A field trip to the local zoo is often a staple in many elementary school curricula. Many zoos offer free entry to local teachers and their students. Teachers take students on field trips to enrich the curriculum, make connections to what students are learning in school, and provide students with meaningful learning experiences (Kisiel 2007).…

Children's artwork displays are a distinct and key feature of early childhood classrooms. The artwork produced by young children in the classroom is often linked to the educational program. After the completion of the art projects, early childhood educators face the challenge of displaying the children's artwork. With minimal research available on…

In this essay, the president of Miami Dade College describes the anchoring role that the institution plays in the Miami metropolitan region, with a particular emphasis on the many arts and cultural contributions. These efforts, combined with the economic and workforce development endeavors, make Miami Dade College a model anchor institution.

This paper examines the progressive understanding of art advanced by Albert Barnes, and asks how the educational vision for his large collection of art might be preserved as it has now moves from its location in the idyllic suburban setting in Merion, PA to the hustle and bustle of central Philadelphia. I submit that the vision will be endangered…

Gender equity has been a national and global aim for over half a century (Ceci & Williams, 2007; National Center for Education Statistics, 2003; National Science Board, 2008). While gains have been made, one area where inequity remains is spatial reasoning ability, where a large gender gap in favor of males has persisted over the years…

What do a pink door, reading glasses, a website, and a Beetle Kill Pine ceiling have in common? Yes, readers will find them all in this collection of great design in libraries. But the reason they're featured is their important commonality: they were intentionally and thoughtfully placed in a library to meet people's needs or otherwise engage…

In this article Bernstein and Gittleman address the role of risk in creating an exhibition that is of value to the public and is aligned with their cultural institution's core values. Through an examination of the development process, the authors present lessons that can assist others who are interested in undertaking an exhibition with similar…

Targeting students in grades K-8, Art in Action's program consists of 12 age-appropriate lessons per year led by parent and teacher volunteers. The curriculum is based on historically significant artists and their works of art. Through semi-structured discussions, students examine a variety of masterpieces, learning about the artist as well as…

Field trips to science museums can provide students with educational experiences, particularly when museum programs emphasize scientific inquiry skill building over content knowledge acquisition. We describe the creation and study of 2 programs designed to significantly enhance students' inquiry skills at any interactive science museum exhibit…

Inorganic nanocrystals (NCs) have drawn the attention from many researchers due to their promising potentials for next generation technologies, from photovoltaics to biological applications. Various types of NCs have become available by synthetic protocols developed in the last two decades. In addition, multicomponent hybrid NCs which can be…

This article profiles Patrick Dougherty and features his installation at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. With the help of 100 volunteers and a time span of just three weeks, sculptor Patrick Dougherty harvested the materials and constructed the installation entitled "Lookin' Good! Lookin' Good!" on a lawn adjacent to the entrance of…

Two big milestones marked 2014 for the Smithsonian Institution. First, Dr. David Skorton was elected 13th Secretary. Academic leader, cardiologist, and musician, Dr. Skorton and his wife, Professor Robin Davisson, come to the Smithsonian from Cornell University. Dr. Skorton has served as Cornell's president since 2006 and holds academic…

For most of the nineteenth century, county agricultural fairs had little to do with schools and schooling; nevertheless, they served as potent sources of learning. During the post-Civil War generation, most of the learning county agricultural fairs generated had little to do with livestock, crops, and cultivation; nevertheless, farmers and others…

This study investigated whether one hundred and thirty-five 3- to 6-year-old children exhibit a yes bias to various yes-no questions and whether their knowledge status affects the production of a yes bias. Three-year-olds exhibited a yes bias to all yes-no questions such as "preference-object" and "knowledge-object" questions pertaining to…

Background: Museums can serve as rich resources for families to learn about the social world through engagement with exhibits and parent-child conversation about exhibits. Aims: This study examined ways of engaging parents and child about two related exhibits at a cultural and history museum. Sample participants consisted of families visiting the…