Biodiversity and Science, Technology, Society and Environment (STSE): Visitor Perceptions at a Science and Natural History Museum

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46328/ijres.3211

Keywords:

public perception of science and technology, adults, science and natural history museum.

Abstract

This qualitative study investigated perceptions of STSE topics manifested by adults visiting four biodiversity exhibits at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto, Canada. Seven visitors were observed by researchers during their visits and completed post-visit interviews. The theoretical perspective on STSE relationships expounded by Pedretti and Nazir (2011) and Steele (2014) was adopted for the analysis portion of this investigation. Results indicate that the exhibits were able to communicate their central messages on the relationship between human beings and the natural world and the relationship between science and society, as well as reveal some of the effects that these messages had on the public. However, results also support the assertion that some of the intended STSE concepts were not perceived by the participants. Moreover, we identified limitations regarding adult visitors’ abilities to perceive science and technology as human activities embedded in a social, historical and moral context.

References

Colombo Junior, P.D., Marandino, M., & Scalfi, G. (2023). Biodiversity and Science, Technology, Society and Environment (STSE): Visitor perceptions at a science and natural history museum. International Journal of Research in Education and Science (IJRES), 9(3), 753-773. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijres.3211

Downloads

Published

2023-08-24

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Biodiversity and Science, Technology, Society and Environment (STSE): Visitor Perceptions at a Science and Natural History Museum. (2023). International Journal of Research in Education and Science, 9(3), 753-773. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijres.3211

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Similar Articles

1-10 of 297

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.