At the beginning of February, ASDC brought together a distinguished group of researchers and evaluators, funders, practitioners and networks, to explore shared outcomes that support science and discovery centres and museums to measure, prove and improve inclusive and equitable engagement practice.
Together they aimed to explore whether we, as a sector, can all coalesce around a simple shared set of outcomes - outcomes that support science and discovery centres and museums to measure, prove and improve inclusive and equitable engagement practice.
Balancing the opposing pull of 'standardisation' with the 'specificity' needed for different contexts and communities, there was never any anticipation that they would uncover a ‘one-size-fits-all’ metric / single measurement for all to use... but together perhaps we could promote a wider shared language of inclusive impact, commit to more collaboration and less duplication, and move away from prioritising counting the numbers of diverse people in a space, towards more meaningful measures of participants inclusive experience.
The event was chaired by Shaaron Leverment, ASDC Chief Executive, with spotlight speakers Emily Dawson John Knell Cevil Bishop Craig Smith who talked through their immense insight, experience and shared purpose in the room. Focusing on balancing the funders views with those of the researchers or the practitioners in the field, a number of priorities we could all agree on rose to the surface.
So, a shared and simple measure is where we are going over the course of the following months. ASDC are working together with the MA to develop and pilot an approach... and if the worst happens, at least we have a tried and tested tool that shines a light on what doesn't quite work yet!
Science and discovery centres are driving to become true community assets, using science and science engagement for more equitable youth outcomes and community goals. So at ASDC, we have a responsibility to understand data for this purpose, to use that data, to share inspiring practice and act on it to improve.
The event was supported by STFC, our host Wellcome Trust, and in close collaboration with the Museums Association. Many thanks to everyone who attended this event.
Participants
Andy Curtis Head of Evidence and Learning, Paul Hamlyn foundation
Ben Littlefield Public Engagement Manager (Ireland and Northern Ireland), University College London
Bethan Ross Audience Research and Innovation Manager, Life Science Centre
Brendan Owens Public Engagement Manager (Ireland and Northern Ireland), Institute of Physics
Cait Campbell Project Manager, ASDC
Cevil (CJ) Bishop Community Engagement Manager, National Space Centre
Clio Heslop Head of Policy, Partnerships, and Impact, British Science Association
Craig Smith Mindsets + Missions Project Officer, Museums Association
Craig Tomlinson Head of Insight for Impact, BBC Children In Need
Dr Claudia Mollidor Head of Research and Evaluation, EngineeringUK
Elizabeth Cunningham Public Engagement Manager, STFC
Emily Dawson Professor of Education, Science & Society, University College London
Fiona Slater Head of Access and Equity, Science Museum Group
Helen Featherstone, PhD Head of Public Engagement, Bath University
Jen DeWitt Independent Research and Evaluation Conslutant (and Senior Research Fellow, UCL), Independent Consultant
Jen Grove Programme Manager, Public Engagement, UK Research and Innovation
John Knell Director of Intelligence Agency Ltd and Counting What Counts, Culture Counts
Karen Davies Head of Learning Research and Resources, Science Museum Group
Lewis Hou Consultant and Director, Science Ceilidh, Science Ceilidh
Sally Colvin Programmes Manager, Museums Association
Sam Church Independent Illustrator
Sarah Dellar Culture and Society Manager, Wellcome Trust
Shaaron Leverment Chief Executive, ASDC
Sian Stratton Education and Outreach Manager, Science Oxford
Sophie Bartlett Research Associate/Evaluation Consultant, Cardiff University
Sophie Duncan Co-director, NCCPE
Stacey Carmichael Curiosity Programme Manager, BBC Children In Need
The outputs from the day were captured in some wonderful illustrations by Sam Church and you can view the full document by clicking the link below.