The Effect of Live Interpretation with Theater on Attitudes and Learning of Children in the Mythbusters Exhibit

Date: 
Friday, June 26, 2015
Resource Type:
Peer-reviewed article | Research Products
Environment Type: 
Public Programs, Museum and Science Center Programs, Theater Programs, Exhibitions, Museum and Science Center Exhibits
Audience: 
Elementary School Children (6-10) | Middle School Children (11-13) | Families | Museum/ISE Professionals | Evaluators
Discipline: 
Art, music, and theater | Education and learning science
Organization:
Museum of Science and Industry
Description: 

Mythbusters: The Explosive Exhibition is a traveling exhibit based on the popular television show. When housed at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, it included a traditional, interactive free flow exhibition space followed by a live facilitated show. This paper describes results from an experimental study about the effects of the Live Show on the learning of and attitudes towards science. A pre-test was given to 333 children entering the exhibit. A post-test was given to 80 children after they walked through the free-flow portion of the exhibit and to 191 children after they watched the Live Show. Thirty-two children were interviewed in lieu of taking the post-test. Findings show additional knowledge and attitude gains by the children who watched the Live Show. However, no gains in either group were found on items related to recognizing terminology related to the scientific process.

Citation
DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/1059865015Z.00000000095
Publication Name: 
Journal of Museum Education
Volume: 
40
Page Number: 
195
Document:
Full Text

Team Members

Aaron PriceAuthor

Request to Edit a Resource

If you would like to edit a resource, please use this form to submit your request.