Engaging Engineering Experts: Facilitating Family STEM Learning in Museums and Libraries Through Narrative Storytelling and Object-Based Inquiry Activities

The goal of this project is to investigate and improve experts’ presentations in museums and libraries. We seek to develop guidelines to help children learn from these presentations. Professor David Uttal of Northwestern University will assist in the design, implementation, analysis and publication of the findings. He will consult with Dr. Haden of Loyola at the research sites (Evanston Library and Chicago Children’s Museum). No work related to the project will take place on the Northwestern campus and no Northwestern resources will be used. Uttal’s primary responsibility will be to develop observation protocols for children and families, to work with local experts to develop and assess their presentations, to help code videos of these demonstrations and conversations, and analyze the results.