Summative Evaluation of “Dolphins”

A quasi-experimental separate-sample pretest/posttest study was implemented in Boston with adult viewers of the IMAX film "Dolphins." A majority of adults rated the film as 'very interesting,' reporting that they liked the film's cinematography, educational value and experiential quality. Viewing the film significantly increased adult viewers' knowledge about topics associated with dolphins. A second study focused on seventh grade students who viewed only the film or viewed the film and subsequently completed film-related activities in their school classroom setting. A quasi-experimental pretest/posttest nonequivalent comparison group design was implemented. A majority of student viewers rated the film as either 'very interesting' or 'moderately interesting.' Students like the photography and experiential quality. Students from both viewing groups increased significantly in their science knowledge, but those who had extra activities learned significantly more about dolphins.