Social learning within a community of practice: Investigating interactions about evaluation among zoo education professionals |
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| Institution: | 1. Stanford Graduate School of Education, 485 Lasuen Mall, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA;2. Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, 473 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA;3. Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford School of Earth Sciences, 473 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA;4. Seattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA;5. Duke Nicholas School of the Environment, at 9 Circuit Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA;1. Oregon State University, 118B Milam Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States;2. California State University, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States;3. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States;4. University of Maryland, College Park, Columbia, MD, United States;5. Yale University, CT, United States;1. Research, M&E Associates (REMA), Unit House, Victoria Avenue, P.O. Box 1792, Blantyre, Malawi;2. The School of Management Studies, 4th Floor, Leslie Commerce Building, Engineering Mall Upper Campus, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7708, South Africa;1. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX75390-9066, USA;2. Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, 2201 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75390, USA;3. Moncrief Cancer Institute, 400 W. Magnolia Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104, USA;1. Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, Padova, Italy;2. Social Service Melzo and Liscate,Via Vittorio Emanuele, Melzo (Mi), 20066, Italy;1. Department of Community Health and Network Coordination, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, No. 1, Yersin Street, Hanoi, Vietnam;2. School of Public Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia;3. Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia;4. Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia |
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| Abstract: | The accessibility and ubiquity of zoos and aquariums—which reach over 700 million people worldwide annually—make them critical sites for science and environmental learning. Through educational offerings, these sites can generate excitement and curiosity about nature and motivate stewardship behavior, but only if their programs are high quality and meet the needs of their audiences. Evaluation is, therefore, critical: knowing what works, for whom, and under what conditions must be central to these organizations. Yet, many zoo and aquarium educators find evaluation to be daunting, and they are challenged to implement evaluations and/or use the findings iteratively in program development and improvement. This article examines how zoo education professionals engage with one another in a learning community related to evaluation. We use a communities of practice lens and social network analysis to understand the structure of this networked learning community, considering changes over time. Our findings suggest that individuals’ roles in a networked learning community are influenced by factors such as communicative convenience and one’s perceptions of others’ evaluation expertise, which also contribute to forming and sustaining professional relationships. This study illuminates how project-based professional networks can become communities of practice. |
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| Keywords: | Zoo/aquarium education Evaluation Community of practice Network analysis Social learning |
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