Open Forum

Dear Colleagues, I am interested in learning if anyone has done research on collecting data for engagement related to exhibitions, museum education, collection databases, social media and virtual exhibitions.  Presently the data we gather is tracking numbers of visitors, numbers of students or members of the public that attend our museum education workshops, Qualtrics surveys that are presented to professors to understand the experiences their students have in our workshops. If you are currently analyzing data to measure engagement what is the metrics that you use? - Debbie Disston

Debbie Disston, Director
McIninch Art Gallery
Southern New Hampshire University
2500 N. River Road
Manchester, NH 03102

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Deborah Disston
Director
McIninch Art Gallery
Hooksett NH
------------------------------

Hi Debbie:

Beverly Serrell's book Paying Attention: Visitors and Museum Exhibitions is kind of an industry standard for measuring engagement in exhibitions. Google analytics is a good way to measure engagement with virtual exhibitions and collections databases where the "visitor" can not be observed and there is not opportunity for comments, etc. Those comments, replies, reposts, etc. are generally how people measure engagement with social media. For educational programming, you would be well served to define what engagement "looks like" for you (for example, visitor is asking questions, participating in discussions, smiles, pointing, etc.) - even describing different points on a spectrum from low>medium>high engagement. With these indicators in a rubric, a facilitator can evaluate the program immediately after, or someone else can observe and record during the program. Hope this is helpful, looking forward to seeing what others suggest!

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Kari Ross Nelson
Research and Evaluation Associate
Thanksgiving Point Institute
Lehi UT
kanelson@thanksgivingpoint.org
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-26-2021 12:05 PM
From: Deborah Disston
Subject: Collecting Data on Engagement

Dear Colleagues, I am interested in learning if anyone has done research on collecting data for engagement related to exhibitions, museum education, collection databases, social media and virtual exhibitions.  Presently the data we gather is tracking numbers of visitors, numbers of students or members of the public that attend our museum education workshops, Qualtrics surveys that are presented to professors to understand the experiences their students have in our workshops. If you are currently analyzing data to measure engagement what is the metrics that you use? - Debbie Disston

Debbie Disston, Director
McIninch Art Gallery
Southern New Hampshire University
2500 N. River Road
Manchester, NH 03102

------------------------------
Deborah Disston
Director
McIninch Art Gallery
Hooksett NH
------------------------------

Hi Debbie,

I read your post and am curious to know more specifics of the type of data you are interested in collecting. I have compiled a 30-year collection of college student essays from my Asian art history survey course about their experience with their selected art object. It started out as examples of good writing but as time went on, I realized there was something deeper, so I kept collecting, researching sources and thinking about them. The common denominator, I realized, was that across the board the students were having experiences of 'wonder' and 'awe.' I knew if I wanted to convey the research to my museum colleagues, I would need an assessment key for the essays which I have. I contributed a chapter about the student essays to a book on Appreciative Intelligence for business academics and have another article currently under review.

If you would like to hear more about it, let me know. I would be happy to brainstorm with you and answer any questions you may have about my findings.

Best,

Terri

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Terri McNichol
President
www.renassociates.com
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-27-2021 11:36 AM
From: Kari Nelson
Subject: Collecting Data on Engagement

Hi Debbie:

Beverly Serrell's book Paying Attention: Visitors and Museum Exhibitions is kind of an industry standard for measuring engagement in exhibitions. Google analytics is a good way to measure engagement with virtual exhibitions and collections databases where the "visitor" can not be observed and there is not opportunity for comments, etc. Those comments, replies, reposts, etc. are generally how people measure engagement with social media. For educational programming, you would be well served to define what engagement "looks like" for you (for example, visitor is asking questions, participating in discussions, smiles, pointing, etc.) - even describing different points on a spectrum from low>medium>high engagement. With these indicators in a rubric, a facilitator can evaluate the program immediately after, or someone else can observe and record during the program. Hope this is helpful, looking forward to seeing what others suggest!

------------------------------
Kari Ross Nelson
Research and Evaluation Associate
Thanksgiving Point Institute
Lehi UT
kanelson@thanksgivingpoint.org

Original Message:
Sent: 01-26-2021 12:05 PM
From: Deborah Disston
Subject: Collecting Data on Engagement

Dear Colleagues, I am interested in learning if anyone has done research on collecting data for engagement related to exhibitions, museum education, collection databases, social media and virtual exhibitions.  Presently the data we gather is tracking numbers of visitors, numbers of students or members of the public that attend our museum education workshops, Qualtrics surveys that are presented to professors to understand the experiences their students have in our workshops. If you are currently analyzing data to measure engagement what is the metrics that you use? - Debbie Disston

Debbie Disston, Director
McIninch Art Gallery
Southern New Hampshire University
2500 N. River Road
Manchester, NH 03102

------------------------------
Deborah Disston
Director
McIninch Art Gallery
Hooksett NH
------------------------------

For almost all our programs, both online and in person, we ask questions to get at how the program or exhibit deepened their understanding of a topic, what it made them think about, and what questions it provoked for them. We get great responses that we can then use to judge, in some small way, impact and engagement. It also helps us think about future programming and audience interest. I am just now thinking about adding a "talk back" board to our new online exhibits. In the physical exhibits, we tend to ask a variation of: Before seeing this exhibit, I didn't realize ... After seeing this exhibition, I will ....  plus a third question that directly deals with the topic and allows visitors to add their voice. Such as, for an exhibit on stereotyping we asked, If you've been stereotyped, share your story and how you reacted …


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Lisa Falk
Head, Community Engagement
Arizona State Museum - University of Arizona
Tucson AZ
falk@arizona.edu
statemuseum.arizona.edu
The Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, is located on land that has been inhabited by Indigenous peoples for 13,000 years. Today, the Tucson area is home to the Tohono O'odham and the Pascua Yaqui. Currently there are 22 federally recognized tribes with reservation lands in the state of Arizona.
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-27-2021 11:36 AM
From: Kari Nelson
Subject: Collecting Data on Engagement

Hi Debbie:

Beverly Serrell's book Paying Attention: Visitors and Museum Exhibitions is kind of an industry standard for measuring engagement in exhibitions. Google analytics is a good way to measure engagement with virtual exhibitions and collections databases where the "visitor" can not be observed and there is not opportunity for comments, etc. Those comments, replies, reposts, etc. are generally how people measure engagement with social media. For educational programming, you would be well served to define what engagement "looks like" for you (for example, visitor is asking questions, participating in discussions, smiles, pointing, etc.) - even describing different points on a spectrum from low>medium>high engagement. With these indicators in a rubric, a facilitator can evaluate the program immediately after, or someone else can observe and record during the program. Hope this is helpful, looking forward to seeing what others suggest!

------------------------------
Kari Ross Nelson
Research and Evaluation Associate
Thanksgiving Point Institute
Lehi UT
kanelson@thanksgivingpoint.org

Original Message:
Sent: 01-26-2021 12:05 PM
From: Deborah Disston
Subject: Collecting Data on Engagement

Dear Colleagues, I am interested in learning if anyone has done research on collecting data for engagement related to exhibitions, museum education, collection databases, social media and virtual exhibitions.  Presently the data we gather is tracking numbers of visitors, numbers of students or members of the public that attend our museum education workshops, Qualtrics surveys that are presented to professors to understand the experiences their students have in our workshops. If you are currently analyzing data to measure engagement what is the metrics that you use? - Debbie Disston

Debbie Disston, Director
McIninch Art Gallery
Southern New Hampshire University
2500 N. River Road
Manchester, NH 03102

------------------------------
Deborah Disston
Director
McIninch Art Gallery
Hooksett NH
------------------------------

Deborah and other fellow members of AAM,
With reference to analyzing currently data to measure engagement what is the metrics used, I give you data from two museum professionals from India:
 "It is an excellent topic and in NCSM there was one impact assessment study, which was conducted and there is another study conducted for a joint exhibition of NCSM and London Science Museum, which NCSM is currently organising at Science City Kolkata, Superbugs : Is it the end of Antibiotics?..............Mr.Shivaprasad Khened, Director, Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai of National Council of Science Muesums, Gov't. of India."

"1991. Naqvi, A. Venugopal, B. Falk, J H and Dierking L D. 'Analysis of the behavior of family visitors in natural history museums: The New Delhi National Museum of Natural History', Curator, 34(1), 51-57. USA.............information given by 
Dr.Venugopal B., former Director, National Museum of Natural History, Gov't of India, New Delhi)."

Deborah, what is your email id? If I get more information, I will send it to you by  email.

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NANDAN SHASTRI
Curator
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-26-2021 12:05 PM
From: Deborah Disston
Subject: Collecting Data on Engagement

Dear Colleagues, I am interested in learning if anyone has done research on collecting data for engagement related to exhibitions, museum education, collection databases, social media and virtual exhibitions.  Presently the data we gather is tracking numbers of visitors, numbers of students or members of the public that attend our museum education workshops, Qualtrics surveys that are presented to professors to understand the experiences their students have in our workshops. If you are currently analyzing data to measure engagement what is the metrics that you use? - Debbie Disston

Debbie Disston, Director
McIninch Art Gallery
Southern New Hampshire University
2500 N. River Road
Manchester, NH 03102

------------------------------
Deborah Disston
Director
McIninch Art Gallery
Hooksett NH
------------------------------