Informal Learning Experiences Announces Professional Development Workshop: 
Designing Experience-Based Learning Projects:

Monday, February 28, 2000
Seattle, Washington
Pacific Science Center

(Additional sites in the Northeast U.S., Midwest U.S., & Southeast U.S. will 
be announced soon)

Overview 

This full-day, "hands-on" workshop addresses the design of experience-based 
learning projects. It will be conducted seminar-style, with open discussion, 
small group sessions, and hands-on exercises on the museum floor. The 
workshop is relevant for informal educators from science centers, zoos, 
children's museums, natural history museums, and art and history museums that 
emphasize interactive learning experiences. 

The workshop and manual provide participants with: 

· A brief introduction to learning theories (Piaget, Dewey, Gardner, etc.) as 
they apply to exhibit design and hands-on activities, 
· A framework for analyzing behaviors, experiences, and impacts of 
interactive exhibits and activities, 
· Practical guidance in designing interactive exhibits and activities, · An 
introduction to project evaluation, and 
· A manual with chapters on all workshop content, appendices with extensive 
bibliographies and other informal education resources, and 50+ pages of 
additional readings. 
* A three-issue subscription to the Informal Learning Review, which covers 
issues, trends, visitor studies/theory, funding sources, and other news about 
informal learning.
· 
The workshop leader will give brief overviews of major concepts for each 
segment of the workshop. The majority of the workshop schedule will be 
devoted to three activities, conducted individually or in small groups: 
critiquing "classic" interactive exhibits and supporting text/graphics, 
recording observations and "evaluating" exhibits at the host site, and 
designing a table-top interactive exhibit. 

Location and Registration

The workshop is intended for executive directors, program directors, exhibit 
directors, education directors, content specialists, and senior management. 
Staff are encouraged to attend as a team.  The workshop will be held at the 
Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington, Monday, February 28.  For 
further information on the workshop and registration information, please 
contact:  Bob Russell, (202) 364-8841; [log in to unmask]

Faculty

Dr. Russell has directed children's and science museums, served as Program 
Director of the Informal Science Education Program at the National Science 
Foundation, and currently consults on a wide range of informal learning 
projects.  Informal Learning Experiences (ILE, formerly Informal Science, 
Inc.) publishes The Informal Learning Review and The Traveling Exhibits 
Database and Report. 

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