Survey of the Goals and Beliefs of Planetarium Professionals Regarding Program Design

Despite decades of research on the importance of engagement and interaction in learning experiences, programs produced for planetarium audiences are primarily passive in nature. Planetarium professionals were interviewed with regard to their goals and beliefs for planetarium experiences, specifically focusing on goals for children, and their interest with regard to a program format that integrates segments of live interaction with automated content (N=36). Planetarium professionals' goals most frequently reflect increasing content knowledge and motivating audiences to continue learning. To meet these goals, they often cite live interaction as a key strategy for elementary-aged audiences. Further, planetarium professionals often combine live interaction with prerendered automation. These results suggest that the planetarium community's goals and beliefs are at odds with the current model of passive planetarium production and that the frontline professionals would support opportunities that support their ability to actively engage their audiences.