Visitor Talk at Interactive Animal Exhibits: Evidence for Engagement in Scientific Reasoning

• In Event: Social and Personal Connections to Informal Learning

Abstract

While opportunities to engage in scientific reasoning have been identified as important aspects of informal science learning, it has been assumed that interactions with live animals do not encourage scientific reasoning as well as other interactive exhibits do. A video study of 41 families at 4 ISE touch tank exhibits revealed that families engaged in making claims, challenging claims and confirming claims as well as other actions associated with scientific reasoning such as applying prior knowledge, making and testing predictions and hypotheses, and constructing arguments. We provide examples of scientific reasoning and examine the role of claims in promoting scientific reasoning. Implications for theorizing about learning from interacting with live animals in ISE are considered, as are implications for practice.

Authors

• James F. Kisiel, California State University - Long Beach

• Shawn M. Rowe, Oregon State University - Oregon Sea Grant