Free Choice Learning at HMSC

[IntoTheMystic]

Those of you who have wandered around the Visitor's Center (VC) at HMSC over the last few years may have noticed an inordinate amount of cameras and microphones strategically located here and there. Although it may seem very BigBrotherish, these mics and cameras are part of an ongoing research project at HMSC and a few other facilities around the country. The project is called Free Choice Learning (FCL) and is essentially a way for researchers to learn how people learn in non-traditional settings, such as public aquaria, museums, science centers and others.

 

A few years ago, an education researcher at HMSC named Dr. Shawn Rowe, PhD, wrote and submitted a grant proposal so that he, his staff and grad students working in this emerging field could learn how people learn while exploring the VC. He and other researchers gather data from the 35 cameras in the VC, such as:

 

• Whether guests engage with an interactive exhibit or not
• How long they interact and investigate (if they do)
• Whether or not and how long they take to read the signage that accompanies an exhibit
• How and if they interact with one of the volunteers, what they talk about, whether or not parents or guardians turn these encounters into teachable moments, etc.
• How family members talk to each other in front of different exhibits
• Other data that help inform exhibit choices, design, interactivity, sign copy, and other aspects of non-traditional learning experiments

While my colleagues and I are scrubbing algae, feeding our animals, and performing routine maintenance in the morning before the VC opens, FCL staff are often cruising around, tweaking exhibits and exhibit copy, discussing upcoming plans and talking about their research with other researchers, who are visiting to start or enhance the FCL initiatives at their home facilities.

 

Occasionally, these researchers talk to the other aquarists and I to get our perspective on this or that, as we often become interpreters and educators when we're cleaning, feeding and otherwise wandering around when the VC is open.

 

Most of the time, I keep a low profile when I'm doing PM feeds or working on something while the VC is open. However, if someone asks me a question, I'm happy to answer it and actually look forward to these interactions. Usually, it begins with, "What are you feeding them?" Or, "How often do you feed them?" From there, I let the guest(s) direct where the conversation goes and how long it lasts. The ones that ask intuitive follow-up questions are the ones I enjoy speaking with the most, as those conversations end up lasting longer and are more interesting and rewarding for both parties.

 

And you never know who is going to initiate one of these conversations. In the last month, I have spoken with people from Australia, England, and Brazil, along with folks from all over the country.

 

In an age when electronic eavesdropping of all kinds has infiltrated our lives, all these cameras and mics can (and should, IMHO) be regarded with suspicion but the data they collect is anonymous by design and necessity. If a little data gathering helps us become more interesting, more relevant, more interactive, more entertaining and more effective at teaching marine science and other scientific disciplines, that's the kind of surveillance that I am happy to participate in and support.

 

For more information about Free Choice Learning at HMSC, please visit http://www.freechoicelearninglab.com/.

Edited December 5, 2016 by IntoTheMystic

[Higher Thinking]

That's certainly an interesting research angle. If I may ask, are you required to put up a notice that video and audio surveillance is taking place? Or is it not required? I'm just curious. I can certainly see the benefit of the research as it can expand future presentations and make sure that people are able to learn at the most optimum rate. Although I can understand how something can be said about the "Big Brotherish" nature of the data collection.

[IntoTheMystic]

Not for sure but I'd say it's likely that it's required. There's a large sign as folks walk into the VC that talks about the research in English, French, Spanish and Russian. There may be a few others scattered about In many cases, the mics and cameras are pretty unobtrusive and easily overlooked.