scholarly journals Synchronization of iPS-derived cardiomyocytes to visitor heartbeat in an interactive museum exhibit

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan A Perez-Bermejo ◽  
Samuel J Reisman ◽  
Joyce Ma ◽  
Christian Cerrito ◽  
Bruce R Conklin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Informal Science Education ◽  
Heart Cells ◽  
Science Museums ◽  
Museum Exhibit ◽  
Museum Exhibits ◽  
Museum Visitors ◽  
The Public ◽  
Science Exhibit

Science museums play an important role in science education, both engaging the public with science concepts and building support for scientific research. Designing museum exhibits to meet increasing public interests in the life sciences is particularly important, yet remains challenging. In this report we describe Give Heart Cells a Beat, a permanent interactive science exhibit that allows museum visitors to synchronize the beating of live stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes to their own heart rate in real-time. Evaluation with museum visitors reveals that the exhibit engaged the public with the specimen and prompted curiosity in heart biology and, to a lesser degree, stem cells and electrophysiology. Give Heart Cells a Beat is the product of a close collaboration between a museum and a research laboratory, and, to our knowledge, the first example of the use of live human heart cells in an interactive exhibit. We hope this exhibit will serve as an example for the implementation of stem cell technology in the field of informal science education and encourage others to pursue close working relationships between academia and public science venues such as museums.

Everything you've always wanted to know about what your students think they know but were afraid to ask.

2000 ◽  
Vol 632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Werwa
Keyword(s):  
Materials Science ◽  
Science Museum ◽  
Science And Engineering ◽  
Museum Exhibit ◽  
Museum Visitors ◽  
The Public ◽  
Materials Science And Engineering ◽  
Properties Of Materials ◽  
Formal Science ◽  
Lay Public

ABSTRACTA review of the educational literature on naive concepts about principles of chemistry and physics and surveys of science museum visitors reveal that people of all ages have robust alternative notions about the nature of atoms, matter, and bonding that persist despite formal science education experiences. Some confusion arises from the profound differences in the way that scientists and the lay public use terms such as materials, metals, liquids, models, function, matter, and bonding. Many models that eloquently articulate arrangements of atoms and molecules to informed scientists are not widely understood by lay people and may promote naive notions among the public. Shifts from one type of atomic model to another and changes in size scales are particularly confusing to learners. People's abilities to describe and understand the properties of materials are largely based on tangible experiences, and much of what students learn in school does not help them interpret their encounters with materials and phenomena in everyday life. Identification of these challenges will help educators better convey the principles of materials science and engineering to students, and will be particularly beneficial in the design of the Materials MicroWorld traveling museum exhibit.

The Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network

2008 ◽  
Vol 1105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry Bell
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
National Science Foundation ◽  
Informal Science Education ◽  
Science Museum ◽  
Informal Science ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
The Public ◽  
National Science ◽  
Education Network ◽  
Nanoscale Science

AbstractThe Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network was formed by the Museum of Science in partnership with the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Exploratorium through a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation in the fall of 2005. Over the course of its first two years the NISE Net focused on developing prototype informal educational materials to engage the public in learning about nanoscale science and technology. Now the NISE Net if focusing on building the network and disseminating materials and knowledge broadly to facilitate capacity building, partnering, and getting nano education activities for the public to happen in over 100 sites nationwide. NanoDays in 2008 from March 29 through April 6 has been developed to focus these efforts.

scholarly journals Creation of Educational Resources: A Research Scientist's Role

2004 ◽  
Vol 213 ◽  
pp. 545-548
Author(s):  
Carol A. Christian
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Informal Science Education ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Science Museums ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
Product Creation ◽  
Understanding Of Science ◽  
Science Educators

Material and resources for use in science education must contain accurate, up-to-date data and research results. Clearly when curricula and other materials for use in informal science education and for public understanding of science are developed, the direct interaction and influence of research scientists is beneficial. What is the role of scientists in resource development? In colleges and universities, educational materials are scientist-centric since scientists are the principal science educators and therefore create the specific courseware they need. In a pre-college educational environment, and in science museums (for example), appropriate product creation is driven by experienced educators and other experts. The research scientist, drawn from a research environment, may not be the best instigator of those resources.

scholarly journals Comic Strips to Accompany Science Museum Exhibits

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beom Sun Chung ◽  
Eun-mi Park ◽  
Sang-Hee Kim ◽  
Sook-kyoung Cho ◽  
Min Suk Chung
Keyword(s):  
Science Museum ◽  
Science Museums ◽  
Comic Strips ◽  
Museum Exhibits ◽  
Museum Visitors ◽  
Science Exhibitions ◽  
The Individual

<p>Science museums make the effort to create exhibits with amusing explanations. However, existing explanation signs with lengthy text are not appealing, and as such, visitors do not pay attention to them. In contrast, conspicuous comic strips composed of simple drawings and humors can attract science museum visitors. This study attempted to reveal whether comic strips contribute to science exhibitions. More than 20 comic strips were chosen that were associated with exhibits in a science museum. The individual episodes were printed out and placed beside the corresponding exhibits. A questionnaire was administered to museum visitors to evaluate the effects of the comic strips. Most visitors responded that the comic strips were helpful in understanding the exhibits and in familiarizing themselves with the science. Participants also described the comic strips’ deficiencies which will be considered for future revisions. Comic strips are likely to enhance interest in and comprehension of science exhibitions. Furthermore, these strips are expected to enrich science museums in various ways such as establishing their uniqueness.</p>

scholarly journals VISITOR, PLEASE, COME… INITIAL REMARKS ON MUSEUM PUBLIC DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Muzealnictwo ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 62 ◽  
pp. 246-253
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Bąk ◽  
Rafał Wiśniewski
Keyword(s):  
Museum Exhibits ◽  
Museum Visitors ◽  
The Public ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact

The issue of the return of the public to museums after the experience connected with the COVID-19 pandemic is discussed. Furthermore, the results of research related to participation in culture and public’s motivations focused on museum visitors is analysed. The activities undertaken by the institutions desiring to maintain communication with the public and wishing to enable them contact with museum exhibits despite the sanitary restrictions are presented. The authors have initially diagnosed the impact of the pandemic on the institutions’ relations with their public, pointing to both negative impacts and benefits, e.g., speeding of the digitizing process and extension of educational functions.

Exploring Inner Space: Engaging the Public With Ocean Scientists

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 86-98
Author(s):  
Gail A. Scowcroft ◽  
Dwight F. Coleman ◽  
Jeff Hayward ◽  
Cia Romano
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
South Carolina ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Informal Science Education ◽  
Informal Science ◽  
The Public ◽  
Ocean Literacy ◽  
Ocean Science ◽  
Ocean Exploration

AbstractA prototype telepresence communications system was designed, piloted, and tested for use in informal science education institutions to provide public, student, and educator interactions with scientists aboard ships and in the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO) Inner Space Center (ISC). In addition to providing opportunities for the engagement of scientists with diverse audiences, a goal of this initiative was to promote an appreciation and understanding of the ocean, while exposing aquarium visitors to advanced telepresence communication technologies. The project partnership was comprised of a leading ocean science research and education institution (the GSO); two national ocean science education networks—the National Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence Network and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Exploration and Research Education Alliance; and two partner aquariums—Mystic Aquarium and South Carolina Aquarium. The main outcomes of the project were as follows: (1) a partnership of ocean science research and informal science education professionals that linked ocean scientists and informal science institution staff and visitors; (2) a state-of-the-art hardware and software system for partner aquariums capable of delivering live and prerecorded ocean exploration experiences to visitors; (3) professional development for informal science educators focused on educating the public and improving ocean literacy; (4) a useful and effective digital media interface and software for communicating and interacting with the ocean science content; and (5) an understanding of how live and prerecorded ocean exploration experiences affect aquarium visitor ocean literacy.

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