The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore the effects of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's work in partnering with professors from universities across the United States during a 1-year collaborative partnership through an educational program referred to as Belfer First Step Holocaust Institute for Teacher Educators (BFS…

Genuine worldwide movements for social change are rare in human history. Even more rare is the phenomenon of a worldwide movement for social change through art, with teaching artists at the forefront. This article presents the evolution of such a movement now, in the global blossoming of "El Sistema," a program that seeks to change the…

Research suggests that art programs have positive therapeutic effects on children, including improved self-concept. This pretest/posttest intervention study examined changes in self-concept in children (N = 176) who participated in an art program at the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. Results indicated significant, positive increases in…

When it comes to having a traveling outreach activity for a museum, a craft can seem like the perfect solution. It can seemingly be all things at once--educational, quick and fun. But, if poorly constructed, crafts can also have serious fallbacks. Using the Chicago History Museum and the Millennium Park Family Fun Festival as a case study, this…

This case study of "Listen, Look, & Do," a multi-visit preschool program at the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum, provides a model for how other history museums can program for young learners in their neighborhoods. In striving to meet local community audience needs identified by annual evaluations, staff created a program that…

Striving to provide public good and maximize public value strike many as highly abstract and idealistic ideas. Written in the form of an interview, this article, written from the perspective of a practitioner, addresses some of the pragmatic issues that arise when trying to conceptualize approaches to museum offerings and demonstrate their…

In 2005-2006, the National Park Service Office of Interpretive Planning at Harpers Ferry Center, in collaboration with the author, conducted an evaluation project to (a) assess the appropriateness and quality of specific elements of National Park Service (NPS) interpretive plans, (b) determine where improvements in planning might be made, and (c)…

This pilot study aimed at developing and validating an evaluation model to assess the impact of participation in the National History Day in Ohio program (NHD-OH) on students academic achievement and intellectual growth by using as key indicators: a) High-stakes tests, i.e., Ohio Graduation Tests (OGT) in Social Studies, Reading and Writing; b)…

Historical organizations cannot continue to compete in the modern marketplace using traditional models for education program development. Social networking sites and new applications are shaping the way our audiences approach their work, even more so as Generation Y/Millennials begin to flood into the workforce, changing the demographic makeup,…

Discusses an 8-year follow-up study to a smoking prevention program for 13- to 15- year-old students, who were taught the skills to resist pressures to start smoking. Consistent evidence of preventive effects was found among those students who had been non-smokers when the program began. (Author/JS)

Examines the growing demand for English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in business and industry. Presents study findings on the characteristics of six ESL programs offered in Fortune 500 companies, identifying factors that commonly facilitate or impede ESL program design. (DMM)

Convincing industry to adopt health promotion programs presents problems not generally encountered in the public sector. This article describes a marketing approach for organizations and individuals planning to "sell" health promotion to private firms. (PP)

In January 1980, TVOntario, a television network operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, introduced a new concept in adult learning, the TVOntario Academy. It consists of a combination of high broadcast-quality television programming, a computer-managed learning (CML) system, and especially designed courseware aimed at…

Critically examines a study reporting that children who had attended infant and preschool programs had significantly higher rates of meeting school requirements than did controls, and that IQ measures taken on the same subjects showed large initial gains which vanished five years after preschool completion. Includes rebuttal by original…

This report examines the impact and effectiveness of an educational program (Discovery Corners) offered by the National Museum of History and Technology. The main objective is to offer feedback to museum personnel regarding the impact of museum exhibits and programs. The Discovery Corners program involves on-site presentations and demonstrations…