The Amazing Nano Brothers Juggling Show

In late spring 2010, Goodman Research Group, Inc. (GRG) was contracted by the Museum of Science, Boston, to conduct an outcomes evaluation of their educational live performance, The Amazing Nano Brothers Juggling Show (ANB). The show presents scientific concepts about atoms and nano science in a highly entertaining and engaging performance. The evaluation focused on the learning outcomes of children, adults, and middle school students. The goal of this evaluation was to examine the effectiveness of the show in increasing audiences' knowledge of and interest in nano science and nanotechnology. Prior to the onset of GRG's evaluation, museum comment cards provided evidence that audiences enjoyed the performance. Therefore, this evaluation sought to uncover the educational content that audiences have learned from the show. In addition, the evaluation addressed outcomes of audience engagement. KEY FINDINGS Despite all of the virtual and digital learning media available - or maybe because of it - the drama of live performance is captivating for audiences of all ages. By watching the show, both children and adults learned new information about nano science and technology. The show was also rated as highly educational by the adult audience members. Teachers found the show to correlate well with science standards and reinforce lessons from the classroom. Sections of the show involved a combination of theatrical techniques that engrossed the audience and heightened their learning potential. The medium of juggling as used in this context is highly successful for teaching children, teens, and adults about nano science - particularly about the structure, movement and manipulation of atoms. For teens and adults already familiar with these scientific concepts, the visualizations from the performance provided excellent reinforcement and clarity for deeper understanding of these concepts. The appendix of this report includes surveys and an interview protocol used in the study.