One thing Chapter 4 makes very evident is how important human interaction is in learning. It made me think of Vygotsky’s theories on childhood development. He believed that children developed through social interactions and cultural influence, as opposed to his peer Piaget who believed that children were solitary learners who had preset stages of learning and development they were supposed to progress through. Vygotsky asserted: “learning is a necessary and universal aspect of the process of developing culturally organized, specifically human psychological function.”[1]

Our science textbook seems to subscribe to a very Vygotskian point of view on childhood development, learning, and understanding. In chapter 4, it constantly repeats how necessary social interaction is to aid in childhood learning. Children are portrayed as apprentices (to borrow a theory from Vygotsky) who learn from older guides who have more knowledge. This relationship fosters a strong learning community in which a child can “engage with others in questioning, explaining, making predictions, and evaluating evidence.” (SBS, 64).

Another interesting part of the textbook was the discussion of the frog exhibit and the staff reflection on their experience. When Allen discussed visitor reactions and pointed out that visitors choose which exhibits are most interesting to them, it was a reminder that informal science learning can’t force people to learn what they don’t want to learn. When people choose to go to museums, they naturally pay attention to what attracts them the most. Although museum designers and curators can try their best to create educational exhibits, humans will do as they please and pay attention to what they want to. I believe that people learning anything, no matter how big or small, is what’s important. I guess it can be said that museums play the role of facilitators to inspire people to take charge of their own interests.