Dr. Shawn Rowe
Year Hired
2004
Shawn's background is applied linguistics (that is, studying how humans learn languages) and developmental psychology in education, specifically the cultural historical activity theory of Vygotsky. Most of his work is with museums, both history museums and science museums looking at family group interactions and at how exhibitions are structured to support or undermine certain kinds of learning. His Sea Grant Extension position combines academic work on free-choice learning with practice-based research in the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Visitor Center. He also works closely with graduate students in the Free-Choice Science Learning Ph.D. and M. S. programs as well as in the Environmental Sciences and Marine Resource Management programs at OSU.
Specialty:
Free-Choice Learning
Research interests:
Free-choice learning outside of school settings, specifically how choice is constrained, structured, shaped etc, by language, activity and settings.
Investigating how talk and activity work together to help people make sense of what they see in history and science museums
Recent Publications:
Phipps, M., Rowe, S., and Cone, J. (2008). Incorporating handheld computers into a public science center: A design research study. Visitor Studies, 11(2): 123-138.
Christensen, A., Rowe, S. and Needham, M. (2007). Value orientations, awareness of consequences, and participation in a whale watching education program in Oregon. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 12(4): 289-293.
Griffin, J., Baum, L., Blankman-Hetrick, J., Griffin, D., Johnson, J., Reich, C., and Rowe, S. (2007). Optimizing Learning Opportunities in Museums: The role of organizational culture. In J. Falk, L. Dierking, and S. Foutz (Eds.). In Principle, In Practice: Museums as Learning Institutions (pp. 153-165). Lanham, MD: Alta Mira Press.
Rowe, S. (2005). Using multiple situation definitions to create hybrid activity spaces. In S. Norris & R. Jones (Eds.), Discourse in action: An introduction to mediated discourse analysis (pp. 123-134). London: Routledge.
Recent Grant/Funded Work
Visitors and Visualizations: Creating Meaningful Experiences with Global Data
(NOAA NA 08SEC4690032) (Co-PI)
June 2008-present
Deepening Engagement at Live Animal Exhibits - Oregon Sea Grant (PI)
February 2008-present
Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence -- Pacific Partnerships (NSF OCE 0731338) (Co-PI, Co-Director)
Sept 2007- present
iPods in Visitors Center Part II: Oregon Sea Grant Program Development Grant
December 2007-June 2008
iPods in the Visitors Center: Oregon Sea Grant Program Development Grant
October 2006 - September 2008
Recent Graduate Student Dissertations
Molly Phipps (2008). An iterative investigation into the implementation of handheld computers as learning tools in a science museum.
SueAnn Bottoms (2007). Inside a school-university partnership: participation in a community of practice as professional growth.
Courses Taught
Qualitative Research Methods
Social Aspects of Free-Choice Learning
Communicating Ocean Sciences
Communicating Ocean Sciences to Informal Audiences
Understanding Free-Choice Learning for Education and Outreach
Physical Dimensions of Free-Choice Learning
Multi-Modal Discourse Analysis
Degrees:
Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
M.S., Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL.
B.A., Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
Office:
251 Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport OR
233 Weniger Hall, Oregon State University
Phone:
(541) 867-0190