RES E ARC H
Power of
YOUTH Research shows teenage volunteers help ‘tweens’ get the most out of
science centres, museums and other attractions. Magali Robathan speaks to the people behind the research to find out the implications for attractions wanting to make more meaningful connections with visitors
I
f you want to increase interest and
talking with a teen educator was – perhaps
engagement in museum exhibits in STEM
this is because a teenage educator isn’t too far
subjects in children and tween visitors,
removed from them, age-wise. Not only can the
enlist the help of teenage docents. This
educator present the topic on the correct level,
is the finding of recent research carried
these kids can also look up to and see themselves
out by North Carolina State University in the
in the teenagers, more than in an adult who
US and the University of Exeter in the UK.
they might view as just another teacher.”
The study surveyed more than 2,100
find higher engagement levels from adults
a zoo, an aquarium, a children’s museum, a
when interacting with youth educators
technology-themed museum and a health-
as compared to adult educators.
themed science centre. It found that teenage
“What was fascinating was not only the strong
educators had a positive effect on the
impact on child visitors, but also the higher
experiences of all age groups, but the effect
engagement level from adults,” Hartstone-
was most marked in children aged 9 to 11.
Rose says. “I refer to that effect as the ‘charm
NC State researchers Kelly Lynn Mulvey,
factor’ – the idea that the adults may want to
associate professor of psychology and Adam
invest time to help youth succeed.” Another
Hartstone-Rose, associate professor of
theory was that learning from a youth educator
biological sciences, led the research, which
poses less of a threat to the self-esteem of adult
measured interest levels at the end of the visit
visitors than learning from an adult peer might.
with questions that covered topic interest and informational recall of exhibit content. They found that levels of information
“These results also make a compelling argument for investing in youth programmes,” Hartstone-Rose says. “The bottom line is, if
retention among 9-to 11-year-olds were
you visit a zoo or museum, seek these people
markedly higher when they interacted with
out – you will have a better experience.”
a youth rather than an adult educator. “We know that learning is highly social, so we
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The researchers were also surprised to
visitors to ‘informal learning sites’, including
Here we speak to the researchers about their findings, and the implications for
expected that visitors would benefit more when
museums and attractions looking to reopen
they interacted with an educator,” Mulvey says.
safely following the covid-19 pandemic.
“But, we were very surprised at how helpful
More: www.attractionsmanagement.com/docents
attractionsmanagement.com AUGUST 2021