Family Learning Forum

About the Forum

What is Family Learning?

Research Underway

Current Findings
Roundtable Reports
Tool Kit
Study Results

Family Learning
at Your Museum

Links and Resources

Home > Current Findings > Roundtable Reports

Roundtable Reports

On June 14, 2005, the USS Constitution Museum collaborated with the New England Museum Association to host a "Family Learning Roundtable: Successful Strategies for Engaging Families" program. Funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services, over 125 participants traveled from seven states to attend the day long workshop featuring national learning specialists and reports from the field on effective techniques for including family audiences in exhibitions and programs.

The six speakers have graciously shared their presentation notes or outlines as follows:

•	Beverly Sheppard, President and CEO, Old Sturbridge Village "The Learning Bond"
•	Lynn Dierking, Associate Director, Institute for Learning Innovation "Families and Free-Choice Learning"
•	Minda Borun, Director of Research and Evaluation, The Franklin Institute Science Museum "Learning: A Family Affair"
•	Cathy Donnelly, Exhibit Developer, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis "Fun for the Whole Family: New Directions at Children's Museums"
•	Gail Ringel, VP, Exhibits and Production, The Boston Children's Museum "Family Learning and Institutional Identity "
•	Dan Freas, Director of Museum Programs, Conner Prairie "Opening Doors to Family Learning"
•	Eric White, Director of Education and Public Programs, Old Sturbridge Village "All in the Family"