Using Language Science to Promote Interest in Science in a Science Museum

Abstract

The current study investigated how science museum visitors react to a demonstration based on language science, a topic typically under-represented in science museums. Language science is the interdisciplinary, scientific study of language. It combines social and biological sciences with computer science and engineering, and has strong connections to humanities, education, and clinical fields. Our qualitative analysis revealed that science museum visitors find language science demonstrations engaging and are able to learn key scientific points illustrated in the demonstration. Finally, our data suggest that language science as a topic might be attractive to the subset of museum visitors that are interested in language. We argue that diversifying the kinds of sciences represented in science museums may be one way to broaden interest in science. Language science may be particularly well suited to spark interest in science among individuals who have lost interest in traditional STEM fields but find humanistic disciplines compelling.

Keywords:

• Broadening STEM participation
• informal science education
• language science

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Sue Allen, Cecile McKee, and Colin Phillips for their helpful suggestions and Katriese DeLeon and Rebecca Stanhope for their assistance with data coding. Thanks also go to the staff and visitors of the Columbus Center of Science and Industry where these data were collected.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the National Science Foundation under grant BCS Award #1823381.

Notes on contributors

Nikole D. Patson

Nikole D. Patson is an Associate Professor in the Ohio State University Department of Psychology. She is the PI for the NSF REU Site The Science of Language and the Language of Science which trains cohorts of students to conduct research and engagement each summer.

Nathan Baker

Nathan Baker is an alumnus of the Ohio State University Psychology Department and is currently pursuing a PhD in organizational psychology at Michigan State University. His current work focuses on issues of employee selection, assessment, and workplace emotions.

Sumurye Awani

Sumurye Awani is an alumna of Wellesley College where she majored in Linguistics. She was a former lab manager at the Language Sciences Research Lab.

Nicholas Bednar

Nicholas Bednar is an alumnus of the Ohio State University Linguistics Department. He is currently the Manager of Operational Volunteer Experiences at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI).

Laura Wagner

Laura Wagner is a Professor in the Ohio State University Department of Psychology. She directs the Language Sciences Research Lab, a research lab embedded in a science museum and committed to engaging with the general public about language science.