Developing Rapid Inquiry as a pedagogical framework for multimodal interactions in informal science settings

Project Information

SCIENCE-MINQ

Grant agreement ID: 792600

DOI

10.3030/792600

Project closed

EC signature date 21 March 2018

Start date 1 January 2019

End date 11 March 2022

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 195 454,80

EU contribution

€ 195 454,80

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SCIENCE-MINQ (Developing Rapid Inquiry as a pedagogical framework for multimodal interactions in informal science settings)

Reporting period: 2019-01-01 to 2020-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

This project is firmly situated within the Learning Sciences. This is an interdisciplinary field that aims to further scientific understanding of learning and engage in the design and implementation of learning innovations. The present project focuses on the area of Informal Science Learning in which the study of science learning processes and outcomes is conducted in informal settings such as science centres.
Science centres and science museums have a vital role in communicating the social, cultural and historical context of science and can influence how visitors relate science to everyday life. Visitors however do not necessarily achieve the expected learning potential. Focusing on this challenge, Science-MINQ studied how science centre visitors can remain “minds-on” while they are “hands-on” with the exhibits.
Science-MINQ aimed to translate inquiry learning, a successful educational approach for schools and beyond, to science learning in science centres. It developed ‘Rapid Inquiries’, short hands-on experiences for young visitors to interact with science concepts. Acknowledging that the science centre visit is typically short in time and narrow in focus, the project developed an inquiry-based approach that suits visitor needs. Visitors can experiment with the exhibits in ways that promote their learning potential while avoiding the fun, yet mind-less, experience of a theme park. Thereby Science MINQ proposed new ways that visitors can interact with interactive exhibits, changing the way learning can take place in science centres.
The project objectives included (1) the co-design of the Rapid Inquiry Framework; (2) the elicitation of a set of requirements for interaction components suitable for rapid inquiries; (3) a taxonomy to identify which exhibits could be of significance for rapid inquiries and ultimately learning (4) the co-design of interaction components that integrate multimodal interactions with exhibits.
While the disruption of the pandemic had immense impact on the project, it also provided the context for an additional research dimension: an exploration of the pedagogical potential of the Rapid Inquiry Framework to facilitate remote visitor engagement. The project became part of an international network of experts (academics and science centre professionals) from the UK, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and France, that explored the potential of blended learning approaches to engage school groups during lockdowns and museum closures. Within this network, the fellow further explored how Rapid Inquiries may facilitate such blended learning experiences. The collaboration resulted in a workroom series for ECSITE, the European network of science centres, and related sessions at the annual ECSITE conference in 2021 and 2022.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The project objectives included (1) the Rapid Inquiry Framework, which described the process of learning happening around an exhibit; (2) the elicitation of a set of requirements for interaction components suitable for rapid inquiries. Through a variety of co-design participatory methods, Science-MINQ formed a set of user requirements for the development of a mobile app to support rapid inquiries; (3) a taxonomy to identify which exhibits could be of significance for rapid inquiries and ultimately learning; (4) the co-design of interaction components that integrate multimodal interactions with exhibits.

Work performed for objective 1&2: The project run participatory design workshops at the National Space Centre (NSC) for the co-design of the Rapid Inquiry Framework which involves rhythmic cycles of engagement and reflection for the visitor when interacting with the exhibit. The first workshop involved teachers and museum educators engaging in discussions school visits to the NSC, and teasing out teachers’ expectations for student learning outcomes and experiences. The second co-design workshop took place with young people/visitors of the National Space Centre. In addition to the participatory workshops, informal meetings and interviews with members of staff of NSC complemented the two workshops: museum educators informed the Fellow how school visit activities are designed and organised; curators informed the fellow how the exhibits are designed and put into the galleries. Both groups also talked about their views on the visitors’ experience. A survey was also designed and distributed among teachers to capture what were their needs and expectations of a school visit to a science centre. All these participatory and co-design methods informed the Framework for Rapid Inquiries and formed a set of user requirements for the development of a mobile app to support rapid inquiries.

Work performed for Objective 3: the project catalogued all NSC exhibits and linking them to relevant science ideas, principles or methods and to KS3 curriculum objectives in England. These links highlighted which activities can facilitate specific curriculum objectives through interacting with exhibits. The analysis was subsequently expanded to include exhibits from two more science centres: ThinkTank in Birmingham, and “We are curious” in Bristol. The exhibits from the three science centres were then organised into a taxonomy to identify which exhibits could be of significance for rapid inquiries and, ultimately, for learning. This taxonomy was then presented, discussed and further developed with professionals in three science centres and science museums, the Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology Oslo, Norway, the Parque de las Ciencias, Granada, Spain and the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci, Milan, Italy.

Work performed for Objective 4: Science-MINQ furthermore developed two types of hands-on flashcards, named “Inquiry Acts” and “Action cards” and identified “Thinking Routines” (Ibañez Wolberg & Goff 2015) as simple action structures to loosely guide and deepen the visitor’s thinking.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The project was involved with ECSITE members, gaining insights into the Science Centres sector and ensuring maximum impact of this research. Adhering to the requirements of the pandemic crisis, the project focused on the potential of the Rapid Inquiry framework to guide museum professionals in designing and delivering remote or blended learning experiences, leading research in rapid multimodal inquiry learning in informal science setting.
The challenges emerging from the pandemic are asking museum professionals to develop new strategies in order to interact with their visitors. These strategies promote blended learning practices, spanning across different settings, the science centre, the home and the school. Museum professionals are called to take active part on designing blended learning activities and therefore develop new skills. To address such requirement, museum professionals need new professional development courses on how to use digital tools to facilitate their learning activities. This research shed light on this emerging requirement.

teachers, museum professionals and researchers around a table during a design workshop