Feature Article
ZAARC Brings Action Research to Zoos and Aquariums
A visit to the New England Aquarium on any weekday finds parents wheeling strollers around a giant saltwater tank brimming with fish, sharks, and rescued sea turtles; groups of schoolchildren overlooking the penguin exhibit as a handler in a wetsuit describes the difference between the three resident species of penguin; and young and old visitors alike perched over the ray tank, running their hands over the silky cownose schools as they circle and feed. This hub for aquatic wildlife is clearly awash (pun intended) with inquiry and intellectual engagement—visual, kinesthetic, and auditory—but how can that engagement be recognized, identified, and assessed by the creators of the exhibits? A new two-year research collaboration between TERC and Oregon State University entitled ZAARC (Zoo and Aquarium Action Research Collaborative) is examining how zoo and aquarium educators might use action research as a tool to better understand engagement. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation’s Information Science Education program.
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