INTERACT Evaluation (Explore ways how scientists best interact directly with the public) Part 1: Evaluation of the TESLA Exhibition Berlin, February 2002 (preliminary selection of results) Part 2: Evaluation and Comparison of Masterclasses UK-FRGermany (Birmingham, London x 2, Bonn)  next time Isabell Krämer, student teacher, Bonn Michael Kobel, Bonn

TESLA – Light of the Future Journey to the origin of matter Insights into the most tiny dimensions of life Exhibition on the international TESLA project planned at the German research center DESY Automobil Forum, Unter den Linden, Berlin further information: tesla_ausstellung/

Exhibition venue TESLA – Light of the Future Automobil Forum der Volkswagen AG Unter den Linden / Friedrichstrasse Berlin  central location  about 700 m 2 exhibition area in the basement  conference rooms for meetings and events  coordination office for the exhibition organizers  publicity campaign by VW  excellent infrastructure

The Exhibition subjects: realization:  original parts, models, hands-on  posters  background information (desks)  „islands of knowledge“ (terminals)  animations, videos  guided tours  „physics for everybody“  connection to life sciences  applications TESLA – Light of the Future

Personnel Guides:  at any time 4 guides present:  2 students (20 total)  2 scientists (40 total)  all students had > 7 shifts (1/2 day)  students: DESY (Zeuthen + Hamburg)  Scientists: from all over Germany Visitors:  More than in 33 days - casual visitors (Berlin inhabitants, tourists) - visitors reached by advertising - invited guests (events) - more than 70 school classes (mostly: 11 th -13 th grade) Preparatory course and material for guides TESLA – Light of the Future

Events  press conference  opening ceremony  “NDR-Wissenschaftsforum“ Broadcast discussion  meeting of the science attachees with members of the international TESLA collaboration  10 Years DESY Zeuthen  Berlin „Long Night of Museums“  Scientists Day  2 Student Days per week (lecture and guided tour)  different communities addressed  Very useful addition to the exhibition TESLA – Light of the Future

INTERACT Questionnaire  Designed by Isabell Krämer (student teacher, Bonn) Professional advice by Inst. for Science Pedagogy (IPN) Kiel Prof. Manfred Euler, Katrin Engeln (Ph.D. student)  Exhibition questionnaire has 4+1 parts  3 questions: Reasons for coming  6 questions: Judging the Exhibition  6 questions: Judging the direct contact to Scientists  13 questions: Personal Data and attitude towards science/physics  8 questions: A student‘s page TESLA – Light of the Future Topics addressed:  effect on interest in and attitude towards science/physics  direct interactions with scientists  applicability of the material (age, time,...)  gender dependence (boys.vs. girls)  dependence on prior knowledge  Not primarily: distribution of knowledge

General statistics (non-representative! Just from filled questionnaires) 389 visitors interviewt 31% female 69% male 67% students 33% „public“ Guided tours students: 98% public: 70% Age profile „public“ Edu- cation

Physics interest before the visit Public Students 73% regulary read/watch science reports (76% male, 70% female)

Preferred way of Presentation and Pro‘s Preferred way of Presentation Positive Aspects

Suggestions for improvements „public“students

Guides raising new interest.vs. prior physics interest Public Students Also huge correlation between raised interest and clarity of explanations

Clarity of guide‘s explanations Public Students

Clarity of guides.vs. physics interest In addition: 40% correlation between „having asked questions to guides“ and „regularly read/watch science reports“

Role of Spin-off (FEL) in attitude towards Particle Physics publicstudents

Understanding of exponats in guided tours Public Students Having seen the exponats before, doesn‘t help:

Understanding exponat descriptions Public Students

Understanding descriptions.vs. Prior knowledge/interest.vs. physics interest.vs. Particle physics knowledge

Increase of interest in physics PublicStudents No correlation (-7±6)% with a priori interest !! Significant correlation (26±6)% with guide‘s raising interest ! ( Students: 28%, Public 20%)

Judgement of particle physics after the visit PublicStudents

Correlations of particle physics judgement.vs. prior physics interest.vs. increase in physics inter. (strong)(weak)

Caveats Beware of artificial correlations! –Correlation: raising physics interest.vs. Participation in tour: all: weak (9±5)% public: strong (21±8)% –Correlation: judgement of part. physics.vs. Participation in tour: all: negative(!) (-7±5)% public: none (1±9)% Reason: ALL students participated in tours, and students are on average less enthusiastic

Summary(1) Evaluation seems useful Beware of caveats Preferred ways of presentation –Hands-on –3-dimensional objects –Videos –Guides Less preferred ways –PCs –Booklets / Prospects –Poster

Summary(2) Interesting differences observed –Male.vs. Female Female public profited more from guides want more images, less text, or easier understandable text Physics interest increase equal to male, but less interested in particle physics in particular –Students.vs. Public Students less enthuastic about physics and paticle physics („forced to come to the exhibition“) Less weight on spin-offs (even less by girls!) significantly more increase in physics interest than public Profited more from guided tours (in interest and understanding) –Prior interest Highly correlated to understanding descriptions or guides Not(!) correlated to amount of raising interest –Guided Tours Clarity of explanations important Helps much in raising interest, but no(!) influence on HEP judgement