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Title: Museum-based physics education research through research-practice partnerships (RPPs)
MOXI is an interactive science center focused on physics topics such as forces, energy, sound, light, and magnetism. MOXI’s exhibits and education program are informed by Physics Education Research (PER) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). As a result, MOXI is an outstanding laboratory for research on how people learn physics through interactive experiences and how best to support this learning. However, conducting research in public spaces with diverse audiences differs from classroom based research. These differences provide both opportunities and challenges. Effective research and program design requires multiple types of expertise including content, research design, and informal environments. In MOXI’s first two years of operation, we have conducted research across a wide variety of participants and topics through a research- practice partnership (RPP) model. This paper focuses on establishing RPPs and methodological considerations when conducting research in informal science education settings such as interactive science centers.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1906320 1824856
NSF-PAR ID:
10173590
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Proceedings of the Physics 2019 Education Research Conference
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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