Interactions

1
Interactions Reflections

• Mediating Conversations Around Science
• Kirsten Ellenbogen, Kings College London
• kirsten.ellenbogen_at_kcl.ac.uk
• AERA 2002
• Panel Learning conversations for all
  Explanation, reflective reasoning, thematic
  content and significant events
• Now at Institute for Learning Innovation,
  ellenbogen_at_ilinet.org

2
Overview

• Families Science Museums - Problems
• Reflective Video
• Jackson Family
• Video
• Conclusions

3
Families Science Museums

• WE KNOW
• Largest segment of museum audience
• Shared social network

• PROBLEMS
• Management talk limited science talk
• Coded talk

• NEW STUDY
• Longitudinal study of families who go to museums
  frequently
• Still problemsmostly descriptive talk

4
Reflective Video

• Begins with learners experience
• Allows detailed examination
• Helps learner construct new understandings
• Results in deeper understandings for learner
  researcher
• See Stevens, R. Hall, R. (1997). Seeing
  Tornado How VideoTraces Mediate Visitor
  Understandings of (Natural?) Phenomena in a
  Science Museum. Science Education 81 (6), 735-48.

5
Jackson Family (Pseudonym)

• No science background
• Goes to museums about 10 times per year
• Tends to go to museum for 3-4 hours per visit
• Mother 3 children at Natural History Museum
• Have visited this museum before
• Came to see new dinosaur exhibition

6
Video

• Judith (age 9)
• 2 interviews
• 1) Reflection on museum visit
• 2) Video mediated reflection
• Focus on Environment exhibition

7
Conclusions

• Two types of potential learning moments
• Unspoken events that occurred at museum
• Potential events realised only upon reflection
• Two types of reflective talk
• Descriptive (interview)
• Explanatory, Connected (reflective video)
• Potential links to school lifelong learning