Introduction to Audience Research MUS 588 • Winter 2009courses.washington.edu/mus588/Winter...

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IntroductiontoAudienceResearchMUS588•Winter2009 KrisMorrissey,PhDDirector,MuseologyProgram685.8207/Morriss8@u.washington.eduOfficeHours:Tues.10‐11:30&Fri1‐2SchedulethroughLisa

KathrynOwenEducationResearchSupervisorWoodlandParkZooOfficeHours:Weds10‐12,Fri9‐11

ClassTimeandLocation Mondays&Wednesdays 3:30‐5:00,JohnsonHall022ReadingsPracticalEvaluationGuide,JudyDiamondVisitorSurveys:AUser’sManualResearchDesign(3rdedition),JohnCreswellSelectedArticles

WebResourceswww.informalscience.org(archivesandresources)

VisitorStudiesAssociationarchiveswww2.informalscience.org/vsaShapingOutcomesOnlineWorkshophttp://www.shapingoutcomes.org/course/http://www.astc.org/resource/visitors/index.htm)

CourseGoals• Understandtheroleevaluationplaysin

planning,facilitating,andassessingvisitorexperiencesinmuseums.

• Describeanddiscusstheroleofthemost

commontypesofevaluationusedbymuseums.

• Designanaudienceresearchstudy.• Understandandbeabletousethe

literatureavailableaboutvisitors.

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Overviewofcourse Thiscourseisanoverviewofthefieldofaudienceresearchandintroducesthebasicfunctions,practices,ethicsandliterature.AudienceResearchenhancestheexperienceofthevisitorandadvancethemissionofamuseumbyprovidingdatathatsupportsknowledgeabledecisionsaboutprograms,exhibitsandotherinteractionswithvisitors. Thecourseisnotdesignedtofullypreparestudentstodesignandconductvisitorstudies,butrathertoacquaintthemwithbasicconceptsandprinciplesandarangeofwaystoassessexperiences.Thecoursewillnotcoverstatisticsordataanalysis.Thefieldofaudienceresearch(orvisitorstudies)isagrowingandimportantfield.Studentsinterestedinbecomingevaluatorsareencouragedtopursueadditionaltraining.

TopicsandThemes

Purposeofvisitorresearch

Typesofevaluationincludingfront‐end,formative,summativeandremedial

Developmentofinstruments

Qualitative,quantitativeandmixedmethods

Validityandreliability

Relationshipsanddistinctionsbetweenresearchandevaluation

Ethicsandresponsibilities

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Assignments•2009•Draft

Allassignmentsaredueindropboxunlessotherwisestated.HumanSubjectsResearch 5points CompletetheonlinestudentcourseforHumanSubjectsresearchofferedthroughUniversityofWashington(CITI).YouwillhavetofirstregisterandlogininandthentaketheStudentCourse,estimatedtotake30minutes.PrintandsubmitaPDFintheDropBox.DueJan.12.www.citiprogram.org/EvaluationReports 15pointsReadoneevaluationreportandsubmitaonepagebriefandgiveafive‐minutesynopsistotherestoftheclassincludingtheprimaryresearch/evaluationquestionorgoal,researchsite,methods,andresults.Discusswhetheryouthinktheinterpretationoftheresultsisconsistentwiththefindingsandmethodology(i.e.aretheconclusionsvalid).Wewillheartwo‐threereportseachclasswithyourdateassigned.Youwillbestoppedattheendof5minutessodonotdwellondetails.Onesourceforevaluationreportsisinformalscience.org.SeeScheduleforyourdatetopresent. ObservingVisitorBehavior(WoodlandParkZoo) 30pointsCompleteatleast20observationsandtrackingsusingworksheetdevelopedinclassandinputintodatafile.Attachabriefreflectionpaper(threepagesmaximum)summarizingyourfindingsandwhatyoulearnedfromthisspecificexercisebothaboutthetargetoftheobservationandaboutthemethodoftracking..DueJan.19.Survey 40points Developashortsurveyorquestionnairethatincludes6‐10questionsforvisitors.Youmaychooseanytopicandthiscanbepartofyourfinalevaluationproposal.Pilottestthesurveywithatleastthreeindividualsthatreflectbasicdemographicsofyourtargetaudience(canincludefriends,classmates).Includeaone‐twopageoverviewoftheevaluationquestionyouareaddressing,audience,howtheinformationcouldbeused,whathappenedduringthepilottesting,andyourownreflectionsontheprocess.IncludeIRBcomplianceinformation.DueFeb.9.

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InterviewQuestions 20points Theclasswillworktogetheronasetofquestionsthatcouldbeusedaspartofafront‐endstudyforanexhibitoncrows.WewilldevelopthequestionsandanalyzetheresultsasaclassandeachstudentwillcompleteatleasttwoindependentinterviewswithyournotessubmittedtotheDropBox.Theresultsofourinterviewswillbeusedbythe“PlanningExhibitsforPeople”class,astheydevelopaplanforanexhibitoncrows.Due:Feb.16EvaluationProposal 75points Developaproposalforanaudienceresearchorevaluationstudyaboutarealscenarioinanexistingmuseum,zoo,gardenorothersiteofinformallearning.Identifyaninterestingandrelevantquestionrelatedtovisitorbehavior,learning,interestorotheroutcome.Developaspecificplantoanswerthequestion.Astrongproposalwillberelativelynarrowinitsquestionwithallactivitiesalignedtoansweringthequestion.Itmightfocusonanexhibitorprogramandmightbeafront‐end,formative,summative,remedialorothertypeofstudy.Theproposalshouldincludethefollowingcomponents(Seepage20ofDiamondformoredetails.)Youmaychoosetodothisassignmentwithanotherstudentwithapprovalfromoneoftheinstructors.Due:March1

1) Background2) Objectives(Whatisthequestionyouwanttoanswer?)3) Briefreviewofrelatedstudiesontheexhibit/programtopic(ifproposingafront‐end

study)4) Timeline5) Methods&rationale(type,surveys,interviews,observations,mixedmethods)6) Strongdraftofoneinstrumenttobeused7) Disseminationplan8) IRBproposal

Participation 15pointsParticipationincludesbeingpreparedforclassdiscussions,contributingideasand/orresources,andsupportingthegoalsoftheclassandthelearningexperienceofyourclassmates.

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GradingScaleGRADE Letter Percentage4.0 A 1003.9 97.53.8 A‐ 953.7 92.53.6 903.5 87.53.4 B+ 853.3 82.53.2 803.1 77.53.0 B 752.9 72.52.8 B‐ 702.7 67.52.6 652.5 62.5

ScaledeterminedbytheUWGraduateSchool.Aminimumof2.7isrequiredineachcoursethatiscountedtowardagraduatedegree.AminimumGPAof3.00isrequiredforgraduation.

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CourseScheduleWinter2009

Note:Pleaserefertoclasswebsiteweekly.Readingsandclassactivitieswillbeupdatedweekly.WeekOneWhatisAudienceResearchandWhyShouldICare? January5•IntroductiontoAudienceResearch JohnsonHall022 Audienceresearch(alsocalledvisitorstudies)canhelpusknowifourprogramsare

advancingthemuseum’smissionorifourprojectsarerealizingourgoals. January7•TypesofOutcomes(Whatarewelookingatandfor) JohnsonHall022 Reports:Karin,Alex Read “StudyingYourVisitorsWheretoBegin”(classwebsite,Resources) Diamond,chapters1&2 BrowseEvaluationReportsatInformalScience.org. BigIdeaoftheWeek:Evaluationisaprocessofgatheringevidencetomadedecisionsabout

museumpractice.

WeekTwoObservationalStudies January12•ObservingVisitors WoodlandParkZoo EducationCenter,Classroom Reports:Shannon,Kylie Classwilldevelopanobservationtoolformeasuringengagementinthezoo’sindoor

Zoomaziumexhibit.http://www.zoo.org/zoomazium/index.html Read Diamond,chapter3&4 DUE:IRBcertificateinDropBoxJanuary14•TypesofStudies JohnsonHall022 Reports:Kathryn,Jessica,Marta,Katy What’sthedifferencebetweenfront‐end,formative,summative,remedial

evaluation?Whatkindsofquestionsiseachonedesignedtoanswer? ReadCreswell,chapter1,skim2&3 BigIdeaoftheWeek:Observationstelluswhatvisitorsdo.Theydon’ttelluswhyorwhatthose

behaviorsmean.

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WeekThree AttentionandTimeinGalleries January19•MLKDayNoClass DUE:Observationsreport January21•Analyzingobservations WoodlandParkZoo(EdCenter,Room2) Reports:Pema,Justine, ReadingsskimCreswell4&5,readDiamondchapter5&6

WeekFour InterviewsandSurveys January26•AskingMeaningfulQuestions JohnsonHall Reports:Sara,Meng‐Fan,Julie ReadingsCreswellskim7,readchapter8January28•TBA JohnsonHall Reports:LizB.,Erin,RosieBigIdeaoftheWeek:Thekeytoausefulandeffectiveresearchstudyisasolid,concrete,useful

question.Therestisjustfindingdatatohelpyouanswerit.

WeekFiveQualitativeResearch February2•TheoryandPhilosophyofQualitativeResearch BurkeRoom Reports:Kelly,Lace AninformalconversationwithDr.DeborahPerry,SelindaResearchand

Associates,MuseumResearcherandEvaluator.Opentostudents,professionalsandfaculty.Classwillstartat3:30withpresentationsandDr.Perryat4:00.

ReadingsCreswellchapter9February4•PeerreviewofSurveys JohnsonHall Reports:Yeshodara,Jaisa,Erin Bringdraftofyoursurveytoclasswithoutyournamebutsometypeofidentifiersoitcan

bereturnedtoyou.Wewillreadandrespondanonymouslytoeachother’ssurveys.

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WeekSixDevelopingyourAudienceResearchPlan February9•.ConductingInterviews JohnsonHall Reports:Jennifer,LizR.

Inpreparationforanexhibitoncrows,wewilldesigninterviewquestionsthatcouldbeusedaspartofafront‐endstudytoassessvisitorknowledge,interest,questions,attitudesaboutcrows.Youwillconductoneinterviewduringclassandoneoutsideofclass(withafriend,colleagueorstranger).

Due:Survey February11•ConversationwithEvaluatorRandiKorn WoodlandParkZoo,EdCenter RandiKorn&Associates,Inc.(RK&A),isafull‐servicemuseumevaluationand

researchfirmwithservicesincludingaudienceresearch,educationalresearch,exhibitionevaluation,impactevaluation,andprogramevaluation.

WeekSeven Interviews February16•PresidentsDayNoClass Due:SubmityourinterviewnotestoDropbox. February18•AnalyzingQualitativeData JohnsonHall Howtoturnlargeamountsofqualitativematerial(e.g.,responsestoopen‐ended

questions)intouseabledata Reports:Anymake‐ups Readings:SkimCreswellchapter10

WeekEightEvaluationinMuseumPracticeNOTE:Theschedulethisweekisdependentonoutsidespeakers.Checktheclasswebsitefor

finalinformation. Feb.23•CommunicatingResults LocationTBA Readings:Diamondchapter7&8 Feb.25•PanelPresentation:WhatEvaluationMeanstoUs WoodlandParkZoo Panelofprofessionalswhoconduct,commissionoruseresultsofaudienceresearch.

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WeekNineProposalPresentationsPrepareaverybriefpresentationofyourproposalincludingtheproblemitaddressed,thegoal,methods,instrumentsandhowyouhoperesultswillbeused.Youwillhaveaverylimitedtime(5‐7minutes)topresentit.BothsessionswillbeinJohnsonHall. March2•PresentationsofProposals LastNameAthroughL March4•PresentationsofProposals LastNameMthroughZEvaluationProposalsDueinDropboxMarch1.

WeekTenGoingForward March9•AdvancingaResearchagenda Tentativeguestspeaker. March11•Summary ReviewofPracticumopportunities,professionalorganizations