supporting family learning; emerging research, strategies, and tools

Supporting Family Learning Emerging Research, Strategies, and Tools

Mary Kay Cunningham

Rowanne Henry

Jason Porter

Sarah Watkins

The LIFE Center Lifelong and Lifewide Learning Diagram

• Time together (fun!)

• Social interaction

• Collaborative

• Engagement vs.

basic participation

• Intergenerational

group of 2+ people

• Shared backgrounds

• Lifetime of learning (concepts, facts, attitudes,

beliefs, etc.)

• Customized learning (members understand group’s

learning styles, strengths,

weaknesses)

What is family learning?

How can we

support learning

for this key group

of visitors?

Why families visit?

• Most seeking “educational opportunity”

• Anticipation/expectation of entertainment

• FUN together = learning (espec. true for families)

• Learning = social interaction > facts

• Self-directed (based on preferences & schedule)

Screen Shot 2013-04-26 at 9.09.21 PM

www.familylearningforum.org

Facilitating Family Groups

• Respect knowledge/experience of families

• Observe & respond to roles within group

• Greetings are KEY (Adults are ‘gatekeepers’!)

• Encourage collaboration (challenges) & conversation

• Model questioning & support strategies (“wh-questions”)

• Adults as co-explorers (= learning partners ≠ teachers/observers)

• Extend learning to home environment (car ride, online, etc.)

• Prepare to get out of the way! (intellectually & physically)

Pattison & Dierking, 2012 Journal of Museum

Education

Zimmerman, 2012 Dimensions

Observable Adult Roles in Families

• Player

• Facilitator

• Interpreter

• Supervisor

• Student of the

child

• Co-learner

Boston Children’s Museum Adult Child Inventory (ACII)

What lessons are

here about how

family groups want

to engage?

Prototype Family Learning Strategies

“Does this idea suck?”

• Iterative & Quick

• Minimum viable product

• There are no mistakes

in a prototype

(we learn more from our

mistakes than what works)

• Testing ≠ answers

(Testing = better questions!)

4 Best Practices for Family Learning

By Rowanne Henry, PhD

rowannehenry@gmail.com

twitter: @rowannehenry

#familylearning

museumstories.com

Noah’s Ark

Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles

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Noah’s Ark Family Visitor Evaluation

museumstories.com

• What are the main messages family

visitors takeaway from their Noah’s Ark

experience?

• How are family visitors accessing these

messages?

Who are Family Visitors?

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Family Visitors in Action

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4 Best Practices for Families

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1. Give families options

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Options: Multiple Modalities

Noah’s Ark Exhibition, Skirball L.A.

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Options: Educational Spaces

Railroad Exhibition’s Ed Gallery

Railroad Exhibition

The Quest for a Railroad Across America, The Huntington

Options: Accessible Exhibition Features

museumstories.comAncient Sicily, Getty Villa

Options: On-Demand Gallery Hosts

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Futbol: The Beautiful Game, LACMA

4 Best Practices for Families

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1. Offer families options

2. Make the setting work for you

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The museum environment is

always saying something….

…even when you are not.

Setting: What does this say?

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Setting: look closely

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The Life of Art, Getty Museum

Setting: Families + Educator Dialogue

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Look Together, Hammer Museum

Setting: Child + Educator Dialogue

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Look Together, Hammer

Museum

4 Best Practices for Families

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1. Offer families options

3. Communicate the big picture

2. Make the setting work for you

Big Picture: Prep families for learning

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Noah’s Ark Orientation Talk

Big Picture: Group Discussions

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Look Together, Hammer Museum

4 Best Practices for Families

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1. Offer families options

3. Communicate the big picture

2. Make the setting work for you

4. Provide opportunities for reflection

Reflect: Formal Evaluation

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“The survey really got us

thinking.”Noah’s Ark Family Visitor

Reflect: Informal Conversations

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Reflect: Embedded Evaluation

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Family Dynamic, LACMA

Conclusion

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1. Offer families options

3. Communicate the big picture

2. Make the setting work for you

4. Provide opportunities for reflection

Supporting Intergenerational & Family Learning– WMA 2014

Jason Porter, Associate Director of Education, Skirball Cultural Center

jporter@skirball.org #porterlyle 310-440-4746

Agenda

1. Shifting from a

programmatic model to

family learning focus

2. A rationale for making

this shift

3. Tools and resources on

family learning

4. “Keys” to shifting staff

Noah’s Ark at the Skirball

The Evolution of Family Learning

in Noah’s Ark

The value

of values.

The process (SSUPR, aka SUPER!)

1. Visitor study and its findings (Study)

2. Sharing meaningful data (Share)

3. Utilize resources (Utilize)

4. Prioritize attainable steps

(Priority setting)

5. Instituting a process for reflection

(Reflect)

Learning about

Family Learning

Putting SSUPR into Practice: Study and Share

- Some programs are less effective than others

- Families were not aware that the galleries were a learning space

- Staff reluctance

- Program clarity around learning

Putting SSUPR into

Practice: Utilizing

Family Learning

Resources

• Exploring Staff Facilitation that Supports Family Learning,

JME, Spring 2012

• Boston Children’s Museum Adult Child Interaction Inventory

• Conner Prairie Opening Doors video series

• Family Learning Forum

• NISE Team-Based Inquiry Guide (Nanoscale Informal

Science Education)

Putting SSUPR into Practice: : Prioritizing1. Training

2. Adapting existing programs

3. Developing new programs

Putting SSUPR into Practice: Reflective Practice1. Staff observations of families

2. Program evaluations using video and observation

3. Reflective practice

* Clarify learning

* Observe and listen

* A spirit of inquiry

* Define what makes you unique

* Make yourselves experts

* Look to the field

* Reflect on your work

Keys to Transforming Staff to Support Family Learning

What are your strategies?

Engage FamiliesLooking at family programs in a new light

A project of the USS Constitution Museum, Boston

Family Programs Engaging All Ages

Facilitation

Environment

Program Design

Program Topic

When selecting topics for family programs

consider:

t Distinctiveness

t Personal relevance

Program Topic

To enhance family engagement design programs

that are:

• Fun

• Multi-modal

• Multi-user

• Multi-outcome

Program Design

Family engagement is enhanced when the

physical environment is:

• Comfortable for all

• Multi- Sided

• Without too many distractions

Environment

Facilitators engaging families should:

• Be welcoming and encouraging

• Consciously and continually engage

adults

• Convey content in concise &

accessible ways

• Be nimble

• Have fun!

Facilitation

• Build connections

• Make memories

• Support life long learning

• Expand audiences

• Encourage repeat

visitation

• Strengthen communities

• Generate revenue

Family Programs Engaging All Ages

Utilizing Video as Professional &

Programmatic Development Tool

Remember: videos are most successful when used as a

learning tool for the observer (self-reflection)

rather than as an assessment of those in video!

Video Reflection Tool:

Visitor group:

What did you notice about visitor group? (interaction?, engagement?)

Role of Adult:

How were they involved/participating? Role?

(observing vs. co-learner?)

Facilitator:

How did educator help/hinder engagement?

Overall:

What worked well?

What would you do differently?

We have

resources

for you!

Questions??

Mary Kay Cunningham marykay@visitordialogue.com

Rowanne Henry rowannehenry@gmail.com

Jason Porter jporter@skirball.org

Sarah Watkins swatkins@ussconstitutionmuseum.org