Childrens Learning at an Interactive Road Safety Exhibition

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• Childrens Learning at an Interactive Road Safety
  Exhibition
• Dr. Stephen Gray (Ed.D)

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Background

• NRMA RoadZone designed and built by Questacon in
  1998
• Began touring in mid 1999 likely to finish this
  year
• Aims to promote learning of road safety in an
  interactive environment
• A 2.5 million dollar investment by NRMA over 5
  years

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What is RoadZone?

• 20 interactive exhibits covering key concepts
  related to driver, passenger, cyclist and
  pedestrian safety
• Designed for 9-14 year olds
• Travels to 4 venues per year - metropolitan and
  regional NSW and ACT
• School group bookings - 90 minute sessions - max.
  60 students per session
• Computerised exhibits - touch screen and
  electro-mechanical

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Research Questions

• Are children learning, and if so, what are they
  learning about road safety from a visit to
  RoadZone?
• What role does the interactive nature of RoadZone
  play in facilitating learning?
• What effect, if any, does the interaction between
  children themselves at RoadZone have on their
  learning?

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Methodology

• Based on constructivist approach to learning
• Grounded Theory approach to data collection and
  analysis (Glaser Strauss Strauss Corbin)
• Data collection methods
• Concept maps pre-visit
• Video recording of visit to exhibition
• Concept maps added to post-visit

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Methodology

• Data collected
• 229 student concept maps (ranged from Year 3 to
  Year 8)
• 80 of students were able to add new learning
  post visit
• 48 episodes of video data total of 136 minutes
• 6 students identified for data studies
• Data analysis
• Pre and post visit concept maps
• Emerging themes from video episodes
• Indicators of engagement in learning
• Data studies of individual students

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Outcomes - Constructivism
Knowledge is constructed from within in
interrelation with the world The data contained
many examples of students constructing new
knowledge on their concept maps after interacting
with exhibits and with each other. This study
also extends this principle by demonstrating that
the world the learner interacts with can be a
virtual world this does not prevent new
learning from being constructed.
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Outcomes Constructivism
Knowledge is constructed through perception and
action Active learning was demonstrated over and
over in the video data generated for this study.
Given that all learners in this study appeared to
be actively engaged at the exhibition and 80 of
them were able to describe new learning on their
concept maps, this principle was strongly
confirmed.
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Outcomes Constructivism
Construction of knowledge requires energy
and time This study contained many examples of
students applying mental and physical energy in
their interactions within the exhibition. High
levels of concentration and application
demonstrated mental energy being used, and
constant movement, discussion, gesticulation and
demonstration were signs of physical energy being
used. This study also extends this principle by
demonstrating that while time is needed for
construction of new knowledge, this time may be
shorter than previously thought. Students in
this study consistently demonstrated construction
of new knowledge after just 90 minutes of
interaction at the exhibition.
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Outcomes Student learning

• Students can learn in a one-off visit to an
  interactive exhibition. This learning can be
  about broad themes or issues as well as the
  specific information or facts related to these
  issues.
•  
• Learning in interactive settings can be
  identified and articulated by the learners and
  can produce higher order learning outcomes.
• Choice, decision making and the ability for
  learners to see the outcomes of their actions are
  key characteristics that enhance learning in
  interactive settings.
•   
• Student learning in interactive settings can be
  informal. It does not have to be sequenced,
  although some general structure may enhance the
  learning.

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Outcomes Interaction with others

•  
• Learning in interactive exhibitions is active
  learners initiate their own learning, engage with
  exhibits and engage with each other.
• The interaction between students in an informal,
  interactive setting can enhance learning and
  should be promoted.
•  
• Students in an interactive setting will most
  often choose to work in small, friendship-based
  groups which are characterised by almost constant
  dialogue and physical closeness. The group can
  also influence movement between exhibits.
•  

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Outcomes Interaction with others

• Dialogue between students should be supported as
  it allows students to verbalise ideas and develop
  theories, and then test and revise what they have
  discussed.
• Role taking within the groups is often intuitive,
  with little overt or apparent discussion of which
  group member should act, what they should do, or
  when. This led to students taking on roles as
  explainers and demonstrators, and swapping
  leadership of the group regularly.
•  

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Outcomes Interaction with exhibits

• Interactive activities held students attention
  for long periods of time, even up to 10 minutes.
  The average holding time for exhibits featured in
  the data was almost 3 minutes.
•  
• Students will persevere with activities in order
  to finish them and/or improve their score, and
  when activities have several levels or phases,
  students will often work through each one.
• Experimentation is common and students will find
  ways to complete activities that are outside
  their design parameters. This experimentation is
  also characterised by students deliberately
  making wrong choices in activities to fully
  explore possible outcomes.
•  
•  

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Outcomes Interaction with exhibits

• Students generally do not read instructions on
  activities before attempting them they will
  tend to explore first and read instructions
  later, if at all.
•  
• Students often learn what to do in an exhibit by
  watching someone else, or seeking out someone who
  has previously done the activity to help them.
•  
• Students will often move from being a novice to
  an expert after a short interaction with an
  activity. It is likely that being able to
  explain an activity to others is seen as a sign
  of mastery.
•  
•  

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Outcomes Principles for enhancing and
supporting learning in interactive settings

• Require active engagement by learners
• Allow learners to move around at their own pace
  and discretion
• Provide the learner with choices, demonstrate the
  consequences of those choices and provide
  feedback
• Be flexible enough to be used by an individual or
  a small group
• Promote dialogue between learners
• Simulate real life situations, or be as close to
  real life as possible
• Personalise the message of the activity to
  increase the learners attempts to internalise
  the message
• Allow for experimental use and intentional
  mis-use (within safety limits)
• Reinforce related concepts in different ways on
  different activities
•  

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What does this mean for.

• Teachers
• The findings of this study support teachers use
  of interactive activities and exhibitions to
  enhance classroom learning. Students do learn and
  can identify and articulate that learning
• Exhibition Designers
• The results support the use of interactive
  exhibitions as effective learning environments
  and therefore inherently support these
  institutions in their role as centres of
  learning.
• Museum and Science Centre Educators
• The methodology used in this study, concept maps
  and video recording, has proven to be an
  effective method of capturing data about
  interaction between people and exhibits, and of
  identifying new learning which may be constructed
  from that interaction.

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Finally
Thanks to NRMA Motoring and Services for putting
their exhibition up for scrutiny Thanks to
Questacon for their on-going support of this
study For more information please contact me
on Grayfamilyg_at_optusnet.com.au PO Box 410
Beecroft NSW 2119