Exploring Science Communication in Panels of Exhibitions and Proposing its Development Direction in Exhibition Education: Two cases of Natural History Museum

The purposes of this study were to explore what components of science communication and its level are contained in text panels of exhibitions in natural history museums and to propose its development direction of exhibition education in Korea. First, to find out the component and level of science communication contained in exhibition panels, the researcher team developed the analyzing tool which was called SEPAT (Science Exhibition Panel Analyzing Tool), then employed them to profile the component and level of science communication. Second, the researchers introduced the exemplary designed media of exhibitions to demonstrate how much science communication could be enhanced. The results were made as follows. First, the components of science communication was considerably weighted toward to 'concept' one. There were also a few 'awareness' and 'engagement', both of which were under 5% in each zone of exhibition and there was not 'NOSI' or 'opinion' embedded in the analyzed exhibitions. Second, the various type of designing exhibitions were found to promote or enhance the restrictedly represented components of science communication. It is suggestable for exhibitions to be designed through various type of 'media' to enhance science communication. Visitors are required to experience rich science communication to meet their educational needs, and exhibition developers in natural history museums and other museums are recommended to be professional in containing all components of science communication through various type of designing exhibitions.