What does the public understand about astronomical concepts? How can
visitor studies done at museums and planetariums help inform future
programs and exhibits? What are the "best practice" examples
of successfully involving space scientists in informal education projects?
This area of Space Science Access is dedicated to helping scientists
and informal educators apply the results of experience and education
research to improving future space science education experiences for
all audiences.
This article, which was published
in the May/June 1999 Association of Science-Technology Centers Newsletter,
presents an overview of several front-end visitor studies.
This site from the National
Optical Astronomy Observatory makes it easy to find, read about, and
use new ideas and resources for teaching and outreach in astronomy
and space sciences.
The Association of Science-Technology
Centers has created a set of "behind-the-scenes" profiles
of the people involved in museum exhibits and programming. Check out
the variety of ways space scientists have been involved.
In 1999 NASA Earth Science
Enterprise conducted a survey of informal science education institutions
regarding ideas for collaboration. See the results here.
Gary Sampson, a member of
the Great Lakes Planetarium Association, made these recommendations
for ways that the NASA Space Science community could work with planetarians.