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The Interrelationships Between Adult Museum Visitors' Learning Identities and Their Museum Experiences

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The Interrelationships Between Adult Museum Visitors' Learning Identities and Their Museum Experiences THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ADULT MUSEUM VISITORS’ LEARNING IDENTITIES AND THEIR MUSEUM EXPERIENCES A thesis Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by LYNDA JOAN KELLY BA, Grad Dip Emp Rel University of Technology, Sydney 2007 CERTIFICATE I certify that the work in this thesis has not previously been submitted for any degree nor has it been submitted as part of requirements for any other degree except as fully acknowledged within the text. I also certify that the thesis has been written by me. Any help that I have received in my research work and the preparation of the thesis itself has been acknowledged. In addition, I certify that all information sources and literature used are indicated in the thesis. _______________________________ Acknowledgements I sincerely thank my supervisor Dr Janette Griffin. Her generous, intelligent and practical feedback given with good humour was always valued and appreciated. I also acknowledge the contribution of my co-supervisors, Professor Lyn Yates and Dr Peter Aubusson, who gave valuable feedback from an external perspective, and Peter in particular for his support in the final stages of the thesis. Several people assisted me during the preparation of this thesis. Phil Gordon continually encouraged me to persist with the thesis and assisted in reading early chapter drafts; Tim Sullivan commented on several papers prepared throughout the course of the study and continually believed the work was important; Dr Rob Hall and Allison Bartlett gave insightful comments on the surveys and questionnaires; Heather Clark, a doctoral student at University of Technology Sydney, gave invaluable assistance with data analysis; Blanche Savage assisted with data gathering; and Carl Bento from the Australian Museum Photography Unit kindly supplied the exhibition photographs. I also acknowledge the Australian Museum, Sydney, for supporting this research, especially my former supervisors Gwen Baker and Jan Barnett, and my current supervisor, Janet Carding, who has been extremely supportive and interested in the study. Many of my professional colleagues and friends, from the Museum and across the sector, were also very enthusiastic and encouraging. Finally, thanks to my children, Madeleine and Nicholas, for putting up with a somewhat distracted mother for the past eight years! This thesis is dedicated to my father, John Lewis Kelly, 24 July 1928 – 20 March 2002—a great man and sadly missed. iii Note on publications Parts of the thesis have been published during the course of the study as follows. Refereed conference proceedings Kelly, L. (2001). Researching learning…and learning about research. In Change and Choice in the New Century, Change in Education Research Group Symposium Proceedings (pp. 115-121). Sydney: University of Technology. Kelly, L. (2003). Extending the Lens: A Sociocultural Approach to Understanding Museum Learning. In L. Kelly & J. Barrett (Eds.), Proceedings of UNCOVER - graduate research in the museum sector Conference 2002 (pp. 183-189). Sydney: Australian Museum and University of Sydney. Kelly, L. (2006). Visitors and Learners: investigating adult museum learning identities. In Proceedings of the Australian Association for Educational Research Annual Conference, Adelaide. Refereed journal articles Kelly, L. (2000). Finding Evidence of Visitor Learning. Informal Learning Review, 42(May/June), 1, 8-12. Kelly, L. (2003). What Does Learning Mean For Museum Visitors? International Journal of Learning, 10. Kelly, L. (2005). Evaluation, Research and Communities of Practice: Program Evaluation in Museums. Archival Science, 4(1-2), 45-69. Kelly, L. (2006). Museums as Sources of Information and Learning: The Decision-Making Process. Open Museum Journal, 8. Books and book chapters Kelly, L., & Gordon, P. (2002). Developing a Community of Practice: Museums and Reconciliation in Australia. In R. Sandell (Ed.), Museums, Society, Inequality (pp. 153-174). London: Routledge. Kelly, L., Savage, G., Griffin, J., & Tonkin, S. (2004). Knowledge Quest: Australian families visit museums. Sydney: Australian Museum. Kelly, L., Savage, G., Landman, P., & Tonkin, S. (2002). Energised, engaged, everywhere: older Australians and museums. Sydney: Australian Museum. iv Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS III NOTE ON PUBLICATIONS IV CONTENTS V TABLES IX FIGURES X ABSTRACT XI CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 12 1.1 BACKGROUND: WHY IS THIS STUDY NEEDED? 13 1.1.1 People visit museums to learn 16 1.1.2 Meaning of concepts: learning, education, entertainment 17 1.1.3 “Thematising” learning 20 1.2 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND APPROACH 21 1.3 RESEARCH CONTEXT 23 1.3.1 Audience research in museums 23 1.3.2 Museum learning research 25 1.3.3 Research location: The Australian Museum, Sydney 26 1.4 SIGNIFICANCE 27 1.5 THESIS STRUCTURE 28 1.5.1 Terminology and Conventions 29 CHAPTER 2. LEARNING AND IDENTITY: LITERATURE REVIEW 33 2.1 EARLY LEARNING THEORIES AND CLASSIFICATIONS 34 2.2 THEORIES INFORMING MUSEUM EDUCATION AND LEARNING 38 2.2.1 Behavioural theories 38 2.2.2 Cognitive theories 40 2.2.3 Social theories 43 2.2.4 Constructivism 48 2.2.5 Sociocultural theory 53 2.3 ENJOYMENT, LEISURE AND LEARNING 60 2.4 STUDYING THE CONCEPT OF “LEARNING” 62 2.4.1 Conceptions of learning: phenomenography 62 2.4.2 Researching understandings of learning: general population 65 2.4.3 Researching views of learning in museums 67 2.5 EXPLORING IDENTITY 70 2.5.1 Identity described in a museum context 74 2.6 UNDERSTANDING MUSEUM LEARNING AND IDENTITY 79 v CHAPTER 3. STUDYING LEARNING IDENTITIES: METHODOLOGY 81 3.1 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: AN INTERPRETIVE APPROACH 81 3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN 83 3.2.1 Choosing the sample: adult museum visitors 84 3.2.2 Ethics and privacy 85 3.2.3 Pilot studies 85 3.3 STAGE ONE METHOD 88 3.3.1 In-depth interviews 89 3.3.2 Questionnaires 90 3.3.3 Telephone survey 96 3.4 STAGE TWO METHOD 96 3.4.1 Sample 97 3.4.2 Procedure 97 3.4.3 The exhibition 99 3.5 RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY 100 3.5.1 Reliability 101 3.5.2 Validity 101 3.6 DATA ANALYSIS ISSUES: STAGE ONE 102 3.7 METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES: STAGE TWO 104 3.7.1 Analysing conversation data 104 3.7.2 Observations 107 3.8 WHERE NOW? 110 CHAPTER 4. CAPTURING LEARNING: STAGE ONE FINDINGS 111 4.1 STAGE ONE PARTICIPANTS 111 4.1.1 Profile: in-depth interview participants 112 4.1.2 Profile: questionnaire respondents 113 4.2 SUB-QUESTION 1: ADULT MUSEUM VISITORS DESCRIBE LEARNING 114 4.2.1 Describing learning: in-depth interviews 115 4.2.2 Describing learning: questionnaire respondents 118 4.2.3 Learning statements: questionnaire participants and telephone respondents 120 4.2.4 Summary: participants’ views of learning 125 4.3 SUB-QUESTION 2: LEARNING, EDUCATION AND ENTERTAINMENT 126 4.3.1 Describing education 126 4.3.2 Differences: learning and education 128 4.3.3 Describing entertainment 129 4.4 SUB-QUESTION 3: RESOURCES AND PLACES ACCESSED FOR LEARNING 132 4.4.1 Resources accessed when learning: in-depth interviews 132 4.4.2 Resources accessed when learning: questionnaire and telephone respondents 134 4.5 REFLECTING ON LEARNING: SUMMARY FINDINGS 137 vi CHAPTER 5. STAGE ONE ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 139 5.1 DESCRIBING LEARNING: A MODEL OF MUSEUM LEARNING 139 5.1.1 Person 140 5.1.2 Purpose 144 5.1.3 Process 146 5.1.4 People 147 5.1.5 Place 152 5.1.6 Product 156 5.1.7 Summary: 6P model of museum learning 158 5.2 RELATIONSHIPS: LEARNING, EDUCATION AND ENTERTAINMENT 159 5.2.1 Differences between learning, education and entertainment 159 5.2.2 Linking learning, education and entertainment 162 5.2.3 Summary 165 5.3 LEARNING AND IDENTITY IN MUSEUMS 165 5.4 REFLECTING ON LEARNING AND LEARNING IDENTITIES 169 CHAPTER 6. ADULT MUSEUM VISITORS’ LEARNING IDENTITIES AND A MUSEUM EXHIBITION 171 6.1 STAGE TWO METHOD 171 6.2 DATA ANALYSIS 174 6.3 FINDINGS IN RELATION TO LEARNING IDENTITIES 175 6.3.1 Learning identity influenced by experience 176 6.3.2 Experience resonated with learning identity 181 6.3.3 Experience conflicted with learning identity 183 6.3.4 Insights into learning identity unclear 188 6.4 THEMES IN RELATION TO STAGE ONE 189 6.4.1 The roles visitors play 189 6.4.2 Sharing learning 196 6.4.3 Linking to prior, present and future life experiences 200 6.5 REFLECTIONS: ADULT MUSEUM VISITORS’ LEARNING IDENTITIES 204 vii CHAPTER 7. CONCLUSION 205 7.1 HOW ADULT MUSEUM VISITORS DESCRIBE LEARNING: FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS 205 7.1.1 Person 207 7.1.2 Purpose 209 7.1.3 Process 210 7.1.4 People 211 7.1.5 Place 213 7.1.6 Product 215 7.2 LEARNING IN RELATION TO EDUCATION AND ENTERTAINMENT 216 7.2.1 Implications: learning, education and entertainment 217 7.3 METHODOLOGY IMPLICATIONS 219 7.4 LEARNING IDENTITY IMPLICATIONS 220 7.5 CONCLUSION 222 LIST OF APPENDICES 224 REFERENCES 258 viii Tables Table 1.1. Terminology/Conventions .................................................................. 29 Table 2.1. A classification of learning theories.................................................... 37 Table 2.2. Key findings: St Louis Science Centre study...................................... 69 Table 3.1. Research outline: Stage One ............................................................... 89 Table 3.2. Semantic differential scales ................................................................ 94 Table 3.3. Dependent and independent variables: questionnaires ..................... 103 Table 3.4. Visitor talk: coding categories .......................................................... 106 Table 4.1. In-depth interview participants ......................................................... 112 Table 4.2. Questionnaire
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