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Understanding How Families Use Magnifiers During Nature Center Walks

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Abstract

This analysis uses a sociocultural learning theory and parent–child interaction framework to understand families’ interactions with one type of scientific tool, the magnifier, during nature walks offered by a nature center. Families were video recorded to observe how they organized their activities where they used magnifiers to explore in the outdoors. Findings include that families used magnifiers for scientific inquiry as well as for playful exploration. Using the concept of guided facilitation where families develop roles to support their joint endeavor, three roles to support family thinking were found to be: (a) tool suggester, (b) teacher, and (c) exploration ender. Some families struggled to use magnifiers and often, parents and older siblings provided support for younger children in using magnifying lenses. Implications to informal science learning theory are drawn and suggestions for future family learning research are offered: (a) inclusion of sociocultural and situated perspectives as theories to study informal learning in outdoor spaces, (b) further study on the role of siblings in family interactions, (c) design-based research is needed to encourage family role-taking when engaging in science practices, and (d) new conceptualizations on how to design informal programs that support science learning while leaving space for visitors’ personal agendas and interests that can guide the families’ activities.

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Acknowledgments

An early version of this paper was presented at the 2012 NARST conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. We thank Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, and the families who participated in this research project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Heather Toomey Zimmerman, Lucy Richardson McClain & Michele Crowl

  2. College of Education, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Heather Toomey Zimmerman

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  1. Heather Toomey Zimmerman
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Correspondence to Heather Toomey Zimmerman.

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Zimmerman, H.T., McClain, L.R. & Crowl, M. Understanding How Families Use Magnifiers During Nature Center Walks. Res Sci Educ 43, 1917–1938 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-012-9334-x

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