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Interview with Todd Shelby - Science Communication Tutor

Ideal interaction with an exhibit Overview | Previous | Next

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Reflexions: Scale and spectacle

BS: Are there any smaller examples you can give? For instance, say if a family or child comes up to an exhibit can you explain what you think what does happen and what would ideally happen.

TS: Well what ideally happens is that they engage with it. If it is a group like that, then usually it isn't the kids who read the instructions. The kids go and (hack) it straight away. And we try and make exhibits that are (hackable). That is, you don't need to do anything. There is an obvious button to press or handle to turn or something like that. And in just the same way that kids (hack in) electronic toys and computers and things like that, we expect something to happen. That is, they will find a way of dealing with it. Usually it's a parent or more often a grandparent who will actually look and see what it says for the instructions and then in some way guide the group there. Might read the 100 words because 100 words is usually the limit of background information and that might start a conversation, between whoever. "Try This" it might say and so that somebody will try it after having done that besides the (hacking). We expect and hope that they will spend a half minute or a minute or perhaps longer at the thing and will get some amusement and perhaps a little enlightenment from it. Does that uh?

BS: Yeah.

TS: Give you the kind of thing? We've got 150 exhibits they are likely to be here for a couple of hours that's 120 minutes. We expect them to go without having tried everything.