Analysis of the educational potential of a science museum learning environment: Visitors’ experience with and understanding of an immersion exhibit

TY - JOUR

T1 - Analysis of the educational potential of a science museum learning environment

T2 - Visitors’ experience with and understanding of an immersion exhibit

AU - Mortensen, Marianne Foss

PY - 2011/3/1

Y1 - 2011/3/1

N2 - Research pertaining to science museum exhibit design tends to be articulated at a level of generality that makes it difficult to apply in practice. To address this issue, the present study used a design-based research approach to understand the educational potential of a biology exhibit. The exhibit was considered an educational environment which embodied a certain body of biological knowledge (Biological Organisation) in a certain exhibit type (Museographic Organisation) with the intention of creating certain learning outcomes among visitors. The notion of praxeology was used to model intended and observed visitor outcomes, and the pattern of relationship between the two praxeologies was examined to pinpoint where and how divergences emerged. The implications of these divergences are discussed at the three levels of exhibit enactment, design, and conjecture, and theoretically based suggestions for a design iteration are given. The potential of the designbased research approach for educational exhibit design is argued.

AB - Research pertaining to science museum exhibit design tends to be articulated at a level of generality that makes it difficult to apply in practice. To address this issue, the present study used a design-based research approach to understand the educational potential of a biology exhibit. The exhibit was considered an educational environment which embodied a certain body of biological knowledge (Biological Organisation) in a certain exhibit type (Museographic Organisation) with the intention of creating certain learning outcomes among visitors. The notion of praxeology was used to model intended and observed visitor outcomes, and the pattern of relationship between the two praxeologies was examined to pinpoint where and how divergences emerged. The implications of these divergences are discussed at the three levels of exhibit enactment, design, and conjecture, and theoretically based suggestions for a design iteration are given. The potential of the designbased research approach for educational exhibit design is argued.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - museum

KW - udstillingsdesign

KW - læring

KW - naturvidenskab

U2 - 10.1080/09500691003754589

DO - 10.1080/09500691003754589

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0950-0693

VL - 33

SP - 517

EP - 545

JO - International Journal of Science Education

JF - International Journal of Science Education

IS - 4

ER -