Museums Survey

This survey is designed to gather information on the many ways museums and libraries are using their programs and resources to increase awareness and understanding of the science of brain development and children’s learning.

Please take a few minutes to read and respond to the questions that follow. We are reaching out to museums and libraries across the country to help us tell the story of the important role that your institutions play in both providing information on how the brain works (explaining the brain) and in creating actual opportunities to develop important learning skills (building the brain).

Throughout the survey, you will see reference to “Executive Function Skills.” Executive Function refers to a specific set of brain-based skills that involve managing thoughts, actions, and emotions to achieve goals. Specifically, being able to focus, think flexibly, use inhibitory control and working memory.

As described in her book Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs, Ellen Galinsky has defined seven skills that studies show can help children—and adults thrive now and in the future.

Some survey questions will ask you to indicate whether you are specifically addressing these Executive Function Skills in your work. The following list describes the Seven Skills. Please refer to these skills as you provide answers to those questions.

1. Focus and Self Control: Paying attention, remembering the rules, thinking flexibly and exercising self control.
2. Perspective Taking: Figuring out what others think and feel.
3. Communicating: Deciding what needs to be communicated and how to do it in ways that others will understand.
4. Making Connections: Recognizing what’s the same and what’s different, sorting things into categories, building new knowledge.
5. Critical Thinking: Looking for valid and reliable knowledge to guide beliefs, decisions and actions.
6. Taking On Challenges: Being willing to take on challenges (instead of avoiding them or simply coping with them).
7. Self-Directed, Engaged Learning: Identifying interests and continuously using learning to realize potential.

Question Title

* 1. CONTACT INFO:
Please add your contact info here

Name

Institution

Title

Address

Phone

PART 1: WORKING WITH FAMILIES AND CHILDREN: Strategies and Approaches

Question Title

* 2. How is your institution providing information to explain and support children’s brain development and learning?

Exhibits (increase understanding or build skills through engagement).

Resources (activity guides, follow-up activities, supporting videos).

Programs and activities (special programs or group experiences are provided that focus on brain development, learning or Executive Function).

Scaffolding/Embedding (experiences and information tied to brain development, learning and Executive Function are available throughout the museum and linked to other exhibits).

Use this space to provide additional details as desired.

Question Title

* 3. Please describe other innovative strategies and approaches you are using to increase understanding and promote skills in families and children

Question Title

* 4. Special focus on Executive Function Skills (exhibits, resources, programs are designed to address one or more of the seven skills - please check all that apply).

Focus and Self Control

Perspective Taking

Communicating

Making Connections

Critical Thinking

Taking on Challenges

Self-Directed, Engaged Learning

Please describe how you are addressing Executive Function skills:

PART 2: STAFF CAPACITY

Question Title

* 5. How is your institution working with staff to increase their understanding of brain and child development and capacity to incorporate knowledge into conversations and programming for families and children).

Staff receives training and information to increase their understanding of brain development and Executive Function Skills.

Staff are able to converse with families and children about brain development and children’s learning.

Staff interact with families and children in ways that help build skills.

What other ways are you building staff capacity?

PART 3: WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Question Title

* 6. What community partners are you currently working with?

Public schools (K-12).

Preschool programs and child care centers.

Informal child care providers.

Other cultural organizations (museums, libraries).

Out-of-school -time programs.

Other family/child-serving community-based initiatives (housing, health, mental health, home visiting).

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 7. How is your institution working with community partners to increase understanding of brain development and learning and build capacity of partners to support children’s development of brain-based learning (Executive Function) skills?

Professional Development (offering professional development opportunities to community partners).

Services (delivering programs and resources to other community organizations and initiatives).

Outreach and Public Information (providing written information and seeking partnerships to expand understanding and reach).

What other innovative approaches are you using to partner with the community? What unusual but successful partnerships have you established?

Question Title

* 1. CONTACT INFO:Please add your contact info here

Question Title

* 2. How is your institution providing information to explain and support children’s brain development and learning?

Question Title

* 3. Please describe other innovative strategies and approaches you are using to increase understanding and promote skills in families and children

Question Title

* 4. Special focus on Executive Function Skills (exhibits, resources, programs are designed to address one or more of the seven skills - please check all that apply).

Question Title

* 5. How is your institution working with staff to increase their understanding of brain and child development and capacity to incorporate knowledge into conversations and programming for families and children).

Question Title

* 6. What community partners are you currently working with?

Question Title

* 7. How is your institution working with community partners to increase understanding of brain development and learning and build capacity of partners to support children’s development of brain-based learning (Executive Function) skills?

* 1. CONTACT INFO:
Please add your contact info here