Authentic assessment of visitor learning in museum settings is a challenging
endeavor. Evaluation literature includes very few studies that link adult visitors' behavior
to their learning. Multiple data collection methods in a naturalistic environment hold
great promise for increasing understanding of informal public education.
In 1997, Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) in
Newport, Oregon, opened a new visitor center. This unique science museum was
designed with strong educational goals in mind. The first gallery, the Pattern Garden,
was intended to provide a framework of understanding that visitors would build on
during their journey through the museum. The three main exhibits in this gallery include
a touch pool with live tidepool animals, a sound exhibit with listening stations, and a
water wheel that demonstrates chaos theory.
This study is a summative evaluation of these three exhibits and their educational
effectiveness, both individually and as part of the overall gallery. Data on exhibit holding
power and visitor behavior were collected for this evaluation. The touch pool and the
sound station were videotaped, while field notes were used to document holding power at
the water wheel. In addition, a wireless microphone was mounted at the touch pool to
document discussion between visitors and docents. Visitors who spent a minimum of ten
seconds at each of the three exhibits were interviewed as they prepared to leave the
museum. The interviewer asked the visitor to recall the Pattern Garden exhibits, with
special attention to things they learned and associations they made to their daily lives.
Both holding power and learning proved to be the greatest at the touch pool.
Further investigations are indicated to isolate whether it was the content of the exhibit,
the presence of a docent, or other factors that made it particularly effective. The water
wheel's holding power was nearly as high as that of the touch pool, but visitor learning
scores were lower. Interview data indicated that the complex, difficult nature of the
chaos concept was partly responsible for the low educational results. The sound station
resulted in moderate holding power and moderate learning. Difficulties and successes in
the research design indicate important factors to consider for future evaluation studies at
informal science learning centers. / Graduation date: 1999
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/33948 |
| Date | 28 July 1998 |
| Creators | Lynds, Susan E. |
| Contributors | Lederman, Norman |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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