The Particular Aspects of Science Museum Exhibits That Encourage Students’ Engagement

Shaby, Neta; Assaraf, Orit Ben-Zvi; Tal, Tali

doi:10.1007/s10956-016-9676-7

Cited by 28 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Children were more engaged, through physical interaction or providing additional information, with the exhibit when the exhibit included interactive elements. This is consistent with findings that show that when ISLS allow for exploration, visitors are more likely to be engaged through their interactions with the exhibits (Sandifer, 2003;Shaby et al, 2017). We also found that the longer children spent at an exhibit, the more likely they were to engage with the exhibit, which supports previous findings that visitors tend to spend more time at an exhibit that is interactive (Szechter and Carey, 2009).…”

Section: Interactive Exhibitssupporting

confidence: 92%

“…In these settings the environment can influence children’s behaviors. For example, many ISLS have specific environments structured to foster learning, for example these sites include exhibits where children can engage in learning behaviors such as physically interacting with and manipulating structures ( Sandifer, 2003 ; Shaby et al, 2017 ). Additionally, these exhibits often have educators present who will help children understand how to use these interactive exhibits and also encourage science conversations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Understanding Parents’ Roles in Children’s Learning and Engagement in Informal Science Learning Sites

et al. 2021

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Informal science learning sites (ISLS) create opportunities for children to learn about science outside of the classroom. This study analyzed children’s learning behaviors in ISLS using video recordings of family visits to a zoo, children’s museum, or aquarium. Furthermore, parent behaviors, features of the exhibits and the presence of an educator were also examined in relation to children’s behaviors. Participants included 63 children (60.3% female) and 44 parents in 31 family groups. Results showed that parents’ science questions and explanations were positively related to children observing the exhibit. Parents’ science explanations were also negatively related to children’s science explanations. Furthermore, children were more likely to provide science explanations when the exhibit was not interactive. Lastly there were no differences in children’s behaviors based on whether an educator was present at the exhibit. This study provides further evidence that children’s interactions with others and their environment are important for children’s learning behaviors.

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Section: Interactive Exhibitssupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Parents’ Roles in Children’s Learning and Engagement in Informal Science Learning Sites

et al. 2021

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“…Research demonstrates that interacting with an educator can provide scaffolding of the learning experience for visitors [13] and that the personal connection with an educator in a museum is centrally important [14]. Further, findings suggest that exhibits can foster visitor engagement, particularly if they allow for social interaction [15]. Research with families in ISLS has also clarified that adults can play an important role in shaping the experience at an informal learning site.…”

Section: Visiting and Learning In Informal Science Learning Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Much of the prior work documenting variations in outcomes from ISLS visits attends to family visits with a focus on the role that parents play [ 16 – 18 ]. Another large body of research explores outcomes of school visits with attention to the nature of the education that occurs [ 15 , 16 , 19 , 20 – 22 ]. The current investigation explores family visits, but is distinct from the prior work on family visits which explores the role of parents as educators.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interest and learning in informal science learning sites: Differences in experiences with different types of educators

et al. 2020

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This study explored topic interest, perceived learning and actual recall of exhibit content in 979 children and adolescents and 1,184 adults who visited informal science learning sites and interacted with an adult or youth educator or just the exhibit itself as part of family visits to the sites. Children in early childhood reported greater topic interest and perceived learning, but actually recalled less content, than participants in middle childhood or adolescence. Youth visitors reported greater interest after interacting with a youth educator than just the exhibit, and perceived that they learn more if they interact with an educator (youth or adult). Participants in middle childhood recall more when they encounter a youth educator. Adult visitors reported greater interest after interaction with a youth educator than with the exhibit alone or an adult educator. They also perceived that they learn more if they interact with an educator (youth or adult) than just the exhibit and perceived that they learned more if they interacted with a youth educator than an adult educator. Results highlight the benefits of educators in informal science learning sites and document the importance of attention to developmental needs.

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“…The science museum is a prominent informal learning environment with considerable potential to enable multiple science positionings and roles (Falk, ). Science museums around the world offer complex learning experiences that are shaped by visitors' interactions with the exhibits (Allen, ; Garner et al, ; Shaby, Ben Zvi Assaraf, & Tal, ), museum staff (Bamberger & Tal, ; Rahm, ), and other visitors (Ash et al, ; Schwan, Grajal, & Lewalter, ). Research on science museums has focused primarily on free‐choice visits, where visitors attend the museum with family or friends with no formal obligations.…”

Section: Background and Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Science identity trajectories throughout school visits to a science museum

Shaby

Vedder‐Weiss

2019

J Res Sci Teach

Self Cite

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Research has repeatedly demonstrated how informal learning environments afford science‐identity development by fostering a broader array of interactions and recognizing more varied participation modes and roles, as compared to the classroom. Thus, science teachers are encouraged to take students to field trips in informal environments, including science museums. However, the question of whether and how informal environments indeed support science identities also in a schooling context (i.e., in field trips) has not yet been explored. This case study addresses this question by analyzing identity trajectories of three students throughout six school visits to an Israeli science museum. We observed and recorded these students in the museum over the course of 3 years (fourth to sixth grade). We also visited their school and interviewed them after each visit. Drawing on a sociocultural interactional approach to identity, we analyzed 18 hr of video and audio recordings, tracking the participation of the three students across time and contexts, comparing between the students, points in time and settings, including structured (museum lab), semi‐structured (riddle‐solving activities in exhibition halls), and unstructured settings (free exploration). We employed linguistic ethnographic methods and microanalysis to examine the ways in which the students participated and their positioning by self and others. While we found differences between settings within the museum, overall, the findings show that the museum reproduced the school's interaction, positioning, and roles. The “(non)science person” in school was also the “(non)science person” in the museum, and thus, the museum visits did not appear to shift identity trajectories. These findings challenge the premise that informal environments support the development of science identities also in a schooling context and call for a more critical view of such fieldtrips in terms of their pedagogical and physical design, facilitation approach, and consideration of peers' social interaction.

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The Particular Aspects of Science Museum Exhibits That Encourage Students’ Engagement

Cited by 28 publications

References 32 publications

Understanding Parents’ Roles in Children’s Learning and Engagement in Informal Science Learning Sites

Understanding Parents’ Roles in Children’s Learning and Engagement in Informal Science Learning Sites

Interest and learning in informal science learning sites: Differences in experiences with different types of educators

Science identity trajectories throughout school visits to a science museum

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