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In 2010, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) an Environmental Literacy Grant for Science Education. Over the course of four years, SMM’s Planet Earth Decision Theater project developed new Science on a Sphere (SOS) programming, films and other scientific visualizations all intended to increase public understanding of the major role that humanity now...

Over the last decade, hundreds of planetariums worldwide have adopted digital “fulldome” projection as their primary projection and presentation medium. This trend has far-reaching potential for science centers. Digital planetarium capabilities extend educational and cultural programming far beyond night-sky astronomy. These “digital domes” are, in essence, immersive visualization environments capable of supporting art and live performances and reproducing archeological sites,...

Technology has dramatically changed learning opportunities in planetaria. In this paper, Plummer and Small examine planetarium professionals’ goals for their audiences and their pedagogical choices. The findings indicate that planetarium professionals place a high value on teaching interactively to achieve their primary goal of increased science interest and learning....

The participation in a single planetarium program that incorporated kinesthetic learning techniques improved students’ understanding of celestial motion. Even though this study is focused on astronomy and planetariums, it is of relevance to educators who interface with learners at single events or are working with schools to integrate or complement their informal education offerings with the formal curriculum....

This Knowledge Base article was written collaboratively with contributions from Jennifer Borland and Lily Racine-Bouchard. This article was migrated from a previous version of the Knowledge Base. The date stamp does not reflect the original publication date. Overview  Planetaria offer opportunities for a variety of immersive learning experiences in the fields of Astronomy and Astrophysics. They typically ... Read more

This planning grant seeks funding for demonstrating proof of concept for the proposed traveling exhibition "Inside Phoebe's Field." It is an outgrowth of the prior NSF project (9979287) that resulted in an interactive book for middle-school age girls. This project extends the book through exploring the feasibility of using mixed reality in an exhibit format as well as virtual environments...

Young people's participation in informal STEM learning activities can contribute to their academic and career achievements, but these connections are infrequently explicitly recognized or cultivated. More systemic approaches to STEM education could allow for students' experiences of formal and informal STEM learning to be aligned, coordinated, and supported across learning contexts. This Science Learning+ planning project brings together stakeholders in...

Washington State University, the University of Puget Sound, the University of Washington, a consortium of three museums, and a state-wide charter school system that assists home-school teachers in the Northwest are collaborating to develop new strategies to educate and inform the public about evolution through interactive museum exhibits. Background information and baseline knowledge will be garnered through focus group discussions...

The University of California, Davis will use this planning grant "Planning an Informal Science Education Program at the University of California, Davis" to redefine its relationship with and responsibilities toward the public. Outreach for them is being viewed as a interaction between public needs and interests and the university. Leadership will be provided by a committee of university faculty and...

Planning for the reinterpretation of the museum’s Egyptian collection that would explore the intersection of human and natural histories in ancient Egypt. Building on Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s (CMNH) current NEH Digital Projects for the Public Discovery Grant, this exhibition grant will allow CMNH to begin planning for its multi-phase exhibition, Egypt on the Nile. As part of the project, CMNH...

After-school programs are a source of powerful, positive experiences for an estimated eight to ten million youth, especially those in low-income, under-represented populations (the majority of youth in these programs). Through this conference grant, TERC, along with the Exploratorium and the Lawrence Hall of Science, proposes to launch a national initiative to create, support and sustain engaging, research-based science and...

Professional development is vital to the success of afterschool programs. Effective professional development enhances afterschool program quality by facilitating staff performance and knowledge; in addition, professional development is vital for improving student learning outcomes (Bouffard & Little, 2004; Hall & Surr, 2005; Joyce & Showers, 2002). Well-planned professional development also contributes to increased staff satisfaction and retention (Huang & Cho,...

Young adolescents who expected to have a career in science were more likely to graduate from college with a science degree, emphasizing the importance of early encouragement....

In this paper, Lois H. Silverman of Indiana University examines visitor studies teaching and training needs. Silverman summarizes discussions and recommendations formed during a forum on this topic at a recent VSA conference....

This article summarizes methods and key findings of a study conducted as part of the planning for a proposed museum on The Southeastern Native Americans. Researchers assessed visitor interest in Native American exhibitions, the general public's knowledge, interests, and misconceptions about Native Americans, and potential audiences for the museum....

Introduction Terms and Access Accessibility in Practice Planning for Accessibility During the Visit Continuing to Innovate Before visitors arrive, museums and science centers proactively plan to increase accessibility. The staff we talked with described tapping into expertise in the community, hiring consultants and learning from other professionals. Requesting Services through Museum Websites Museums routinely offer ... Read more

The CAISE ISE Media Convening, held on July 12-13, 2011, produced three primary action steps, the first of which is to “Build a field/practice of science media professionals.” There was unanimous consensus among the attendees at this convening that the community of STEM media professionals would benefit greatly from the development of a cohesive professional ... Read more

This is a two-year planning project that will support planning activities to provide a basis for further STEM education reform in the Greater Mohawk Valley of New York. These include different workshops for school administrators and teachers preparing them to support student research and venues for students to present the results of their research. Perhaps even more importantly it will...

The Southern Environmental Center (SEC) at Birmingham-Southern College will develop a business plan for expansion and improvement of its current programs. The Business Plan will help guide management of the SEC and support financial strategies to continue future development and create financial strategies to create financial sustainability. In order to complete this project SEC will convene a working group of...

This 12-month planning phase will prepare the Exploratorium to develop a major collection of exhibits and activities on human thought and behavior. Because of the abundance of dramatic, new scientific research in human cognition and how this topic can be explored in an informal setting by the public, the institution will perform a one-year research and planning project. The team...

The Arizona Mineral Museum and the Flandrau Science Center at the University of Arizona will use this planning grant to develop a new interpretive exhibit "Minerals, Mining, and Mexico: A Cultural Bridge to Science." The University of Arizona Mineral Museum is about to receive the Miguel Romero mineral collection which is one of the most complete collections of Mexican minerals...

Chabot Space and Science Center seeks support to engage in a six-month planning process for "Imagine That!," a multi-faceted science and technology career exploration program. In partnership with the Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science & Technology (CREHST) and the American Museum of Science & Energy (AMSE), Chabot proposes to fill the gap between well-intentioned and designed programs and the...

This is planning grant that will enable the AAAS to bring together a group of scientists, science educators, and television writers/producers to develop the concept and initial scripts for a television series about science that would be broadcast in prime time by one of the major networks. Tentatively entitled "The Dean," the series would be the story of a Dean...

The Reuben H. Fleet Space Center is developing "The Search for Infinity," a large-format film on mathematics and nature. The current concept, based on a film idea developed in collaboration with Sir Arthur C. Clarke, is to center the film on an intelligent computer running an unmanned space probe. By following the actions of the computer, audiences will learn about...

The New York Hall of Science and Community School District #24 request $46,744 for a planning grant whose goal is to empower parents by bringing informal science and math education experiences to create a working team of parents, teachers, and museum staff to underserved, ethnically diverse students in their formative years, and their families. A major objective is to develop...