fostering inquiry in science museums

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Drawing Visitors In:Engaging Visitors in

Science, Art & Children’s Museums

Julie Charles - SFMOMATsivia Cohen - Chicago

Children’s MuseumJosh Gutwill - Exploratorium

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Session structure

• 3 short presentations + Q&A

• Small groups to try out one program

• Whole group Discussion / Q&A

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Fostering Inquiry in Science Museums

Josh GutwillActing Director Exploratorium

Visitor Research & Evaluation QuickTime™ and a

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Context:Exhibit Design

SMMExperiment Benches

ExploratoriumAPE

MOS, BostonInvestigate!

PISEC study

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Group Inquiry by Visitors at ExhibitsNational

ScienceFoundation

Funded by

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Group Inquiry by Visitors

at Exhibits Sue Allen Craig AndersonMark Boccuzzi

Fay DearbornBeth Gardner Josh GutwillMalia Jackson

Adam KlingerNerissa KuebrichSuzy LoperKathy McLeanLisa SindorfErin Wilson

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Research questions

Is it possible to explicitly teach visitors a useful set of inquiry skills?

Can we help groups work together?

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Which Inquiry Skills?

Questioning

InvestigatingExplaining

Using EvidenceProblemsolving

Reflecting

ProposeAction

InterpretResults

DesigningExperiment

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Format: Juicy Question GamePlay with

Exhibit

Do the Experime

nt

Brainstorm“Juicy Questions”

Ask more“Juicy Questions”Interpret Results

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Framework for Analysis

• Do visitors use the 2 skills at a new exhibit?

• Does the quality of inquiry improve?

• Do visitors work together more?

Direct coding of video:

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Results

• Juicy Question families:

– Make almost twice as many interpretations

– Build explanations more collaboratively

– Conduct more linked investigations

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Example of Group Inquiry

• Watch for:– Inquiry skills

•Propose Action•Interpret Results

– Learning from each other•Building on interpretations

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Aspects of Group Inquiry

• Inquiry skills– Boy asks juicy Q

– All make interp• Building explanations

• Coherent inquiry

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Conclusions

• memorable format• learnable in ~20 mins• worked for family groups (8+) • worked for field trip groups,

too• led to better inquiry

Juicy Question:

www.exploratorium.edu/partner/give