ERC for Environmentally Benign Catalysis

Teaching Fellow Develops Interactive Science Museum Exhibits on Green Catalysis

Science and Technology Museums offer a rare opportunity for the public to experience science outside of a formal school setting. For many, this is the only chance they will have to go beyond reading about science and to actually become involved in the process of science in a meaningful way.

At the Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis (CEBC), Graduate Teaching Fellow April French is making a significant contribution to the effectiveness of this type of informal science experience by conducting research to investigate the impact of interactive exhibits on learning. Her work will help the staff at Science City, in Kansas City, Missouri, and similar institutions nation-wide better understand what makes an exhibit an effective learning experience.

French is performing a rigorous analysis of learning at three exhibits at Science City: the Astronaut Training Center, Crime Lab, and Nature Center. The lessons learned from her research will be used to improve current exhibits and to develop new exhibits related to the research focus of the CEBC—environmentally friendly engineering and chemistry. Knowing more about how learning takes place in informal settings is critical to developing exhibits and activities that are not only appealing and interesting, but that also result in long-term learning and retention. Armed with this knowledge, Science City Staff will be much better equipped to develop exemplary exhibits, including those that help the public understand the role of "green" engineering and science in making chemical processes environmentally friendly.

To learn more about this topic:
Visit the ERC for Environmentally Benign Catalysisl Outreach page at http://www.cebc.ku.edu/education/outreach.shtml

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A systematic study of how people learn from informal
science exhibits such as this Remotely Operated
Vehicle simulator at Kansas City's Science City is
providing insight into how to develop effective
exhibits for teaching the public about environmentally
friendly engineering.

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Last modified: March 3, 2005