Design strategies influencing informal learning in science centre

Abstract

Museum exhibition environment provides experiential learning through its messages with a view to influence knowledge, attitudes and learning behaviours of visitors. Connections in visitors’ cognitive, affective, emotional and physiological responses play a beneficial role in museum visits. The focus of this study is on understanding and enhancing visitors’ experience of science centre. Its subject matter is informal learning, situated in the context of both experiential design and exhibition design. The aims of the research are to understand the experiential design strategies that improves science centre intent. The first objective is to determine the tools for enchantment of message in the science centre experience. The second objective is to established the interconnection between science centres’ representational systems and the tools for enchantment. The third objective is to explain design opportunities that will improve science centre visitor experience. The theoretical framework is confined to the interrelationship between the concept of atmospheric context, experiential learning, enchantment as a tool of message, representational modes and design opportunities in science centre. The changes in atmospheric context and enchantment are influenced by the design opportunities available in the science centre. Qualitative research methodology namely photographic observation and in-depth interviews were employed to achieve the objectives of the research. The research involves case studies of science centres in Asia pacific. The first finding of the research indicate that the tools for enchantment of message in the science centre experience are thematization, spatialization and scenarization of the experience. The experiential strategies include the spectacular, immersive, ritualized and commercial dimensions. The second finding suggest that design can influence visitor participation with different emphases on three dimensional representations, lighting quality and degree of linearity. The third finding propose design opportunities that improve science centre visitor experience, identified in five main themes: invoking interest, delivering the message, connecting personally, designing inclusive/immersive experience and balancing the constraints. Research conclude that design emphasis increases in complexity to overwhelm, stimulate, and transform, resulting in greater emotional impact that uplifts the level of visitor perception from mere acceptance to motivation and enjoyable learning experience. Well-designed exhibition evokes direct participation and transformational experiences for visitors. The analysis of representative modes on the dimensions of classification, formality and framing revealed the way that visitors are socially constructed as learning subjects. The design of the exhibitions creates a ‘model visitor’ who is highly motivated to interact with the exhibits and is also autonomous in deciding his/her own learning experiences. The research clarifies that science centre acknowledged the four processes that affect learning: attentional, affective, cognitive and compensatory. The implications from this research are design knowledge which includes connection between science centre offerings, exhibition design emphases, and visitor experiences; the concept of visitor interaction with atmospherics and the exhibition environment; and the design opportunities to improve visitor experiences.