Augmented Reality and Learning in Science Museums

Abstract

Recently, informal science environments have been highlighted for their potential to improve science understanding and participation in daily science activities and scientific careers (Banks et al., Learning and Out of School in Diverse Environments: Life-Long, Life-Wide, Life-Deep, 2007; National Research Council, Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits, 2009; National Research Council, Successful K–12 STEM education: Identifying effective approaches in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, 2011). Questions that have arisen from this focus include the extent to which visitors can learn the science, what supports are needed, and how technology can aid in the learning (National Research Council, Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits, 2009). In this chapter, we review a series of studies that investigate how augmented reality and knowledge-building scaffolds support children’s learning in three different exhibits: “Be the Path,” “Magnetic Maps,” and “Bernoulli Ball.” We discuss design features and evidence that show how our intervention promotes collaboration and improves children’s conceptual understanding. We conclude with a description of an overarching model for exhibit design that aims at improving learning experiences of visitors in the science museum.