Chapter 3 of Surrounded by Science highlights the benefit of interactive exhibits as a way to actively engage in scientific experiences. What many don’t appreciate is the amount of thought and planning that goes into creating interactive experiences that would be of benefit to the participants. It is an entire design process that tries to build on prior knowledge and spark questions. A major point that is emphasized is that these exhibits not only supplement the learner’s knowledge about the topic but also transform their understanding about it. They begin to truly understand the inner workings behind the facts they learned and continue to garner their interest in the topic. As part of the design process, it is also crucial to establish the optimal point of interactivity. Simply adding more hands-on features will not necessarily enhance the participant’s learning. What was surprising to me was that an extra amount of features proves detrimental to the learner’s understanding of the topic because it makes them feel overwhelmed. Locating this optimal degree of interactivity becomes a challenge to informal science programs but by using resources such as visitor feedback, the experts can design programs that are both fun and educational.
A very interesting exhibition they discuss is Cell Lab, which is an introductory experience where participants use the tools and practices of science. Many people are scared of laboratory equipment mostly because of their innate fear of the unknown. For example, when little children go to the dentist’s office they cringe at the sight of his tools even before knowing what each one does. The dentist I went to growing up explained each tool to me and even let me hold some of them in my hands. This is why I was never scared of going to the dentist’s office and am still interested in pursing a career in the medical field. Conducting these experiments not only allows these kids to learn about topics such as biology, but also makes them feel a part of the scientific community. Through these different projects and procedures, they interact with other students their age and collaboratively engage in lab experiences. Even the small things such as wearing lab coats, goggles, and gloves make these kids feel like scientists and therefore not feel excluded from the scientific culture.
As a pre-med student I can definitely agree that reading material from the textbook is effective but not necessarily the most engaging way to learn certain topics. As part of my Anatomy class in high school, my teacher encouraged us to play little games to help us memorize the bones of the body. Playing a simple game such as Simon Says made the memorization process much more interesting. Saying “Simon says touch your scapula” or things such as “touch your femur” encouraged us to really learn the skeletal system, be able to respond quickly, and still retain the information years later. Active participation and creativity is the key to truly be successful science learners.
