INTERACT Evaluation Explore ways how scientists best interact

INTERACT Evaluation (Explore ways how scientists best interact directly with the public) Part 1: Evaluation of the TESLA Exhibition Berlin, February 2002 (preliminary selection of results) Part 2: Evaluation and Comparison of Masterclasses UK-FRGermany (Birmingham, London x 2, Bonn) next time Isabell Krämer, student teacher, Bonn Michael Kobel, Bonn 1

TESLA – Light of the Future Journey to the origin of matter Insights into the most tiny dimensions of life Exhibition on the international TESLA project planned at the German research center DESY 16. 01. -17. 02. 2002 Automobil Forum, Unter den Linden, Berlin further information: http: //www-zeuthen. desy. de/ tesla_ausstellung/ 2

TESLA – Light of the Future Exhibition venue Automobil Forum der Volkswagen AG Unter den Linden / Friedrichstrasse Berlin central location 4 about 700 m 2 exhibition area in the basement 4 conference rooms for meetings and events 4 coordination office for the exhibition organizers 4 publicity campaign by VW excellent infrastructure 3

TESLA – Light of the Future The Exhibition subjects: realization: 4 original parts, models, hands-on 4 posters 4 background information (desks) 4„islands of knowledge“ (terminals) Þ„physics for everybody“ Þconnection to life sciences 4 animations, videos Þapplications 4 guided tours 4

Personnel TESLA – Light of the Future Preparatory course and material for guides Guides: 4 at any time 4 guides present: 42 students (20 total) 42 scientists (40 total) 4 all students had > 7 shifts (1/2 day) 4 students: DESY (Zeuthen + Hamburg) 4 Scientists: from all over Germany Visitors: 4 More than 22. 000 in 33 days - casual visitors (Berlin inhabitants, tourists) - visitors reached by advertising - invited guests (events) - more than 70 school classes (mostly: 11 th-13 th grade) 5

TESLA – Light of the Future Events 4 press conference 4 opening ceremony 4 “NDR-Wissenschaftsforum“ Broadcast discussion 4 meeting of the science attachees with members of the international TESLA collaboration 4 10 Years DESY Zeuthen 4 Berlin „Long Night of Museums“ 4 Scientists Day 4 2 Student Days per week (lecture and guided tour) different communities addressed Very useful addition to the exhibition 6

TESLA – Light of the Future INTERACT Questionnaire 4 Designed by Isabell Krämer (student teacher, Bonn) Professional advice by Inst. for Science Pedagogy (IPN) Kiel Prof. Manfred Euler, Katrin Engeln (Ph. D. student) 4 Exhibition questionnaire has 4+1 parts 43 questions: Reasons for coming 46 questions: Judging the Exhibition 46 questions: Judging the direct contact to Scientists 413 questions: Personal Data and attitude towards science/physics 48 questions: A student‘s page Topics addressed: 4 effect on interest in and attitude towards science/physics 4 direct interactions with scientists 4 applicability of the material (age, time, . . . ) 4 gender dependence (boys. vs. girls) 4 dependence on prior knowledge 4 Not primarily: distribution of knowledge 7

General statistics (non-representative! Just from filled questionnaires) Education • 389 visitors interviewt • 31% female 69% male • 67% students 33% „public“ • Guided tours students: 98% public: 70% Age profile „public“ 8

Physics interest before the visit Public Students 73% regulary read/watch science reports (76% male, 70% female) 9

Preferred way of Presentation and Pro‘s Preferred way of Presentation Positive Aspects 10

Suggestions for improvements „public“ students 11

Guides raising new interest. vs. prior physics interest Public Students Also huge correlation between raised interest and clarity of explanations 12

Clarity of guide‘s explanations Public Students 13

Clarity of guides. vs. physics interest In addition: 40% correlation between „having asked questions to guides“ and „regularly read/watch science reports“ 14

Role of Spin-off (FEL) in attitude towards Particle Physics public students 15

Understanding of exponats in guided tours Public Students Having seen the exponats before, doesn‘t help: 16

Understanding exponat descriptions Public Students 17

Understanding descriptions. vs. Prior knowledge/interest . vs. physics interest . vs. Particle physics knowledge 18

Increase of interest in physics Public Students No correlation (-7± 6)% with a priori interest !! Significant correlation (26± 6)% with guide‘s raising interest ! ( Students: 28%, Public 20%) 19

Judgement of particle physics after the visit Public Students 20

Correlations of particle physics judgement. vs. prior physics interest (strong) . vs. increase in physics inter. (weak) 21

Caveats • Beware of artificial correlations! – Correlation: raising physics interest. vs. Participation in tour: all: weak (9± 5)% public: strong (21± 8)% – Correlation: judgement of part. physics. vs. Participation in tour: all: negative(!) (-7± 5)% public: none (1± 9)% • Reason: ALL students participated in tours, and students are on average less enthusiastic 22

Summary(1) • Evaluation seems useful • Beware of caveats • Preferred ways of presentation – Hands-on – 3 -dimensional objects – Videos – Guides • Less preferred ways – PCs – Booklets / Prospects – Poster 23

Summary(2) • Interesting differences observed – Male. vs. Female • Female public profited more from guides want more images, less text, or easier understandable text • Physics interest increase equal to male, but less interested in particle physics in particular – Students. vs. Public • Students less enthuastic about physics and paticle physics („forced to come to the exhibition“) • Less weight on spin-offs (even less by girls!) • significantly more increase in physics interest than public • Profited more from guided tours (in interest and understanding) – Prior interest • Highly correlated to understanding descriptions or guides • Not(!) correlated to amount of raising interest – Guided Tours • Clarity of explanations important • Helps much in raising interest, but no(!) influence on HEP judgement 24