style activities
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
Hello, all:
I am looking for research on workbench/lunch counter type activities, where
visitors gather at a table of "loose parts" and engage with them. We are
curious about facilitation, operational aspects, visitor engagement, duration of
participation, oh, and [can of worms alert] "learning" too. Also different
degrees of open ended-ness, from a table full of zoobs to an earthquake table to
a circuit building table...
I know about the APE report, and the PIE activities/web site, both of which are
very useful (anyone not familiar with either of these, I recommend checking them
out at the explo site). Any other actual research would be greatly appreciated.
Also, if people have particularly cool versions of these types of activities, or
anecdotes about successes/failures I'd be glad to know about them.
Thanks!
Eric Siegel
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