GlAZER CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

The Glazer Children's Museum is Tampa's premiere interactive, learning laboratory where children play, discover, and connect to the world around them to develop as lifelong learners and leaders.

Through an ongoing partnership, I consult and provide research assistants for studies addressing research questions important to the museum. Over the years, my students have served as playologists when the museum was testing out new mechanisms for interaction due to COVID restrictions

Students have conducted hundreds of observations of caregivers and children playing in their exhibits for the purpose of developing innovative museum interaction measurement tools. This is a wonderful example of a true research-practice partnership where the principles of equitable collaboration, shared power, iterative and ongoing design, and bi-directional capacity building are embraced. The museum gains several volunteer hours, the USF students get experience around children and on research projects, and I learn about the needs of the community. Win-win-win!

I have worked with my colleague Pam Hillstead the Vice President of Play and Learning at Glazer Children's Museum