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Learning Robotics in a Science Museum Theatre Play: Investigation of Learning Outcomes, Contexts and Experiences

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Abstract

Theatre is often introduced into science museums to enhance visitor experience. While learning in museums exhibitions received considerable research attention, learning from museum theatre has not. The goal of this exploratory study was to investigate the potential educational role of a science museum theatre play. The study aimed to investigate (1) cognitive learning outcomes of the play, (2) how these outcomes interact with different viewing contexts and (3) experiential learning outcomes through the theatrical experience. The play ‘Robot and I’, addressing principles in robotics, was commissioned by a science museum. Data consisted of 391 questionnaires and interviews with 47 children and 20 parents. Findings indicate that explicit but not implicit learning goals were decoded successfully. There was little synergy between learning outcomes of the play and an exhibition on robotics, demonstrating the effect of two different physical contexts. Interview data revealed that prior knowledge, experience and interest played a major role in children’s understanding of the play. Analysis of the theatrical experience showed that despite strong identification with the child protagonist, children often doubted the protagonist’s knowledge jeopardizing integration of scientific content. The study extends the empirical knowledge and theoretical thinking on museum theatre to better support claims of its virtues and respond to their criticism.

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Notes

  1. For the purpose of the overall cognitive learning outcomes, we merged the school and family groups. The school group’s pre-play questionnaires were considered as non-viewers and the post-play questionnaires were considered as viewers (playgoers). To check the validity of this merge we compared the family’s non-viewer questionnaires and the school pre-play questionnaire and found that they did not differ significantly.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beit Berl Academic College, Beit Berl, Israel

    Ran Peleg

  2. Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

    Ran Peleg

  3. ORT Israel, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Ran Peleg

  4. Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

    Ayelet Baram-Tsabari

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  1. Ran Peleg
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  2. Ayelet Baram-Tsabari
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Correspondence to Ran Peleg.

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Peleg, R., Baram-Tsabari, A. Learning Robotics in a Science Museum Theatre Play: Investigation of Learning Outcomes, Contexts and Experiences. J Sci Educ Technol 26, 561–581 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-017-9698-9

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