Creating a Learning Environment that Fosters Parent-Child Interactions: A Case Study from the Animal Secrets Exhibition Project

April 13th, 2009 | RESEARCH

In the recent exhibition project Animal Secrets, we looked at the impact of three strategies for fostering parent-child interactions in an exhibition for young children: environmental design, types of activities, and labels. Results from our study indicate that all three strategies can support parent-child interactions, but environmental design and activity type were more effective than labels overall in promoting parent-child collaboration. Mixed results for exhibit labels suggest the need for further research into how best to communicate with parents of young children in an exhibition.

Document

VSA_Article_Bertschi.pdf

Team Members

Karyn Bertschi, Author, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
Marcie Benne, Author, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
Ann Elkins, Author, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)

Citation

Publication: Visitor Studies Association

Related URLs

Informal Science Education Resource Center (ISERC)

Tags

Audience: Educators | Teachers | Elementary School Children (6-10) | Families | Parents | Caregivers | Pre-K Children (0-5)
Discipline: Education and learning science | Life science
Resource Type: Mass Media Article | Reference Materials
Environment Type: Exhibitions | Museum and Science Center Exhibits