Science Centers

Out-of-school science education institutions, such as museums, science centres, zoos and aquaria, have strong potentials to promote sustainability, yet seem to lack an operational definition of sustainability that aligns with their specific characteristics and institutional remit. Here, we use the anthropological theory of didactics to systematically develop such an operational definition, designated as the reference model. We draw on literature from research and practice to account for the features of sustainability science and policy, as well as the different specific strengths of out-of-school science education institutions, to identify unique potentials for sustainability education. These potentials are synthesised and illustrated in a set of institutionally specific guidelines that optimise the organisation of sustainability for each kind of out-of-school science education institution. We conclude by considering the implications of our findings for sustainability education.

This study is about the effect of the Our World exhibit at a science center on student visitors. It elicits students’ views about the exhibits, zones, and activities, along with their level of interest and experiences. Data from students (n=346) through a survey, field notes, observations and interviews (n=18) were collected. The findings indicated that curiosity and interest were triggers for visiting the exhibits at the center. Visiting the exhibits helped students acquire science content knowledge. However, limited social interaction was observed among the student groups due to the control of tour guides within a limited period of time. It was concluded that time restriction and crowding played a crucial role in learning about science at the center. It was recommended to allocate more time for free visits, organize smaller group visits, and repair setups under maintenance in order to enhance the effect of the exhibits on students.

We present a science centre established in Genoa on an agreement between Municipality of Genoa and Department of Physics of University of Genoa. The aim is to offer children, young people and community an opportunity to approach science in a playful way. The centre staffs guide the visitors through the exhibits, attracting their interests towards the most amusing aspects of the phenomena. According to the principles of constructivism, kids and children are encouraged to handle objects, play with geometrical shapes, observe materials collected from natural and human environment and make “discoveries”, and students can take advantage of the visit and from the exhibits to study in depth a specific topic afterwards in their class, thus preventing the aridity of a purely formal presentation of the discipline, while a general public can realize how much science affects people’s lives, enjoy its fun aspects and meet scientists during special events.

In formal education, evaluation is often an intrinsic part of learning. However, in non-formal contexts, such as science centers and museums, evaluation methods are usually invasive and conflicting with visitors’ agendas. The I SEA project    -  a science communication project -  intends to develop an immersive virtual reality experience (VRE –  I SEA), combining science communication and its evaluation in the same experience, becomes a meaningful procedure for both visitors and institutions. The VRE –  I SEA will be hosted at two Portuguese science centers (Planetarium and Expolab). Fieldwork on these centers was developed with the following goals: characterizing each center (i.e., mission, public, models of science  communication),  perceiving  expectations  and  conditions  for  integrating  the  VRE –  I  SEA, acknowledging experience with virtual reality (VR), and learning their vision about communicating deep seas ecosystems contents. An interview script was developed to cover these themes. Two researchers visited  both  centers,  interviewing  a  total  of  10  intervenients  (5  percent),  among  stakeholders,  staff members, and visitors. Data were analyzed with NVivo and cross-compared to participant observation, field notes, and audiovisual records. Results point out different visions concerning the integration of the VRE –  I SEA. In the Planetarium, a science center focused on space -  astronomy contents, in Porto, most participants identified common characteristics in space and deep seas ecosystems explorationand between the immersiveness of the Planetarium’s sessions and the technology to be used in the VRE –  I SEA. In Expolab, an Azorean science and technology center, the location was one of the main themes referred by the interviewed when discussing deep-sea ecosystems. In addition, VR is familiar to this  center,  as  Expolab  provides  VR  applications  to  several  science  subjects.  As  for  science communication, the analysis of the interviews and the activities available at the time of the visits show a prevalence of a deficit and a contextual model. In fact, personnel from both centers highlight the public’s search for contact with the experts and the development of the public’s scientific literacy as key points in their mission. Inferring from the viewpoints of the interviewees, what distinguishes science centers  from  formal  education  is  exactly  the  absence  of  systematic  evaluation.  In  addition,  science evaluation  is  sometimes  confounded  as  feedback,  which  neither  of  the  centers  seems  to  have implemented in a systematic manner. However, there are several attempts for public dialogue (through interactions at the end of science sessions) and obtaining of informal feedback. In sum, the centers’ flexibility in integrating and justifying a new theme of deep-sea ecosystems is remarkable, however, considering  that  one  of  the  I  SEA  project’s  purpose  is  to  incorporate  a  method  for  science communication  evaluation  in  non-formal  contexts,  these  results  lead  us  to  challenge  the  current communication models in both centers. The I SEA project leads us to rethink the purpose of science communication evaluation, through the development of non-invasive methods, with benefits for both science centers and visitors. Also, the integration of science communication evaluation into the science communication  channels  may  present  an  essential  component  towards  a  more  dialogical communication model for science centers, replicable in other non-formal contexts such as museums.

This study aimed to investigate the role of science centers in advancing scientific knowledge. To do so, two heads of science centers were selected to perform interviews, one of whom had previously worked as a head of science center in Denmark and the other of whom had previously worked as a head of science center in Turkey. The study's approach was modified as qualitative method, and the study can be thought of as a case study in this context. As a data collection tool, a semi-structured interview form was used. It was used to find out what the participants thought about the role of science centers in advancing scientific knowledge. Participants emphasize the importance of science centers in achieving effective science communication. This research is expected to guide future studies on the advancement of the scientific knowledge.

Bu çalışmada doğa eğitim gezisi ve bilim merkezi gezisinde dördüncü sınıf öğrencilerinin fene yönelik tutumlarının incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmada, iç içe karma desen kullanılmıştır. Çalışma grubu 2017-2018 eğitim-öğretim yılı içerisinde Kocaeli ili Gölcük ilçesindeki bir ilkokulda öğrenim gören 17 dördüncü sınıf öğrencisinden oluşmaktadır. Araştırma kapsamında doğa eğitim gezisi ve Bilim Merkezine gezi yapılmıştır. “Fen ve Teknoloji Dersine Yönelik Tutum Ölçeği” ve “Açık Uçlu Soru Formu” veri toplama aracı olarak kullanılmıştır. Nicel veri analizi için parametrik olmayan testlerden; nitel verilerin çözümlenmesinde içerik analizinden faydalanılmıştır. Araştırmada, okul dışı öğrenme ortamlarının, öğrencilerin fene yönelik tutumları üzerinde etkili olduğu belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca okul dışı öğrenme ortamlarının öğrencilerin fen dersine çalışma ve konuşma konusunda zevk alma ve fen dersini öğrenmek için geçirilen zamanı ve kazandırdıklarını ifade eden çalışmayı devam ettirme düzeyleri üzerinde etkisi olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Geziler öncesinde ve sonrasında öğrencilerin çoğunluğu eğlenerek öğrenme, somutlaştırma, inceleme, fazla örnek sunma ve fen içeriğinde yer alan konulardan kaynaklı olarak fen derslerinin okul dışı öğrenme ortamlarında işlenmesi gerektiğini belirtmiştir.

In this study, it has been purposed to investigation of 4th grade students’ attitudes towards science in science center trip and nature education trip. In the research, embedded mixed design was used. The group of study consists of 17 fourth grade students joined the tour and receiving education in a primary school located in Kocaeli Province as 2017-2018 academic year. In context of research, two visits were organized to Nature Education Visit and Science Center in diffirent days. In the research, “Attitude towards Science and Technology Lesson Scale” and open-ended question form were used as data collection tool. The findings obtained that out-of-school learning environments using formal education activities helped students to develop their attitudes towards science. Most students are indicated that science should be teach in out-of-class/school learning because of entertaining learning, concretization, examination, over-sampling, and science’ subjects. It may be emphasised of science course which did in out-of-school learning environments are meet an expectation to students. The effect of out-of-school learning environments on students’ different abilities such critical thinking, entrepreneurship should be investigated by researchers.

The goal of this paper is to understand the way multimedia and virtual reality are being integrated into the  communication  practices  of  science  centers  and  represented  by  their  directors  or  responsible personnel, from the perspective of the social representations theory. Through a three-phase, mixed-methods approach, we focused on the 21 institutions of the Portuguese network of science centers (Rede de Centros Ciência Viva). Phase I consisted of a documentary analysis of the science centers websites and Facebook pages, in order to draw a preliminary map of the activities, scientific areas, multimedia  and  virtual  reality  devices  of  the  centers.  In  phase  II,  we  surveyed  16  directors  or responsible personnel of the science centers via an online questionnaire, to corroborate the results obtained in the documentary analysis and also to identify the role of multimedia in science centers and which of them had virtual reality activities. Phase III consisted of semi-structured interviews with six directors or responsible personnel of six science centers from North to South of Portugal to explore their social representations, as well as to obtain in-depth  information  about  the  role  of  multimedia, virtual reality and visitors in the science communication strategy of the centers. Data were analyzed with the support of Excel, SPSS, and NVivo. Results showed that exhibitions are the most common kind of activities, followed by laboratories and workshops. Physical-natural sciences were represented in more than 75% of the science centers; mathematics, robotics, and informatics were present in less than 50% of the centers; social sciences and arts were underrepresented. Whereas projection devices and computers were used in more than 80% of the centers, virtual reality devices, tablets, and touch screens were used in less than 15%. Results of phase II, besides corroborating data from phase I, showed that the integration of multimedia seems to be associated with different degrees of interactivity allowed  for  the  visitor.  Virtual  reality  devices  were  mainly  used  to  demonstrate  their  immersive capability  rather  than  to  explore  the  specificities  of  the  science  contents.  As  for  the  social representations, we found that multimedia was associated with the integration of image and sound and anchored to learning purposes and young audiences. Virtual reality was defined as “simulation” and “reality that does not exist”, therefore objectifying the concept of interactivity. It was perceived as a means to attract more audience. Though a central role was assigned to the visitor, contextualization seemed to be the more frequently adopted model of science communication. The findings suggest that, though multimedia plays a central role in the centers, it does not meet up the promise of allowing for higher levels of interactivity and public engagement and that virtual reality became the ultimate technology for making sense of interactivity and extension of reality. This study urges for a framework to promote a balanced integration of the multimedia with the activities of science centers to support the adoption of bidirectional models of science communication, in which evaluation is essential. This line of research is being explored in a science communication project (I SEA) by a multidisciplinary team.  Based  on  the  affordances  and  social  representations  of  virtual  reality,  the  main  goal  is  to develop a non-obtrusive method of evaluation of science communication in non-formal spaces.

Okul dışı öğrenme ortamları; öğrencilere gerçek nesnelerle etkileşime dayalı yaparak yaşayarak öğrenme fırsatı başta olmak üzere birçok imkân sunan zengin öğrenme ortamlarıdır. Bu bağlamda bu ortamlar, özellikle son yıllarda öğretim programlarının hedeflerinin gerçekleştirilmesinde formal eğitimin eksik kaldığı birçok noktayı tamamlayıcı ve destekleyici olarak eğitim-öğretim faaliyetleri içerisinde yaygın bir şekilde kullanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada okul dışı öğrenme ortamlarından bilim merkezine gezi yapan ilkokul öğrencilerinin mühendislere ve bilim insanlarına yönelik algılarının belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmada yakınsayan paralel desen kullanılmıştır. Çalışma grubunu 2017-2018 eğitim ve öğretim yılında Kocaeli ilinin Gölcük ilçesindeki bir ilkokulda öğrenim görmekte olan ve geziye katılan 27 dördüncü sınıf öğrencisi oluşturmaktadır. Veri toplama aracı olarak Kocaeli Bilim Merkezine yapılan gezi sonrasında "Mühendislere ve Bilim İnsanlarına Yönelik Algı Ölçeği" uygulanmış ve Cronbach Alpha güvenirlik katsayısı 0.89 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde Mann-Whitney U Testinden yararlanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda öğrencilerin bilim insanlarına ve mühendislere yönelik algıları ile cinsiyetleri arasında anlamlı fark olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Erkek öğrencilerin kız öğrencilere göre hem bilim insanına hem de mühendislere yönelik daha fazla olumlu algıya sahip olduğu belirlenmiştir. Veri toplama aracında yer alan seçenekli beş sorunun analizinde ise betimsel ve içerik analizinden yararlanılmıştır. Öğrencilerin çoğunluğu; mühendis ve bilim insanı olmak istediğini ve feni sevdiğini belirtmiştir. Sonuç olarak erkek öğrencilerin kız öğrencilerine göre daha olumlu mühendis ve bilim insanı algısına sahip oldukları belirlenmiştir. Bilim merkezlerinin öğrencilerin mühendis ve bilim insanı algılarında etkili olduğu düşünülmektedir. Bu çalışmaya ek olarak farklı okul dışı öğrenme ortamlarında da karma yöntem araştırmaları ile deneysel çalışmaların yapılabileceği önerilmektedir. Erkek öğrencilere göre daha düşük mühendis ve bilim insanı algısına sahip olan kız öğrencilerde daha olumlu algılar oluşturmaya yönelik çalışmalar yapılması önerilmektedir.

Firstly providing learning experiences by interacting with real-life objects, out-of-school learning environments are rich environments, which provide a lot of opportunities. In this context, these environments are used extensively in education-training activities, especially, as subsidiary and supportive to many points, which formal education lacks, in development of curriculum' goals in recent years. This study aims to determine the perceptions of primary school students towards engineers and scientists after a student visit organized to Science Center which is one of the out-of-school learning environments. Convergent parallel design was used as the research method. The study group consists of 27 fourth grade students receiving education in a primary school located in Gölcük district of Kocaeli Province as of 2017-2018 academic year. The "Questionnaire on Attitude towards Engineers and Scientists" was used as the data collection tool, and Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficient was calculated as 0.89. Mann-Whitney U test was used for data analysis. As a result of the research, a statistically significant difference was detected between the engineer and scientist perception of students and their genders. As compared to female students, male students were found to have more favorable perceptions towards both engineers and scientists. Descriptive and content analyses were used during the analysis of five multiple-choice questions that were included in the data collection tool. The majority of students stated that they wanted to be engineer and scientist and that they enjoy science. As a result male students were determined to be higher perception towards engineers and scientists compared to female students. Science centers are considered to be effective in engineer and scientist perception of students. In addition to this research, the use of experimental methods with mixed methods research design in out-of-school environments is recommended. Further studies on improvement of female student perceptions towards engineers and scientists are also recommended.

Interactive science centers are unique players in the science education community, but their positioning as both authorities on science and providers of “free choice” learning presents learning researchers with a problematic contradiction rooted in the complexities of trying to be both ‘scientific’ and ‘education’ organizations. Using insight from cultural historical activity and new institutionalism of organizations theories this study found that the activity of Exploratorium visitors recreated much of this “core” contradiction. Thirty-five families visiting the Exploratorium were invited to “draw the Exploratorium” and to explain their drawings. Analyses of these drawings and video of the families’ discussions revealed that families responded to the activity by drawing and talking about the Exploratorium in very similar ways. Their ideas about the Exploratorium show that the contradictory position of the organization shapes the context for learning through its purposeful lack of regulative structure, and consequential reliance on cultural-cognitive and normative systems as resources for information about how to conduct activity in the museum. The result is learning activity that depends on both a complex relationship between visitor and material, and on the visitor’s self-regulation through school-like definitions of science learning. This necessarily reframes the contradiction embodied by interactive science centers and suggests that interactive science centers need to proceed carefully as they move forward as organizations for learning. In addition, the study extends work on interactive exhibits showing that families value physical interaction as a source of knowledge generation. This finding directly conflicts with critiques of interactive science centers as providers of “gratuitous interactivity.”