Abstract
In this chapter, we describe how we integrated Falk and Dierking’s Contextual Model of Learning (Falk and Dierking in AltaMira, 2000; Falk and Storskdieck in Science Education 89:744–778, 2005) and Falk’s Situated Identity Model (Falk in Identity and the museum visitor experience, 2009; Falk in Curator 49:151–166, 2010) into a theoretical framework that we applied through our research in informal STEM learning (ISL) contexts. The Contextual Model of Learning emphasizes that learning is a process and product of three overlap** contexts over time: the personal, the sociocultural, and the physical. We describe how we applied Falk’s Situated Identity Model to understand visitors’ identity-driven motivations for visits to ISL contexts and how this influenced their resulting visit behaviors and learning outcomes. Falk’s Situated Identity Model acknowledges that visitors’ identities are situated within and constantly shaped by the specific affordances of the physical environment, thus linking the multiple contexts of the Contextual Model of Learning. This chapter also describes how we applied these theoretical perspectives in a study of visitors to zoos and aquariums (Z/A) across the United States. Specifically, we explored the research question: What are the entry characteristics of visitors to Z/As and how do these characteristics inform behaviors and outcomes during a Z/A visit? Visitors from six Z/As across the country participated in our study and each visiting group completed interviews before and after their visit. We used the entry narratives to understand visitors’ motivations, prior experiences, and expectations for the visit. We asked visitors to wear a GoPro camera during their visit, allowing us to link their entry narratives to visit behaviors and learning outcomes. We used the Contextual Model of Learning and the Situated Identity Models as analytic tools to construct our coding framework for analyzing and interpreting the data we collected to gain insight into our research question. Both theories provided a strong foundation for designing, analyzing, and interpreting our data in this study.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
Note that the presence of the camera/microphone seemed not to influence the dynamic of the visit, in line with previous findings from Serrell that cueing before observations seems not to alter visit behavior after about 15 min of visit time (Serrell, 1998).
- 2.
Note, participants could indicate multiple plans for their visit.
References
Allen, S. (2002). Looking for learning in visitor talk: A methodological exploration. In G. Leinhardt, K. Crowley, & K. Knutson (Eds.), Learning conversations in museums (pp. 259–303). Lawrence Erlbaum.
Ash, D. (2003). Dialogical inquiry in life science conversations of family groups in a museum. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(2), 138–162. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.10069
Association of Zoos and Aquariums, A. (2020, April). Visitor demographics. Retrieved August 01, 2020, from https://www.aza.org/partnerships-visitor-demographics.
Astor-Jack, T., Whaley, K. L. K., Dierking, L. D., Perry, D. L., & Garibay, C. (2007). Investigating socially mediated learning. In J. H. Falk, L. D. Dierking, & S. Foutz (Eds.), In principle, in practice: Museums as learning institutions (pp. 217–228). AltaMira Press.
Ballantyne, R., & Packer, J. (2016). Visitors’ perceptions of the conservation education role of zoos and aquariums: Implications for the provision of learning experiences. Visitor Studies, 19(2), 193–210. https://doi.org/10.1080/10645578.2016.1220185
Bond, N., & Falk, J. H. (2012). Tourism and identity-related motivations: Why am I here (and not there)? International Journal of Tourism Research, 15(5), 430–442. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.1886
Carr, N., & Cohen, S. (2011). The public face of zoos: Images of entertainment, education, and conservation. Anthrozoos, 24(2), 175–189. https://doi.org/10.2752/175303711X12998632257620
Clayton, S., Fraser, J., & Saunders, C. D. (2009). Zoo experiences: Conversations, connections and concern for animals. Zoo Biology, 28, 377–397. https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.20186
Crowley, K., & Callanan, M. (1998). Describing and supporting collaborative scientific thinking in parent–child interactions. Journal of Museum Education, 23(1), 12–23.
Crowley, K., Callanan, M. A., Jipson, J. L., Galco, J., Top**, K., & Shrager, J. (2001). Shared scientific thinking in everyday parent-child activity. Science Education, 85, 712–732. https://doi.org/10.1080/10598650.1998.11510365
Dilenschneider, C. (2018, February 21). How well are cultural entities welcoming racially diverse attendees? [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.colleendilen.com/2018/02/21/well-cultural-organizations-welcomingracially-diverse-attendees-data/.
Dilenschneider, C. (2019, January 23). Active visitors: Who currently attends cultural organizations? [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.colleendilen.com/2019/01/23/active-visitors-currently-attends-culturalorganizations-data/.
Ellenbogen, K. M. (2002). Museums in family life: An ethnographic case study. In G. Leinhardt, K. Crowley, & K. Knutson (Eds.), Learning conversations in museums (pp. 81–101). Lawrence Erlbaum.
Falk, J. H. (1997). Testing a museum exhibition design assumption: Effects of explicit labeling of exhibit clusters on visitor concept development. Science Education, 81(6), 679–687. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-237X(199711)81:6%3c679::AID-SCE5%3e3.0.CO;2-F
Falk, J. H. (2009). Identity and the museum visitor experience. Left Coast Press.
Falk, J. H. (2011). Contextualizing Falk’s identity-related visitor motivation model. Visitor Studies, 14(2), 141–157.https://doi.org/10.1080/10645578.2011.608002.
Falk, J. H., & Dierking, L. D. (1992). The museum experience. Whalesback Books.
Falk, J. H., & Dierking, L. D. (2000). Learning from museums: Visitor experiences and the making of meaning. AltaMira.
Falk, J. H., & Dierking, L. D. (2016). The museum experience revisited. Routledge.
Falk, J. H., Heimlich, J., & Bronnenkant, K. (2008). Using identity-related visit motivations as a tool for understanding adult zoo and aquarium visitors’ meaning-making. Curator, 51(1), 55–79. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2151-6952.2008.tb00294.x
Falk, J. H., Reinhard, E. M., Vernon, C. L., Bronnenkant, K., Deans, N. L., & Heimlich, J. E. (2007). Why zoos & aquariums matter: Assessing the impact of a visit. Association of Zoos & Aquariums.
Falk, J., & Storskdieck, M. (2005). Using the contextual model of learning to understand visitor learning from a science center exhibition. Science Education, 89, 744–778. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20078
Falk, J. H., & Storksdieck, M. (2010). Science learning in a leisure setting. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 47(2), 194–212. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20319
Fraser, J., & Sickler, J. (2009). Why zoos and aquariums matter handbook: Handbook of research, key findings, and results from national audience survey. Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Kisiel, J. (2003). Teachers, museums and worksheets: A closer look at a learning experience. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 14(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022991222494
Koran, J. J., Lehman, J. R., Shafer, L. D., & Koran, M. L. (1983). The relative effect of pre- and post-attention directing devices on learning from a “walk-through” museum exhibit. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 20(4), 341–346. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.3660200408
Linke, S., & Winter, C. (2011). Conservation, education or entertainment: What really matters to zoo visitors? In W. Frost (Ed.), Zoos and tourism: Conservation, education, entertainment? (pp. 69–81). Channel View Publications. https://doi.org/10.1080/14927713.2011.648411.
National Research Council. (2015). Identifying and supporting productive STEM programs in out-of-school settings. National Academies Press.
O’Connell, K. B., Keys, B., Storksdieck, M., & Rosin, M. (2020). Context matters: Using art-based science experiences to broaden participation beyond the choir. Journal of International Science Education, Part B. https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2020.1727587
Patrick, P. G. (2017). Visitors and alignment: Actor-network theory and the ontology of informal science institutions. Museum Management and Curatorship, 32(2), 176–195. https://doi.org/10.1080/09647775.2016.1239126
Patrick, P. G., & Caplow, S. (2018). Identifying the foci of mission statements of the zoo and aquarium community. Museum Management and Curatorship, 33(2), 120–135. https://doi.org/10.1080/09647775.2018.1438205
Patrick, P., Matthews, C., Ayers, D., & Tunnicliffe, S. D. (2007). Conservation and education: Prominent themes in zoo mission statements. The Journal of Environmental Education, 38, 53–60. https://doi.org/10.3200/JOEE.38.3.53-60
Patrick, P. G., & Tunnicliffe, S. D. (2013). Zoo talk. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4863-7
Rosin, M., Wong J., O’Connell, K., Storksdieck, M., & Keys, B. (2019). Guerilla science: Mixing science with art, music and play in unusual settings. Leonardo. Posted Online May 31, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1162/leon_a_01793.
Rowe, S., & Nickels, A. (2011). Visitor motivations across three informal education institutions: An application of the identity-related visitor motivation model. Visitor Studies, 14(2), 162–175. https://doi.org/10.1080/10645578.2011.608006
Serrell, B. (1998). Paying attention: Visitors and museum exhibits. American Association of Museums.
Serrell, B. (2020). The aggregation of tracking-and-timing visitor-use data of museum exhibitions for benchmarks of “thorough use.” Visitor Studies, 23(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/10645578.2020.1750830
Sickler, J., & Fraser, J. (2009). Enjoyment in zoos. Leisure Studies, 28(3), 313–331. https://doi.org/10.1080/02614360903046649
Stein, J. K., & Storksdieck, M. (2008). United states botanic garden visitor research study. Technical Report. Institute for Learning Innovation.
Storksdieck, M. (2006). Field trips in environmental education. Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag.
Storksdieck, M., & Falk, J. H. (2020). Valuing free-choice learning in national parks. Parks Stewardship Forum, 36(2), 271–280. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2z94016m.
Storksdieck, M., Ellenbogen, K., & Heimlich, J. E. (2005). Changing minds? Factors that influence free-choice learning about environmental conservation. Environmental Education Research, 11(3), 353–369. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620500081228
Tunnicliffe, S. D. (1995). Talking about animals: Studies of young children visiting zoos, a museum and a farm. [Doctoral dissertation, King’s College London]. ERIC Institute of Education Sciences. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED409171.pdf.
Tunnicliffe, S. D. (1996). Conversations within primary school parties visiting animal specimens in a museum and zoo. Journal of Biology Education, 30, 130–141. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.1996.9655491
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Wertsch, J. V. (1985). Vygotsky and the social formation of the mind. Harvard University Press.
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). (1993). Executive summary of the world zoo conservation strategy—The role of the zoos and aquaria of the world in global conservation. WAZA.
Yalowitz, S. S., & Bronnenkant, K. (2009). Timing and tracking: Unlocking visitor behavior. Visitor Studies, 12(1), 47–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/10645570902769134
Zimmerman, H. T., Reeve, S., & Bell, P. (2010). Family sense-making practices in science center conversations. Science Education, 94(3), 478–505. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20374
Acknowledgements
The National Science Foundation, under Grant No. 1612729 & 1612699, supported the work upon which we based this material. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Riedinger, K., Storksdieck, M. (2023). Application of the Contextual Model of Learning and Situated Identity Model in Informal STEM Learning Research. In: Patrick, P.G. (eds) How People Learn in Informal Science Environments. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13291-9_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13291-9_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-13290-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-13291-9
eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)