Making play visible

Making Play Visible

My last interactivity session - so sad it's ending. This session - while being laid out in a very confusing manner - had some good information. Hopefully I can relay it in a manner that will make more sense!

The bottom line of this session was that museums want to make play for visible meaning they want parents, educators, community, society to see the educational value of play. To connect the dots that the learning and educational "work" taking place at the museum is just as (if not more) important than what is happening at he schools.

What I didn't find out until the end, was that the panel presenting to us (each only having 5 minutes) were all involved in grant funded programs that were in scientific processes of testing how to gauge what children are learning, if parents are (and how they are) understanding what their child is learning.

The museums tried several different avenues (see notes below) - scientists, signage, questionnaires, exhibit prototyping.

Then we broke out into discussion groups.

I had an "A ha!" moment for my group - the way to make play visible is to MAKE IT FUN! Just like at our museum visit last night where we were engaged, learning, etc. That is what you do for parents - make it a fun learning experience (which is what is happening for their child!).

No one wants to go to a museum and have them tell you how to parent your child, what they should be doing with their time, directing their play - would you go back to a place like that?

Thought this was very valuable as RCLS thinks about a 2nd floor space that adults should be engaged throughout the space as well (feeling invested in the space and wanting to patron, support, and donate to said space).

If this sounds interesting to you - scroll down and view my notes from the session below. Let me know if you have any questions.


Notes from session:

Create a community of practice, meaningful discussion

Tacoma,/ Everett / Bellevue,  Minnesota, Science Boston, Providence Children's Museum

Other learning obvious, sometimes play not at obvious. Make learning visible (Reggio documentation, american museums, project zero). Play takes place in different environment than classroom, unstructured environment, short experience.

People agree children learning through play, but it's fuzzy. Play taxonamies (imaginative play vs. dramatic play). We think because children active they are playing - but are they? IF we cannot connect the dots it will be be difficult to create the environments. Things happen fast in play and in museum. How do we capture that? Make visible to parents / teachers / etc? Reach shared understanding of what learning looks like.

Schools we use test, make learning visible through tests (rarely used after play has occurred). Museums have no agenda, discoveries happening all the time, visitors have choice to continue or go to another activity, how respect child's space and choice, but follow enough to pay attention and record. Parents / weekly families can help give this window.

Does interpretation capture what is most relevant?

Portland and Washington, worked together on project - 2000s  started looking at people learning / exploring in museum, interviewed users experiences in museum. False assumptions about adults in the museums. Invitation to share observations over 6 weeks, left papers out in space, 119 comments, 63 % thoughtful understanding of child's preferences and capabilities, some stretched to analyze or interpret play, this was all without facilitation.

Then next phase hand out at the door when people came in. Working on creating a permanent space where parents can leave there comments.

In what way do exhibit build caregiver awareness?

Survey analysis - more staff training to broaden knowledge, develop caregiver enrichment guide, web, video, internal smaller interactive screens.

Deficit in describing imaginative play. Developed list of competencies in creative play, play kits, staff training made the biggest impact.

MN - 66,000  sq. ft. 460,000 visitors, 45% general admin., 40% members, 15% groups, capitol campaign expansion, creativity jam - prototype gallery three times in museum, formal evaluation.

Get a sense of what new museum will be like - move away from subject areas (science), into a skill based exhibit (21st century skills).

How do parents define creativity, their role with their child, the value of it?

Parents don't know what they don't know. Before and after was a challenge for surveys.

1,114 emails - 325 then filled out survey after attending exhibit.

Play LENS - let go / empower / notice / support
Informational to more concrete and direct
maker space on steroids (drills / saws / junk)

Let go of what learning looks like, empower your child, then you will notice more of what your child is doing, and then notice capabilities and better able to support.

Parents very receptive to this. Parents quotes ... (will ask more questions of my child, help less) (will not underestimate my 3 yr old) (when ask why, ask them what they think first)

Boston - science center

Discovery Center, early childhood center (since the 70s develop children develop STEM skills). First thing assess exhibit, what holes need to be filled, 1/3 of visitors were adults, great experiences for kids and some parents got involved and were just as interested as the kids.

Living laboratory, 530 more scientists, 58,000 museum visitors, 300 more museum educators

Scientists - great questioning strategies, stimuli to excite them, think about mechanisms of learning.

Even young children understand probability, can do basic algebra, labels, when do children become afraid for little red riding hood?

Scientists in the exhibits, research toys, table top activities, all show us how children are learning, when we talk to parents we get the most info.

Messages for parents - handouts encouraging parents - can you be a cognitive scientists (make them think about the learning) staff needed to encourage

RI - 166,227 in 2013, 29% for free, 4 1/2 average age of children

"Labels" dangling, notice boards (no one noticed)
"how would you set this up" play encourages independence

Connection of learning and play must be explicit.

We need to get a starting spot - what do parents / children understand about learning?

Do adults notice play?

Do children reflect their own thought processes and value in own learning?

Interviewed 90 caregivers. Project funded by NSF. Parents noticed same behaviors museum coding. Parents say not sure, don't have vocabulary to describe, can't tell you what's happening. Interpreting behaviors is hump we are trying to get over.

Simple checklist of behaviors for parents. Repetition, focusing, trial and error.

Other side had interpretation of what it meant.

SHIFT NEGATIVE ASSOCIATIONS WITH BEHAVIORS

Don't intrude on families play.

Discuss in groups -

Q1. What does visible play mean for each audience member?
Q2. What issues need to be addressed through your own spaces?
Q3. Does interpretation of making learning visible capture what we think is relevant? What would you change?

Truckee, staff of 5, indoor / outdoor museum, Parents looking and see meaningful things, but don't understand what it is. Ex. they always come to the train table, change thought perception tell them repetition is good and this is where most play / learning happens. Parents want child to go to exhibit that they think has the most educational value.

Struggle with technology in background, started with montessori model, cell phones left at entrance,  parents engage more with less phone use ( shift), language, made language more accessible (silly terms for things like developmentally appropriate

Sacramento - 2 years in to museum, have not yet focused on connecting play to learning, as childhood development experts (not one - dabbled), expert is glossed over when parents visiting, reduce "Expert" without losing the value", don't lose science in layman's terms, know something going on.

Signs not going ot cut it, nothing replaces parent / child interaction.

Museum of Boston Science - facilitators, interpretors, living labels, 10 second conversation with adult, int he moment,

WA - train staff to feel comfortable , it's not trained staff

My ah ha moment - IT SHOULD BE FUN for parents to learn about what their children are learning, a game, shared learning experience, not school, not something else they have to do or are bad parents - want to see something cool - see how much your kid knows.

Truckee - parents want to tinker, loved building with electricity, fabric, hands on experience

Flip it on it's head - ask what are you learning (what is parent learning) - this is the same experience kids are having.

If parents laugh and create a memory, more likely to come back, increase attendance.

Squishy playdough and circuits (parents weren't into it until they got their own tray). When they figured out complexity they were impressed their child's accomplishment, and understanding of their child's failure.

These approaches are helpful (floor staff is front desk staff). Someone gives kids digital cameras to take pictures in the museum of what is important to them. Kailedescope, AK.

In the moment may be unreasonable (parents have agenda at museum). Be in the moment a the museum, but at home they can apply the learning at home (informal) as well. Make it faster, less words, how long is a moment, what is best way to communicate in moment, develop vocabulary.

Peggy M. - NY Hall of science documentation process for teachers Fall 2013 "hand to hand" - methodologies for in the moment

Engage parents in play so they can see and connect to the children's learning. Give the adult the experience. Solo play / cooperative play and experience play together. Observe oneself in play experience.

Play together, gives parent the opportunity to play with child and opportunity for child to be the expert.

Reduce barriers, identify what exhibits are not working, what can we transfer between exhibits

Adventure playground - action research, play workers mapped space, "co create adventure playground"