Introduction

1. Setting the Agenda for Giant Screen (GS) Research: A Research to Practice Workshop Mary L. Nucci, Ph.D., Rutgers University Audiences Introduction Project Goals In the more than 40 years since the first giant screen (GS) film, there has been no purposeful research that has examined any of the claims and assumptions about their potential impact in learning. Responding to multiple calls for research (Fraser et. al., 2012; Heimlich, Sickler & Yocco, 2010; Lantz, 2011; Schnall, Hedge & Weaver, 2012), this one-day workshop invited a diverse community of GS stakeholders and researchers to define a research agenda for how and whether GS impacts the viewing audience. Held September 18, 2013 in conjunction with the ASTC annual conference, invited participants addressed three questions in the full-day workshop: Question 1 What are the key research issues--thematic areas, guiding topics--for GS research? Question 2 Identify 3-5 key research questions from the key topic areas defined in Question 1: Audience, Impact, Learning, Technology, and Industry Question 3 What are the pragmatics—the nuts and bolts that need to be considered in developing and implementing research programs: barriers, opportunities, justifications, funding etc.? This workshop aimed to solidify the recommendations from the 1999 NSF-funded symposium, Giant Screen Films and Lifelong Learning: A One-Day Symposium (NSF/DRL #9910643) and the 2008 NSF-funded symposium, Connecting Society with Science: The Greater Potential of Giant Screen Experiences (NSF/DRL #0803987) The key goal of this workshop was to foster and engage researchers in aligned disciplines to define the key issues in giant screen research: • Define key research questions and outline research needs. • Establish connections between research and practitioners through multiple venues including the ASTC Museum Screens Community of Practice (CoP). • Promote the inclusion of research in every GS project. • Disseminate results to the industry for stakeholder comment and engagement. • Create the infrastructure for collaborative research proposals. • Develop a long-term research program. • Disseminate results through published proceedings, online reporting and peer-reviewed publications. • Encourage and mentor researchers in GS. • Implement and expand the research agenda. GS stakeholders GSCA filmmakers, producers and marketers STEM community GS exhibitors, educators and theaters STEM educators ASTC IMERSA Academic researchers Cognition and learning Education Visual studies Science communication Media studies Short term objectives Long term objectives Challenges/Next Steps • Challenges? • Stakeholder participation • Stakeholder support • Research funding • Next steps • Distribute research agenda for review: GSCA, ASTC, IMERSA. • Promote participation in ASTC Museum Screens CoP. • Conference presentations at ASTC, GSCA. • Workshop evaluation (Knight-Williams Research). • NEW! GSCA Research Task Force. • Special issue of Science Communication. • Collaborative research funding proposals. Invited Participants GS Industry Cinergetics LLC. Evans & Sutherland Giant Screen Films GSCA IMAX Corporation MacGillivray Freeman Films National Geographic Cinema Ventures SK Films STEM Affiliated Organizations CAISE IMERSA Meehan Media Consulting Mensforth and Associates New Knowledge Inc. Public VR Space Science Institute Academic Researchers Arizona State University Oregon State University Penn State University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of New Hampshire University of New Mexico University of Pittsburgh Museums and Science Centers California Academy of Sciences COSI Denver Museum of Nature and Science Museum of Discovery and Science St. Louis Science Center Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts