The Didactics of Science Centres and Museums  

Organised by the Department of Science Education (IND)
and the Graduate School of Education (FUKU), University of Copenhagen 

Course dates: October 1-2, 2009, November 19-20, 2009, January 14-15, 2010

The course aims to introduce participants to a number of related theoretical perspectives for the design and execution of science museum and learning center environments. A variety of perspectives relevant to pedagogical design in informal learning environments will be addressed via experts and prominent literature.

The course will actively integrate the participants' PhD projects into the work. Moreover, international specialists will participate as lecturers and advisors during parts of the course.

The literature and examples will mainly come from primary and secondary level formal as well as informal science education, the course is designed to be accessible to doctoral students with an interest in informal science education. A goal is to facilitate a discussion of the application of didactics to museum environments.

Among the perspectives for research to be considered are:

  • Design with a constructivist perspective
  • Didactics and museology of Science
  • Digital interfaces in informal learning
  • Museographic Transposition
  • Dioramas as Teaching Tools  

We shall read both "basic theory" and related but more specialised research articles. All of the required readings will be in English, but some additional (and optional) texts may be in Danish or French. The course language will be English.

Scientific organisers: Robert Evans and Nana Quistgaard, Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen.

Invited specialists:
Pierre Clément, University of Lyon, France
Martha Marandino, University of Sao Paulo, Brasil
Kevin Walker, London Knowledge Lab, UK
Marianne Mortensen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Timeline of the course
0. Deadline for registration: September 1, 2009

1. Mid September 2009: The first texts are sent to the participants, along with questions to reflect on while reading.

2. October 1-2, 2009: First session, with the following agenda:

  • Short introductions by participants of their projects and interests 
  • Presentation and discussion of the perspectives based on the first texts. 
  • Workshops by three researchers in museum pedagogy
  • A new package of texts (research articles based on the perspectives) will be distributed after this session. These will, as far as possible, be related to the projects and interests of participants.

3. November 19-20, 2009: Second session, treating the texts of the second package and their relations to the projects of the participants. Participants are expected to prepare a short oral presentation of their ideas regarding their own project, which will be discussed with the whole group.

4. January 14-15, 2010: Third and final session, a "mini-conference" where each participant will present a paper on aspects of their own projects which can be usefully related to one or more of the perspectives (this paper must be finished and distributed via email to all participants before the session according to a deadline fixed at the second session).

Venue: All sessions will take place at the Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen. Travel and lodging must be organised by participants.

Prerequisites: Participants are expected to be doctoral students in the didactics of informal education or communication with some general acquaintance of the field as such, and a clearly formulated research project which could be in any stage between beginnings and almost finished. We shall also assume some familiarity with constructivist learning theories and its use in educational research.

Workloads and credits: The course will require about 200 hours of work, corresponding to a course credit of 7.5 ECTS points (pre-approbation of course credits must be obtained from home institution). The work includes readings, oral presentations and final essay (of about 10 pages). Course assessment will be based on the final essay. Absence for other reasons than documented illness will result in no credit for the course. A statement of satisfactory completion will be issued.

Financial issues: There is no participation fee.

Registration is made by completing the form below and sending it together with a one page description of research project and a one page CV preferably by email to:
Robert Evans (evans@ind.ku.dk)

Institut for Naturfagenes Didaktik (Department of Science Education)
For the attention of Bob Evans
Københavns Universitet
Universitetsparken 15
DK-2100 København Ø

Deadline for application:
Please fill in the registration form prior to September 1, 2009.