Family play-learning through informal education: Make and play activities with traditional Thai toy activities at a science museum

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel UniversityThis thesis charts the outcomes of family play-learning through make-and-play activities with traditional Thai toys activities (TTTA). Family learning is a component of inter-generational learning, and the research explores this through ‘edutainment’ activities within the informal educational system of a science museum. The thesis also identifies key factors that influence family play-learning through TTTA and explores the nature and impact of traditional Thai culture, local wisdom and Western modern science after participation with the TTTA. Participants in the toy-making activities at the National Science Museum, Thailand are members of the general public, day visitors to the museum who volunteer to join the activities, and represent all age groups. They also have varied levels of educational achievement, backgrounds in science and dispositions towards play. The research follows 93 families, including children, teenagers and adults, a total of 179 participants. Participants’ dispositions towards play are collected through self-reporting questionnaires based upon Barnett's (2006) work on playfulness; data on their individual and group actions have been collected in terms of their levels of enjoyment and engagement with the tasks, and learning outcomes. The data from structured routine observation indicates that, within the make-and-play activities, there is a two-way transfer of learning from older to younger, and from younger to older. The analysis of family learning is based upon Bandura’s (2005) social cognitive theories, used here in relation to informal museum education. Family play-learning is seen as significant, where more experienced members of the family transfer their knowledge and role-model skills to their children or younger members of the family. There is also an upward transfer where discerning youth model the fun and creativity they bring to the tasks. The Toy Learning Outcomes Questionnaire (TLOQ) has been used to study families’ learning outcomes from the TTTA with 51 families composed of 125 participants in total. The TLOQ is based upon work of the Research Centre of Museums and Galleries at the University of Leicester (Hooper-Greenhill, 2007), and uses a four-point Likert-style scale to explore seven areas of interest: (i) knowledge and understanding; (ii) skills; (iii) attitudes and values; (vi) enjoyment, inspiration and creativity; (v) action, behaviour and progression; (vi) scientific learning, and (vii) attitude towards Thai local wisdom. The findings show that families appear to have learned most in relation to two of these areas, ‘scientific knowledge’ and ‘Thai local wisdom’, when compared with the other areas. Data from semi-structured ‘exit interviews’ at the end of the activities, explore this clash of cultures, between Western modern science (WMS) and Thai local wisdom (TLW). This allows for a discussion of the integration of knowledge systems versus distinctive and separate fields. Findings from the interview data indicate that participants treat the TTTA, and work of the museum generally, bi-gnosically: they had positive yet parallel attitudes towards both domains of knowledge. The overall outcomes of this body of work indicate two main factors that encourage family play-learning: (i) the context of the play, which emphasises participants’ personal engagement, social relationships, and the physical setting (the environment and resources in the TTTA); and (ii) the conditions to play, playfulness of the participants and the opportunities they take to learn together through play. The thesis concludes with the implications of this work and recommendations for further research.Thai government, the National Science Museum, Thailand (NSM), Mr. Suchin Kanhadilok and Mrs Pim Kanhadilok, who have sponsored me to study for my doctoral degree at Brunel Universit

Systems Practice: How to Act in a Climate-Change World

It is now accepted that humans are changing the climate of the Earth and this is the most compelling amongst a long litany of reasons as to why, collectively, we have to change our ways of thinking and acting. Most people now recognise that we have to be capable of adapting quickly as new and uncertain circumstances emerge: this capability will need to exist at personal, group, community, regional, national and international levels, all at the same time. Systems Practice is structured into four parts. Part I introduces the societal need to move towards a more systemic and adaptive governance against the backdrop of human-induced climate change. Part II unpacks what is involved in systems practice by means of a juggler metaphor; examining situations where systems thinking offers useful understanding and opportunities for change. Part III identifies the main factors that constrain the uptake of systems practice and makes the case for innovation in practice by means of systemic inquiry, systemic action research and systemic intervention. The book concludes with Part IV, which critically examines how systems practice is, or might be, utilised at different levels from the personal to the societal. The development of our capabilities to think and act systemically is an urgent priority and Systems Practice aims to show how to do systems thinking and translate that thinking into praxis (theory informed practical action) which will be welcomed by those managing in situations of complexity and uncertainty across all domains of professional and personal concern

Explainers\u27 Development of Science-Learner Identities Through Participation in a Community of Practice

The urgent environmental issues of today require science-literate adults to engage in business and political decisions to create solutions. Despite the need, few adults have the knowledge and skills of science literacy. This doctoral dissertation is an analytical case study examining the science-learner identity development of Exploratorium Field Trip Explainers. Located in San Francisco, CA, the Exploratorium is a museum of science, art, and human perception dedicated to nurturing curiosity and exploration. Data collected included semi-structured interviews with sixteen former Field Trip Explainers, participant observation of the current Field Trip Explainer Program, and review of relevant documentation. Data analysis employed constant comparative analysis, guided by the communities of practice theoretical framework (Wenger, 1998) and the National Research Council\u27s (2009) Six Strands of Science Learning. Findings of this research indicate that Exploratorium Field Trip Explainers participate in a community of practice made up of a diverse group of people that values curiosity and openness to multiple ways of learning. Many participants entered the Field Trip Explainer Program with an understanding of science learning as a rigid process reserved for a select group of people; through participation in the Field Trip Explainer community of practice, participants developed an understanding of science learning as accessible and a part of everyday life. The findings of this case study have implications for research, theory, and practice in informal adult science learning, access of non-dominant groups to science learning, and adult workplace learning in communities of practice

Thai visitors’ expectations and experiences of explainer interaction within a science museum context

© The Author(s) 2015. In Western literature, there is evidence that museum explainers offer significant potential for enhancing visitors’ learning through influencing their knowledge, content, action, behaviour and attitudes. However, little research has focused on the role of explainers in other cultural contexts. This study explored interactions between visitors and museum explainers within the setting of Thailand. Two questionnaires were distributed to 600 visitors and 41 museum explainers. The results demonstrated both potential similarities and differences with Western contexts. Explainers appeared to prefer didactic approaches, focussing on factual knowledge rather than encouraging deep learning. Two-way communication, however, appeared to be enhanced by the use of a ‘pseudo-sibling relationship’ by explainers. Traditional Thai social reserve was reduced through such approaches, with visitors taking on active learning roles. These findings have implications for training museum explainers in non-Western cultures, as well as museum communication practice more generally

Cooperative learning projects as a strategy to foster oral interaction in EFL learners

146 Páginas.La interacción oral tiene un papel importante en el aprendizaje de idiomas. Estudios previos han resaltado que los estudiantes deben ser involucrados en actividades más motivantes, significativas y auténticas como forma de promover y mejorar la interacción oral. Sin embargo, poca atención y valor se le ha dado al aprendizaje cooperativo como estrategia para involucrar a los estudiantes en la interacción oral. El presente estudio de investigación-acción educativa empleó registros de audio, diarios del docente y entrevistas grupales para recolectar datos sobre el impacto que los proyectos cooperativos tuvieron sobre el desarrollo de la interacción oral en los estudiantes. Los datos fueron analizados a la luz de la teoría fundamentada y los resultados demostraron que los estudiantes mejoraron significativamente su interacción oral trabajando cooperativamente en proyectos. Esto justifica la noción de que el aprendizaje cooperativo es un enfoque efectivo para mejorar la interacción oral en niños, por lo tanto, este debería ser ampliamente adoptado por la comunidad educativa

Exploring Science Curriculum Emphases in Relation to the Alberta Physics Program-of-Study

Using Roberts’ (1982, 1988, 1995, 1998, 2003) seven science curriculum emphases as its framework, this investigation into Alberta’s physics program-of-study found that pre-service and novice teachers reported focusing on four of the emphases—Structure of Science; Scientific Skill Development; Science, Technology, and Decisions; and Correct Explanation— while experienced teachers reported focusing on two of the emphases—Structure of Science and Everyday Coping. Other program-of-study aspects that were reported by teachers as being of high priority included holistic views of physics and student engagement, both of which fall beyond Roberts’ framework. Teacher participants focused on different aspects of the program-of-study as compared to a senior curriculum leader in Alberta (i.e., the program manager for secondary sciences in the Curriculum Branch of Alberta Education), suggesting a possible need for professional development for teachers to deliver the program-of-study as intended by Alberta Education. This research increases understanding of how teachers interpret a physics program-of-study with respect to science curriculum emphases. Reprenant comme cadre l'accent que met Roberts sur un programme d'études reposant sur sept priorités en sciences (1982, 1988, 1995, 1998, 2003), cette recherche du programme d'études en physique de l'Alberta a trouvé que les stagiaires et les enseignants débutants se concentraient sur quatre des priorités - La structure de la science; Le développement des habiletés en science; La science, la technologie et les décisions; et La bonne explication - alors que les enseignants plus expérimentés misaient deux des priorités - La structure de la science et Pour faire face au quotidien. Parmi d'autres aspects du programme d'études que les enseignants ont évoqués comme étant prioritaires notons des perspectives holistiques de la physique et l'implication des élèves, deux composantes qui ne sont pas inclues le cadre de Roberts. Les enseignants participants ont misé différents aspects du programme d'études par rapport au chef sénior du programme d'études (c'est-à-dire le gestionnaire de programme des sciences au secondaire de la Direction des programmes d'études de Alberta Education), ce qui donne à penser qu'il pourrait avoir un besoin de développement professionnel pour que les enseignants mettent en œuvre le programme d'études tel que prévu par Alberta Education. Cette recherche vient ajouter à nos connaissances sur l'interprétation que font les enseignants du programme d'études en physique relativement aux priorités en sciences

The AI Family: The Information Security Managers Best Frenemy?

In this exploratory study, we deliberately pull apart the Artificial from the Intelligence, the material from the human. We first assessed the existing technological controls available to Information Security Managers (ISMs) to ensure their in-depth defense strategies. Based on the AI watch taxonomy, we then discuss each of the 15 technologies and their potential impact on the transformation of jobs in the field of security (i.e., AI trainers, AI explainers and AI sustainers). Additionally, in a pilot study we collect the evaluation and the narratives of the employees (n=6) of a small financial institution in a focus group session. We particularly focus on their perception of the role of AI systems in the future of cyber security

Subject knowledge and pedagogic knowledge: ingredients for good teaching? An English perspective

The term 'pedagogy' has become a more commonly used word in English educational circles, but it is an under-used and partially misunderstood concept. It is the aim of this article to explore some of the factors that lead to effective classroom teaching. The medieval view of teaching was one where only subject knowledge was necessary, but the work of social constructivists has led to a more student-centred approach to teaching that depends largely on learners' activities and within which the pedagogical skills of the teacher can actively promote better learning. One conceptualisation of teachers? knowledge is that teachers' knowledge is predominantly a 'craft knowledge' which is largely idiosyncratic and nontheoretical. Other conceptualisations suggest that teachers need a deep understanding of several different knowledge bases to develop sophisticated professional expertise. One pertinent issue is one of how teachers transform content expertise into forms that are pedagogically powerful and yet adaptive to the variety of student abilities and backgrounds. Another significant issue is one of reflection. The reflective process includes reviewing, reconstructing, re-enacting and critically analysing one's own teaching abilities and then grouping these reflected explanations into evidence of changes that need to be made to become a better teacher. In summary, this article examines the importance of subject knowledge and its relationship to pedagogical knowledge. It explores teachers' tacit knowledge and teachers' expertise in transforming content knowledge into a form that is accessible to pupils

The Global Anxiety Crisis in Teenagers and a Proposed School-Based Preventative Intervention Plan Focusing on Building Resilience in Children

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change have significantly influenced teenagers, creating a global anxiety crisis. This paper discusses why and how the pandemic and climate crisis increased anxiety in teenagers and the ways that prevent anxiety disorders like building resilience in children. While there is much literature on the negative effects on mental well-being, few propose solutions. This paper discusses the urgent need for preventative interventions to decrease the risk of developing an anxiety disorder along with proposing a framework for a school-based intervention focusing on building resilience skills in children. The paper used a mix method approach as it used data gathered through quantitative and qualitative research methods. The study includes information collected through interviews and through the analysis of peer-reviewed research journals found using Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and PubMed. The findings highlight the importance of building resilience skills in children along with examples of how caregivers, communities, and the outdoors can promote and teach them. These strategies were then combined with ideas from the Inner Development Goals framework to create an idea of a school-based preventative intervention. This intervention hopes to decrease anxiety disorders in teenagers by teaching resilience skills and increasing mental well-being in children