Project activities

The original proposal for the Science Centre Impact Project set out several potential areas of activity. These were approved by the APEC Industrial Science and Technology Working Group in September 2004 and endorsed by participants at the December 2004 Project Scoping Meeting.

They include:

• collect data and carry out other research relating to the impacts of science centres and museums
• collect and disseminate best-practice and innovative exemplars of science centre and museum activity
• arrange meetings, workshops or seminars to support or complement the collection of impact data and best-practice exemplars, and to promote networking by project participants
• encourage involvement by project participants in relevant meetings arranged by other organisations; negotiate the use of outputs from such events for this project.

priorities

Three areas of science centre and museum activity emerged from discussion at the December 2004 Scoping Meeting as being of particular interest. Thus project activities will initially focus on how science centres and museums:

• involve their communities in their activities and programs, especially by increasing access for community sectors that have been difficult to involve, and delivering and designing programs in a community-focused and culturally appropriate way
• assist people to understand difficult or controversial issues
• engage others in partnerships and cooperative ventures to enhance the quality of outcomes.

This website will play an important part in disseminating project news, information and outcomes. In particular, it will include data and trends concerning impact of science centres and museums, as well as vignettes and case studies of best-practice approaches by science centres and museums. It will also report on relevant conferences, meetings and seminars, and advise on upcoming events of potential interest to science centres and museums.

Questacon will provide, as an Australian in-kind contribution to the project, the development and administration of this website, which is hosted on the ASPAC website.

Download the Action Plan (pdf, 100kB).