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Summative

Visitor Behavior at a Constructivist Exhibition: Evaluating Investigate!! at Boston's Museum of Science

January 1, 1997 | Exhibitions
Constructivist education theory postulates (Fosnot, 1996; Hein, 1998) that visitors learn actively and create their own meanings as they interact with the world. This raises challenges for visitor studies, since it may be difficult to plan a reasonable evaluation strategy for exhibitions if visitors’ actions and outcomes cannot be determined in advance. Constructivist theory also requires an appropriate evaluation approach (Hein, 1997). This paper illustrates the use of a combination of methodologies that allow visitors’ meanings and activities to emerge as they visit an interactive, non-linear exhibition. The Museum’s description of Investigate! illustrates the constructivist nature of the exhibition.

TEAM MEMBERS

  • REVISE logo
    Evaluator
  • Kerry Bronnenkant
    Evaluator
  • Judith Kelley
    Evaluator
  • 2013 06 28 Hein IMG 5688A
    Evaluator
  • Museum of Science, Boston
    Evaluator
  • Citation

    Funders

    NSF
    Funding Program: ISE
    Award Number: 9050232
    Resource Type: Reference Materials | Conference Proceedings | Evaluation Reports
    Discipline: Education and learning science | Nature of science
    Audience: General Public | Museum/ISE Professionals | Evaluators
    Environment Type: Exhibitions | Museum and Science Center Exhibits

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