Skip to main content

Currently Skimming:

8 Media
Pages 248-288

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 248...
... It is unlikely that a family would be able to find this many opportunities to learn about aquatic life on a single day, but that should not downplay the fact that science learning in informal environments is often connected with various forms of media. Television documentaries, entertaining portrayals of science and nature in film, Internet websites, printed news stories, and online communities provide opportunities to communicate science content to individuals.
From page 249...
... In this chapter, we begin with summaries based on the traditional categorization of mass media. We then move on to suggest ways in which newer modes of analysis might shed light on learning science in informal environments.
From page 250...
... , the evidence is not yet sufficiently strong to draw conclusions about the ef fect of particular print media on either broad public opinion or individuals' particular knowledge (Strand 2) and attitudes (Strand 6)
From page 251...
... Contemporary radio plays an important role in disseminating science news, addressing health policy objectives (e.g., family planning, disease prevention) , and, to a limited extent, conveying science through more purely entertainment-oriented programming.
From page 252...
... Unlike children's programming, which typically establishes a conceptual or topical theme across multiple episodes (e.g., problem-solving strategies, the principle of mechanical advantage) , adult science education programming generally presents single topics in a given episode of television or radio that are not referenced in subsequent episodes.
From page 253...
... Evaluations of Bill Nye the Science Guy and Square One TV have looked at how viewers themselves use science and mathematical processes. A quasi-experimental study of the impact of Bill Nye the Science Guy found that viewers made more observations and more sophisticated classifications than nonviewers (Rockman Et Al, 1996)
From page 254...
... observed that studies of science television's influence on children's interest in science indicate a moderate-sized effect and the Rockman Et Al (1996) study of Bill Nye the Science Guy corroborates this finding.
From page 255...
... . Another pocket of research attends to the effects of coparticipation in broadcast media (e.g., watching or listening to programming with others)
From page 256...
... In summary, the literature on science learning from broadcast media is limited but converges on several important insights. First, when children watch science-themed educational television programs regularly, they can make important gains in conceptual understanding (Strand 2)
From page 257...
... Additional analysis of the watching and listening practices of groups and social networks may offer useful insights into programming features. POPULAR FILM AND TELEVISION Most of the broadcast media discussed thus far are deliberately designed for science education.
From page 258...
... have received recent attention due to their influence on public perceptions of science. In fact, the term "CSI effect" has been used to describe two different phenomena that result from viewing popular science programming.
From page 259...
... GIANT SCREEN FILM AND OTHER IMMERSIVE MEDIA One particular type of film has been studied for its contributions to learning science in informal environments: giant screen theaters (primarily IMAX®, but other vendors as well)
From page 260...
... It hosts a range of sci ence-specific learning resources, including science outreach pages describing current research; instructional resources for children, educators, and parents; "serious games," and simulations of scientific phenomena. Other relevant digital technologies that harness scientific knowledge and interface with the web to support science learning include cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs)
From page 261...
... As an expansive network of users and resources, individuals can leverage resources to communicate with huge numbers of people. Furthermore, these characteristics of the web -- dialogic structure, user direction and organization, expansive networking of people and resources, and increasingly user created media -- resonate with learning science and informal environments.
From page 262...
... Even early video games -- which did not offer the rich social potential and startling graphics of today's virtual worlds -- were notably compelling to users, who were intrinsically motivated to pursue rewards embedded in the play experience (Bowman, 1982)
From page 263...
... . Nonetheless, virtual worlds and gaming environments may be uniquely rich settings for identity development (Strand 6)
From page 264...
... The promise of digital media for enhancing learning -- linking learners to experts and knowledgeable peers, building communities around common interests, and even building new knowledge bases -- is real and exciting. On the other hand, there are con siderable concerns about the quality and reliability of media-based accounts of science.
From page 265...
... " can sometimes bring up as the very first item "Some real scientists reject evolution." The reality of the vast and expanding world of digital media, which expands authorship dramatically, makes it even more important for individuals to develop the critical capacity to evaluate claims. One crude measure of change in people's relation to information -- if not science -- is clear: More people are using computers and digital technologies to communicate, conduct research, and solve practical problems (Fox, 2006; Horrigan, 2006; Madden and Fox, 2006)
From page 266...
... For example, in an exploratory, noncomparative analysis of 22 middle school science students' searching behavior using the Yahooligans! search engine, she observed that the students were more mo tivated and more likely to complete web searches when they determined the topics than when topics were assigned (Bilal, 2002b)
From page 267...
... . Research on their impact, like other areas of technology in informal environments, is dominated by usability studies and has little to say about learning outcomes or the specific qualities of digitally augmented environments.
From page 268...
... . There are also concerns that technology may decrease the social interaction that is a hall mark of learning in informal environments.
From page 269...
... Because designed spaces have always employed media -- whether an exhibition case, a diorama, a video, or an interactive -- they provide a natural laboratory for seeing how learners select media. Virtual reality spaces, augmented-reality museum experiences, museum blogs, and podcasting art installations are just a few of the new media now appearing in science museums.
From page 270...
... . Designed spaces are also good sites for exploring the effects of new ap proaches to using media for creating, distributing, and incorporating content into informal settings.
From page 271...
... KEY THEMES We have identified key ideas in particular segments of the literature on media and learning science in informal environments. Five cross-cutting themes or issues are raised by this literature:
From page 272...
... Who Uses Media to Learn Science in Informal Environments? Access is a universal challenge for educators, programs, and institu tions concerned with science education.
From page 273...
... We need to consider how to develop science media for informal settings that attract and retain more diverse audiences, who may be the people who benefit most from science content presented outside formal educational settings. Designers of informal media seem to understand how to attract audiences with preexisting interests in science.
From page 274...
... For example, well-designed computer games and simulations have been touted by several researchers (Baillie and Percoco, 2001; Gee, 2007; Greenfield, 1984; Papert, 1980) as ideal spaces for learning science for a number of reasons: they enable learners to customize the learning en vironment; they situate learning in a more authentic context; they provide direct experiences and interaction with intangible, abstract, ideal, complex, or otherwise unavailable scientific phenomena; and they engage users in collaborative, active, and problem-based learning.
From page 275...
... Evaluations of Bill Nye the Science Guy
From page 276...
... . Longitudinal and Cross-Media Studies Many studies of learning science in informal environments look at single or a small number of exposures to a medium.
From page 277...
... Researchers of learning science in informal environments need to consider the effects of long-term exposure to single, specific media exemplars (e.g., the cumulative effects of watching Bill Nye the Science Guy for a year) as well as multiple media formats presenting the same content in different ways (e.g., books, films, museum exhibits on dinosaurs)
From page 278...
... , Creating connections: Museums and the public understanding of current research (pp.
From page 279...
... Satwicz (Eds.) , Proceedings of the fifth international conference of learning sciences (pp.
From page 280...
... Presenta tion to the National Research Council Learning Science in Informal Environments Committee. Available: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/LSIE%201_ Meeting_Presentation_Fisch.pdf [accessed February 2009]
From page 281...
... Public Understanding of Science, 14(1)
From page 282...
... Background paper for the Committee on Learning Science in Informal Environments. Available: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/ Lindberg_et%20al_Commissioned_Paper.pdf [accessed October 2008]
From page 283...
... . National science education standards.
From page 284...
... Journal of Science Education and Technology, 16 (1)
From page 285...
... Background paper for the Learning Science in Informal Environments Committee of the National Research Council. Available: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/ bose/Rockman_et%20al_Commissioned_Paper.pdf [accessed October 2008]
From page 286...
... , Proceedings of the 2004 interna tional conference of the learning sciences (pp.
From page 287...
... (1996) Mass media-generated interper sonal communication as sources of information about family planning.
From page 288...
... Public Understanding of Science, 12 (3)


This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More information on Chapter Skim is available.