Using the floor-specific data you looked at in class, how would you apply some of this information to design an evaluation? What types of questions would you ask and why? Are there specific exhibits you might look at?
The data on the second floor revealed that BiTiRi was, from the staff’s opinion, the most popular exhibit on the second floor and yielded the longest stay time (>15 minutes). Given this, I would develop an evaluation around this exhibit. Some questions I would ask about BiTiRi: My favorite thing about this exhibit is…, the most interesting or surprising thing I learned about this exhibit was…
I would also provide a space on the evaluation for guests to list some things they had learned throughout their whole time at MOXI, write about the most exciting thing they learned, write about things they’d like to know more about, note something that they had trouble understanding and note ways in which they could help understand that concept better.
More questions I would ask: does this exhibit relate to an experience you’ve had outside the museum? Did you work collaboratively with another guest while using this exhibit?
Stay time?
Side note: Starting off at a given floor (field trips) may hinder the experience, given that the roof has virtually no signage, the kids could learn that there are no signs to read, and then once they go to the second floor they have missed an opportunity to read the important signs (BiTiRi, Mindball, Roll-it)
Evaluation:
- Provide information about MOXI just prior to a visit (via worksheet) this reduces novelty and may enhance learning (Falk & Dierking, 1992)
- Pre-test questionnaire with fixed-choice survey questions and open-ended response section (this section would allow for guests to write their goals)
o Ask to indicate which tracks of the museum they would like to see, which ones they are not interested in seeing, and one track/ exhibit that they would like to spend the most time in àwatch floor cameras to see groups’ stay time in each track/exhibit and see if this is in line with their pre-expectations
- Post-test questionnaire with fixed-choice survey questions and open-ended response section (this section would allow for guests to reflect on whether their goals/expectations were met at MOXI)
What are some of the challenges of measuring learning in MOXI?
Learning in an informal science environment is the product of a complex interaction of external and internal variables. Given this, it would require multiple research methods and collecting multiple sources of data to investigate the nature and depth of learning that occurs at MOXI. Adopting a mixed-methods approach would be most beneficial to produce sound evaluation data.
What kinds of evaluations do you think would be the most helpful in assessing learning in this space and why?
Surveys and focus group interviews with both fixed-choice and open-ended response items. This would provide guests’ perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and knowledge about exhibits at MOXI.
Observations and videos would be beneficial in assessing both individual and group behavior on the floor.
I like your idea about surveys and focus group interviews, I wonder if we provided a way for people to do that anonymously, would we get more honest feedback?
ReplyDeleteI like the mixed-methods approach for MOXI. I think it's a good idea to set up an area for evaluation (like you mention at biTiRi). Maybe we could make it seem like a fun extension of the exhibit - so it's not just a boring eval, but something fun to engage with. Video?
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