Toward a Cognitive Model of Visitor Responses in Interpretive Centers

The influence of an interactive educational approach on visitors' learning in a Swiss zoo

“…Although people do look at labels or diagrams in zoos, museums, and other settings of informal education (Milan & Wourms, 1993;Schoch, 1997), the information given is often too dry and unappealing to hold their interest for a long time, and thus too briefly looked at to result in meaningful learning gains (Korenic & Young, 1991;Marsland, 1995;Moscardo, 1988;Tunnicliffe, 1995;Zaremba & Toedter, 1995). Zoo visitors normally do not want to read a book (Falk et al, 1986), but want to be informed in a pleasant and entertaining way during their leisure time (Birney, 1988;Falk et al, 1986;Moscardo, 1988; see also Falk et al, 1998). Interactive experiences like those offered by touch tables are seen as successful tools in a zoo's efforts to meet the visitors' expectations (Swanagan, 2000).…”

“…First of all, the touch table included entertaining hands-on activities, such as the opportunity for visitors to dye feathers with soil stained with iron oxide. The integration of interactive, entertaining elements has been found to have a positive effect on the attractiveness of the educational means offered in museums and zoos (Koran et al, 1984;Peart, 1984;Moscardo, 1988;Miller & Gore, 1996;Woolard & Smart, 1996). Nonmanipulative objects such as labels or posters provide only minimal opportunities for visitors to satisfy their curiosity with more than one perceptual channel, whereas, in contrast, objects presented for inspection permitting touch, hearing, sight, and, perhaps taste and smell, attract and hold visitor attention for longer periods of time and increase visitors' curiosity and interest (Koran et al, 1984;but see Sandifer, 2003).…”

“…This might also explain its success, because the presentation of novelties in exhibitions has been found to increase visitors' attention and interest (Screven, 1986), and increased interest was found to result in mindfulness, a basic component of successful learning (Moscardo, 1988). However, the strongest success factor of the touch table for bearded vultures might be the opportunity it offers for "dialogue" between zoo professionals as interpreters and visitors as active respondents.…”

“…The "average" visitor spends only a small amount of time in a zoo or at exhibits (see overview in Moscardo, 1988). It has thus been suggested that zoos have only a limited potential to influence visitors' behavior in terms of nature conservation (Bitgood, 1989).…”

The Contribution of Technology-Based Heritage Interpretation to the Visitor Satisfaction in Museums

“…Nowadays, with the increased demand for heritage-related activities as part of the holidays, museums are becoming an important element of the tourism product, increasing the number of leisure-seekers visiting museums (Uzzel, 1989). On the other side, in social cognition research, entertainment and interactive displayes are now considered to enhance visitors' interest, and therefore, mindfulness and learning outcomes (Mellor, 1991;Moscardo, 1988). Technology-mediated heritage interpretation has been suggested to increase interactivity (Moscardo, 1996), similarly to that one achieved through live interpretation in museums (Beeho & Prentice, 1995), i.e.…”