If we can't use academic research on learning performance, we have to
fall back on market research. In addition to measuring bums on seats we
can measure how often the bums return to the seats.
Market research will also show 'brand awareness', and how long the
awareness remains after the visit.
This means that museums might be required to conduct visitor surveys -
which many of them don't do at the moment.
The logistical difficulties of collecting qualitative information would
make research of performance almost impossible. As Roland says, 'we
could try to agree the conditions that best support learning and
demonstrate performance in achieving them', but to measure 'learning'
we'd need to measure subjects before, during and after a visit to the
museum - only possible with formal visits.
I think the only way is by measuring the popularity of agreed
'educational' elements of a museum, 'brand awareness', memory of the
visit and percentages of repeat visits.
Robin Clutterbuck
Newton Abbot, Devon
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