Taking Students to the Museum: Interview with Warren D. Allmon, Judy Diamond, and Martin Weiss

Glenn Branch,W Eric Meikle

doi:10.1007/s12052-012-0408-z

Abstract

Abstract Three museum professionals with extensive expertise in informal science education about evolution—Warren D. Allmon, Judy Diamond, and Martin Weiss—are interviewed about the interaction of teachers and natural history museums and science centers in improving the effectiveness of evolution education.

Highlights

Diamond is a Professor and Curator of Informal Science Education at the University of Nebraska State Museum; she was the principal investigator for the National Science Foundation-funded Explore Evolution project, which includes permanent exhibit galleries on evolution at four museums around the country
How can natural history museums and science centers help teachers to educate their students about evolution? How can teachers prepare themselves, and prepare their students, to take full advantage of the opportunities to learn about evolution afforded by natural history museums and science centers? And what can teachers do to help their colleagues in informal science education in their shared responsibility to overcome the obstacles to evolution education? Those were the questions that came to mind when we learned about the theme of the present issue of Evolution: Education and Outreach, and those were the questions that we posed to three museum professionals with extensive experience in conveying evolution in informal science education
Why take students to a natural history museum to learn about evolution? What’s the educational advantage? Why not just stay in school with the textbook?

Summary

Introduction

Judy Diamond, and Martin Weiss—are interviewed about the interaction of teachers and natural history museums and science centers in improving the effectiveness of evolution education. Diamond is a Professor and Curator of Informal Science Education at the University of Nebraska State Museum; she was the principal investigator for the National Science Foundation-funded Explore Evolution project, which includes permanent exhibit galleries on evolution at four museums around the country.

Results

Conclusion