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What happens when parents join their kids in play, exploration and museum...
This week’s post is by Amanda Nobis, a junior at Bradley University, and the first Research Intern at the Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum. This summer I had the opportunity to help form a...
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What is a “good” science demonstration?
Recently I saw a video of a science demonstration in a children’s museum, and found myself wondering if the children were learning anything. What is the purpose of science demonstrations in museums?...
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What data do we use to define success?
On Tuesday we are hosting a cocktail party for major donors – people who, over the 15 years of building the PlayHouse, have donated $5000 or more. The goal of this event is to thank them for what they...
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What did I learn in my first year?
The Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum turned one year old last week. Amidst the birthday celebrations and thank you emails, I have been reflecting on the question: What did I learn from my first year...
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Where and What Do We Learn About Research? An Investigation Into a...
A few months ago I stumbled upon an IMLS blogpost sharing research about the impact of informal learning environments on academic achievement. Deanne Swan, formerly a researcher for IMLS, mined a large...
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What does a successful maker space in a children’s museum looks like?...
“Maker Spaces” are currently in vogue: they are now a fairly standard component of children’s museums, and many art museums have drop-in spaces for children and families to create art during their...
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What does it take to create a great education program?
As we plan for 2018 at the Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum, we have decided to reduce the number of programs we offer, holding workshops and home-school programs monthly instead of semi-monthly, and...
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Play and Learning: What can children tell us?
This week’s guest post is by Nicole R. Rivera, Ed.D. Nicole is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at North Central College. She is also the Academic Research and Evaluation Partner of the DuPage...
View ArticleHow do we plan and improve museum programs?
My last post, on the role of education research in planning museum programs, sparked debate in person and on LinkedIn about whether museums emphasize content knowledge or an understanding of pedagogy...
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How can museums measure social impact? Interview with Johanna Jones
Johanna Jones is the Director of Evaluation and Visitor Insights at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA). Johanna leads the Museum’s audience research, evaluation, and social impact measurement...
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