In a time when fake news, bots and pseudoscience make it challenging for individuals to separate fact from fiction, Werklund School of Education graduate student Lauryn Record is exploring the increasing significance of the non-formal science education taking place at museums, science centres, zoos and aquariums.
Record’s extensive experience as an education interpreter and program developer spurred her to pursue a Master of Science degree in Curriculum and Learning, centred on helping these organizations build better exhibits that result in increased scientific literacy, advocacy and action.
“Because museums, science centres, zoos and aquariums, or MCZAs, have such a large combined visitation, we have a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to collectively support and advocate for science, especially as scientific literacy rates continue to struggle,” she says. “MCZAs must demonstrate strong science leadership by addressing controversial issues such as evolutionary biology and climate change with factual content presented in a visitor-targeted manner.”
Record observed exhibits and spoke with professionals at facilities throughout North America for her thesis and explains that non-formal education is any learning individuals freely choose to undertake outside of the traditional school system. It is this free choice that gives this type of knowledge acquisition considerable power.
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