So, I'm studying museum sciences, and my course on Education in Museums is having me design a program to teach early learners about space. While all this requires is an outline, I'm running into problems. My ideas tend to be too complicated for young children, too much like things that would be taught in a normal classroom, or too much like exhibition design, rather than education. I have some ideas that seem workable, yet seem piecemeal, rather than cohesive whole.

What I need is brainstorming, and inspiration.

Anyone here think they can help out?

I can try. I have a B.S. in Secondary History Education. So maybe if you give me an idea or concept you want to teach. We can figure out how to break it down for young kids and then set up something for them :)

maidenroseheart: Oh, I had forgotten about this, what with the lack of activity. Well, project is done with, and mercifully, the teacher thought what I submitted was good. I'm working on a final project that is an adult education program, if you want to help with that. It's a one day event trying to target a different demographic for the Science Fiction Museum in town: Comedy in Science Fiction.

Oh I would love to help!

Cool. Here's the project description.

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Project should include:
Title and description of of your program/project
Rationale:
Why did you choose this particular idea? What is the need?
How why does this fit your museum?
Primary audience served, frequency of program--why?
Anticipated costs to the museum and to participants (if any)
Min/max number of participants
Learning goals of the program
Learning Theory
How does the program address the learning styles of your audience?
Specific examples cited from readings or class notes
Resources
What is needed to run the program?
Marketing
How will you promote this program?
Assessment/evaluation tool
How will you measure success?
Minimum 3 pages

maidenroseheart: I think the thing you are most going to be able to help me with would be the Learning Theory. I was thinking multiple intelligences.

Oh definitely, I brightened up when I saw that section because I am very familiar with Learning Theory still from when I was taking the class "Learning Theory" several years ago. If I knew the content better that you were preparing, then I could better help with the lingo for the rest of it, but this is a great start.

In Learning Theory, there are many groups and subgroups of ideas. However I can break down how a student learns in three categories. The ways that you meet those are numerous.

There is audio learners. A person who learns by listening. This is the most common form for teachers to use, but not the most effective.

There is visual learners. A person who learns by seeing. This is the most common for museums to use.

There is hands-on learners. (The technical word starts with "t" or "k" or something like that.) A person who learns by doing it for themselves. This is the most effective learning style, but the least used one.

The best display in a museum (or lesson taught in a classroom) utilizes all three or repeats several times with a variation of two or more styles.

For example, if you wanted to teach a child about (Science Fiction) the character Teal'c from the TV Show "Stargate SG-1" and how despite his serious nature, he is one of the funniest characters in the show... you could have a youtube video showing all of his uses of the word "Indeed" or clips where he says something that makes most people laugh. In addition to that, you would have picture displays of him with written sentences he said comic book style. In addition to that, you could have an activity of some sort that the kids then can do at that station where the video and display is at.

Am I helpful? Or overwhelming?

maidenroseheart:
We seem to be on the same wavelength. This particular event is for adults, so why don't I run down what my ideas are so far.
I'm going to use the venues this museum, which is part of the larger EMP museum in seattle, has to offer: Museum Map It's largerly going to be lecture based, what I have in mind is (and this is all hypothetical, so I don't have to worry about actually contacting people and having them agree to this) Matt Groening come in and talk about Futurama, and Robert Llywelyn of the British comedy Red Dwarf come in and talk about his experiences. I'm also trying to encorporate Douglas Adams' Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy, but I'm not sure how yet. After these Groening's lecture I was going to serve dinner, with an open bar (this is so far the only Hitchhiker's thing I've worked out - there's a bar in the area that serves an interpretation of one of the drinks Adams' describes in the book, so I was going to have them come in and bar tend, with a focus on that drink) After dinner, when everyone is loosened up, I was going to have a local comedian come in and teach a "basics of comedy" class. Then send everyone home.

This was one of our readings for class, maybe it will help:
http://www.astc.org/pubs/dimensions/...-aug/index.htm
though that about seniors. I'm going to be targeting the hot "YoCo" market - young cosmopolitans.

I like where you are going with this. Even though you are working with adults, perhaps for the event have a pamphlet. Have a general outline in it for each speaker with fill in the blank. That way, if the adults wish to take notes then they can. If they need a way to help them focus (say if they are more hands-on) then they can write in answers as they go. Great way to remember stuff too ;)

In the theater, for the Hitch Hikers Galaxy one... you could have some sort of "trip" that takes them from point A to point B where new information, stories, and such is located. This can be via powerpoint. Or if the theater is large enough with small enough numbers of visitors - you could have stations with poster boards on the walls around the room that people in groups travel to. (This is just brainstorming ^_^)

When you present information and don't have a speaker to do it, triads are a great way to do something. For each concept or idea - have three supporting pieces of information. An example would be Science Fiction Comedy: definition, theory, story... or something like that.

I love the bar idea! You have great ideas for this. I'm impressed.

maidenroseheart: Thanks! So what I'm now thinking for Hitchhiker's is to have this done on "Towel Day", which is an actual day in may celebrating the books. And I've added an introductory address, by the curator or director, that while covering the fact that this is about comedy in science fiction in general, giving special attention to Hitchhikers. Maybe even have the address include a video message or comment sourced from Stephen Fry, who is a) a well loved british comedian and b) was a good friend of the now dead author of the books, Douglas Adams. Maybe I'm getting too ambitious And then there's the Multiple intellegences part. I'm going to add a free period, between Matt Groening's appearence, and the dinner of about two hours, and I was thinking of having three options for the attendees: A computer lab with several monitors loaded with two games Douglas Adams created before he died for play through, a general comedy and science fiction comedy quiz in the pub quiz model, and open access to all the exhibit spaces in the museum. How do you think that covers things? with the comedy class at the end, do you think we're tapping into something that would work for mulitple intelligences? Any particular reason from an educator standpoint you would say it does work, if it indeed does?

So excited but nervous! I hope I can get the paper aspect of it done in the next few hours, before I lose momentum.

Thanks again for all your help!

A video message would be great! You are covering the audio very well and have the visual too. What truly impresses me is that you have hands-on in this. That is rare or difficult for some to do yet very important. So I applaud you for that. You have it figured out!

That is so comforting to hear, thank you. I felt like it might just look like "here are some ideas I had, let's pretend they fit into the multiple intelligences model!"

They really do :)

Thanks for your help, I think it went well!

Wonderful! I'm glad :)