Focused Questions for Children’s Discovery Museum Visit

Psychology 331: Developmental Research Methods

Dr. Jarvis

1) Which exhibits appear to be the most effective or popular and why might this be the case? What learning experiences are achieved?

2) Related to question one, which exhibits follow Piaget’s recommendations for play experiences for children and which follow Vygotsky’s work? Do any follow both theoretical models? Explain your answers based on course material.

3) How effective are exhibits that are so popular that children cannot gain access? What recommendations would you make regarding this issue to staff personnel?

4) How do museum personnel decide which exhibits to use or take down? Is the developmental status of the child considered?

5) What sort of training does the museum staff have? What are the qualifications for a position at the museum?

6) How might one conduct “museum research”? What methods would be primarily used and how might one assess learning outcomes?

7) What ethical issues might arise in museum research and how might they be addressed?

8) What involvement should parents play in the learning process?

9) What does the staff think about parent involvement? What is too much and what is not enough?

10) Other questions: