The digital publication of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)
The ASTC Dimensions Resource Library provides peer-reviewed guides, articles, and insights written by science engagement colleagues about topics relevant to science centers and museums and other organizations committed to engaging the public in science and technology. Interested in contributing to the resource library? Learn more about our quarterly submission cycle and our submission guidelines.
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The organizational and contributor characteristics reflect the ways that ASTC classifies member organizations and individuals in our data collection and reflect categorization at the time the article was originally published.
Interviewed by Joelle Seligson This interview appeared in a special edition of Dimensions magazine on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Having been part of the ASTC Equity and Diversity Committee for much of its history, outgoing committee chair Ann Fumarolo has seen the difference equity and diversity initiatives can make. Fumarolo, who serves as president and […]
By C. Aaron Price and Faith R. Kares From Dimensions July/August 2016 In the 11 years since the inception of the Science Minors and Achievers program, the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI), Chicago, has had plenty of anecdotal evidence that this out-of-school time program has a meaningful impact on its participants. Word of mouth […]
This is an extended version of an article that appeared in the July/August 2016 issue of Dimensions magazine. We asked science centers and museums to share their best pieces of advice and most important lessons learned regarding the following: 1) selecting topics and activities for out-of-school time programs, 2) partnering with afterschool providers and other […]
By Tim Watkins From Dimensions May/June 2016 On a May morning in 2007, fourth grader Joshua White hopped on a city bus with his grandmother and rode across Washington, D.C., for his first visit to the nature center at Rock Creek Park. He came to participate in the first annual national park BioBlitz organized by […]
IN THIS ISSUE May/June 2016 Read the full issue. Inspired by the centennial of the U.S. National Park Service, this issue of Dimensions focuses on an educational approach that many science centers and museums share with parks and heritage sites: place-based learning. A place-based approach draws upon an institution’s local context and historical, environmental, and […]
This is a supplement to an article on place-based learning that appeared in the May/June 2016 issue of Dimensions magazine.
Interviewed by Joelle Seligson This interview appeared in the May/June 2016 issue of Dimensions magazine.
This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the May/June 2016 issue of Dimensions magazine. I will not tell people whether or not they will have a better experience with or without those kind of media or technologies. We put up our “Photography Encouraged” signs [in the exhibition […]
This is a supplement to an article that appeared in the March/April 2016 issue of Dimensions magazine. We asked science centers, museums, and aquariums to share how they are making their facilities and their practices more green and energy efficient, and how they have used these efforts to educate their visitors and communities about energy […]
By Claudia Aguirre From Dimensions January/February 2016 Today’s science centers are becoming more aware of changes in their local contexts and are concerned about playing a role in building and contributing to society. The Mechelen Declaration, resulting from the Science Centre World Summit 2014 held in Mechelen, Belgium, clearly expresses this commitment with two of […]