**Formative Evaluation of *Science on a Sphere*,**

**[Supplemental Interpretive Components]{.underline}**

**at the Maryland Science Center**

**Executive Summary** . . . . . . 1

**A. Perception of Interpretive Messages** . . . .

1\. Perceived ease of understanding what's on the sphere

2\. Initial perceptions of what the sphere is showing

3\. Understanding the kiosk & trackball computers

4\. Did the computers help people to better understand the SOS exhibit?

**B. Reactions to the Kiosk & Trackball Computers** . .

1\. What people liked most

2\. What they didn't like

3\. Appeal of the computers (interest, appearance, graphics, ease of
use)

**C. Visitors' Suggestions for Science on a Sphere** . .

1\. What could make the sphere easier to understand?

2\. What could make the sphere more interesting?

3\. What else would you like to know about the sphere?

**D. Characteristics of the Samples** . . . . .

**prepared by**

**People, Places & Design Research**

**Northampton, Massachusetts**

**June, 2007**

**Executive Summary**

**A. Perception of Interpretive Messages**

This first section of the report presents information about visitors'
initial perceptions of the SOS program, and an analysis of visitors'
understanding of the information provided by the supplemental computers
(kiosk and trackball). Highlights of the results are:

-   Initially, about half of the adults and only one-quarter of the
    children expressed a clear understanding of what was being shown on
    the sphere (based on open-ended questions about the program). This
    pattern corresponded to their self-report about how easy it is to
    understand what's on the globe -- about half of the adults and only
    20% of the kids thought it was easy.

-   Most visitors who used the kiosk (67%) had a reasonable
    understanding of the content (El Nino, hurricanes). About one-third
    of the trackball computer users looked at the information about El
    Nino or hurricanes, while others explored different topics (e.g.,
    topography, solar system), and didn't necessarily see the part that
    supplemented the programs on the sphere at that time. Approximately
    one-third of the visitors chose to explore more than one topic.

-   Kiosk users were more likely than trackball users to believe that
    the computer helped them to better understand what they saw on the
    sphere, although there was not a substantial difference in their
    ultimate understanding of the exhibit based on coding of open-ended
    responses.

**A.1. Perceived ease of understanding what's on the sphere**

OVERVIEW: Initially, children expressed significantly more difficulty
understanding what's on the sphere compared with adults. When observing
the sphere for less than a minute, only 20% of children thought it was
easy to understand, while 56% of adults said it was easy. Factors that
were identified as contributing to perceived understanding were:
listening to the narration, familiarity with TV weather reports
(visualizations of hurricane and weather patterns), and recognition that
the different colors represented a temperature scale. However, some
people thought the colors represented precipitation (as on Doppler
radar). Children seemed able to discern that dark areas were continents
and blue was water.

***How easy do you think it is to understand what's on the globe?***

[Overall]{.underline} [Adults]{.underline} [Kids]{.underline}

(n=99) (n=50) (n=49)

\*\*

Very 38% 56% 20%

Somewhat 47% 40% 55%

Not so easy 14% 4% 25%

***Why is it [very]{.underline} easy?***

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*Audio*

*It\'s so visual especially for an adult it\'s easy to understand*

*Colors*

*My background*

*I am a technical person - engineer*

*Colors, different colors, the motion*

*Flow of hurricane, red center and fades where it\'s less strong*

*Color scheme makes it obvious that it\'s temperature change*

*Because of color contrast that\'s used*

*Nothing complicated about it*

[KIDS]{.underline}

*Darker colors mean danger, light means okay, time/date is good*

*Now speaker is telling you about it and explaining so you understand*

*Lots of color*

*Because I watch weather channel, red means hot, blue is cold, green I'm
not sure*

***Why is it [somewhat]{.underline} easy?***

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*It should be hanging a little lower*

*Have to move with globe because when you sit you don\'t see everything*

*Depends on who\'s looking at it*

*When hear audio it helps pinpoint what you\'re looking at*

*Needs more explanation*

*We don\'t get tornadoes so I wouldn\'t really know*

*If you\'ve seen the news then you know*

*If you have an idea what the colors represent then you know what it is*

*I\'m fairly educated and know what I\'m looking at*

*Uses same format as weather station and same terminology*

[KIDS]{.underline}

*It can be confusing sometimes*

*Some people can\'t really have a good idea what sphere really is*

*Have to work to understand what\'s on it*

*Someone who is younger wouldn\'t understand what\'s going on*

*It's not exactly clear and if not listening might not know*

*Because warm colors are warm, cool are cool, I don't know how warm or
cool they are*

*A small child wouldn\'t know what it is*

*May be hard to read it for some people*

*Because you can tell what it is because it\'s like moving*

*Some people would know what it is because they would listen to the
voice*

*If you\'re not listening then you wouldn\'t understand*

***Why is it [not]{.underline} so easy?***

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*Hard to identify swirls, if you listen you could come up with what it
is*

[KIDS]{.underline}

*It\'s hard to understand*

*Have to know what all the colors mean; heat, rain, etc.*

*This is what the world is*

*If somebody didn\'t know what it was or didn\'t know what they were
looking at*

*Can\'t understand what its saying*

*Because the world is so big you never know what\'s going to happen*

***Tell me something you understand about it already***

[ADULTS who said it was [very]{.smallcaps} easy]{.underline}

*Africa, South America*

*Storms moving across the planet*

*Temperature of water affects weather*

*Saw hurricanes, and now El Nino and La Nina but not listening to audio*

*Hurricanes form and many other patterns across earth*

*Weather patterns*

*Already know about hurricanes, Gulf Stream*

*El Nino already knew about*

*Watching the hurricane and that they come across the ocean*

*Storms form off coast of Africa*

*The path of them*

*Temperature effects on the water, at the surface and below*

*I study hurricanes*

*Doppler radar, watch on TV, swirls of hurricanes, start mid Atlantic,
different color*

*It\'s a model of earth, a scale model*

[ADULTS who said it was [somewhat]{.smallcaps} easy]{.underline}

*Storms, how they work and how they move, coming off Africa, moving
across*

*The movements, the wavelike patterns*

*See radar patterns on internet, and these look similar*

*Global data distribution or at least half of it from where you\'re
standing*

*Colors signify warmer and cooler throughout the globe*

*Haven\'t really listened or watched it*

*I know the wind patterns*

*Tracking over time can see clock*

*The years change*

[ADULTS who said it was [not]{.smallcaps} easy]{.underline}

*The voice (narrator)*

***Tell me something you understand about it already***

[KIDS who said it was [very]{.smallcaps} easy]{.underline}

*Yellow/green/red is warm; blue and white are cold*

*The continents*

*Hurricanes*

*The colors, continents, the years*

*Years are changing and getting hotter in one region*

[KIDS who said it was [somewhat]{.smallcaps} easy]{.underline}

*Lines are latitude and longitude*

*The colored areas are where the storms are*

*It\'s colorful*

*That storms are moving and where the patterns go throughout the past*

*Colors show you warmer and hotter and colder waters*

*The places that are black are land and blue, green are water*

*I see South America, North America and colors*

*It shows the map and the way everything is moving like the weather
channel*

*The stuff that\'s moving, different colors means different things*

*Dark parts that aren\'t moving are continents and color parts are
water*

*Where hurricanes have been*

*Different colors and different years*

*How clouds are changing throughout days*

[KIDS who said it was [not]{.smallcaps} easy]{.underline}

*Well, looks like we have a lot of hurricanes*

*There\'s land, a year (label)*

*I don\'t know*

*Different years that the temperatures changed*

*You have to understand what colors mean*

**A.2. Initial perceptions of what the sphere is showing**

OVERVIEW: Analysis of visitors' open-ended responses yields a similar
pattern of results as their self-reported understanding: adults are more
likely than kids to understand what the sphere is showing. After
spending less than a minute looking at the sphere, most adults had a
reasonable idea about what it showed, e.g., hurricanes, weather patterns
(in general), water temperatures, and El Nino. Children were more likely
to give vague answers (33%) -- and only 26% gave good answers.

***What do you think the globe is trying to show people?***

[Adults]{.underline} [Kids]{.underline}

(n=50) (n=49)

34% 14% hurricanes, storms

32% 41% weather patterns, wind, temperature, the atmosphere

14% 6% water temperatures

12% 33% vague answer: the planet, how the earth works

8% 2% El Nino

4% 4% global warming

54% 26% had a good understanding (hurricanes, El Nino, ocean
temperatures)

34% 41% some idea (weather, storms, temperatures, atmospheric
conditions)

12% 33% vague, didn't understand (world, wind, solar system, places,
global warming)

**[Sample of [adult]{.smallcaps} answers]{.underline}**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  *Information about how our planet works*

  *Global warming, El Nino*

  *Climate and effect of ocean temperatures on climate*

  *Satellite image of hurricanes, how storms move*

  *Satellite weather patterns*

  *Storms develop over Africa and become hurricanes*

  *Heating and cooling of the water*

  *Storm systems*

  *The weather patterns around the world*

  *Different heat patterns on the oceans*

  *Changes in climate that are creating hurricanes*

  *Looks like different weather patterns*

  *Ocean temperatures*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Sample of [kid]{.smallcaps} answers]{.underline}**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  *Weather, where certain storms are and intensity*

  *Forms of the earth*

  *The world*

  *How temperature of water affects weather, how different temperatures
  in whole world*

  *When storms form and where they mostly form*

  *The warmer and cooler air around the earth*

  *Weather*

  *The world\'s changing every second of the day*

  *How like the El Nino and El Nina move around*

  *Where hurricanes are*

  *Trying to show what\'s happening in different years and colors are
  changing*

  *Rain and precipitation*

  *The currents, wind*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

**Initial perceptions** (continued)

OVERVIEW: Adults were more likely than children to say they knew what it
was showing because they listened to the narration (32% vs. 14%) or
because of the color scheme (e.g., red is warm, blue is cold). Some
children said that what they saw on the sphere looked similar to what
they have seen on the Weather Channel (top answer).

***What makes you say that?***

[Adults]{.underline} [Kids]{.underline}

32% 14% listening to the narration

24% 6% the colors, red is warm, blue is cold

14% 16% the patterns, movement, the wind

10% 24% it looks like the weather channel on TV

6% 4% I'm already familiar with the content, I just know

4% 4% the visuals

10% 8% other

[Sample of ADULT answers:]{.underline}

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  *Listening to audio*

  *Saw El Nino and La Nina*

  *That\'s what the picture and voice are about*

  *Listening*

  *Blues and reds*

  *See hurricanes and pockets of heat*

  *Satellite data, thermal stuff* (data set changed from hurricane to el
  nino)

  *You can see Doppler radar data*

  *Because you have the whole globe and weather patterns are moving
  around*

  *Because it says one hurricane after another and another and the names*

  *Different colors mean different temperatures*

  *Listening and looking at it*

  *I see weather reports on TV that show similar info - radar*

  *I recognize maps and from listening*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Sample of KID answers:]{.underline}

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  *Moving colors that are flashing*

  *What happened in hurricane Francis and other storms were forming and
  where they went*

  *Shows same colors as on weather channel, I\'ve seen them in movies*

  *Listening, showing about hurricanes*

  *Because of what it\'s saying and the colors*

  *Different colors represent different heats*

  *Because the wind moves and everything is moving*

  *Because see there are whirlwinds and where the whirlwinds, there is
  pink stuff*

  *I usually watch news and things with swirls are usually hurricanes*

  *Colors moving and swirling around*

  *Can see on the news, they show hurricanes*

  *Showing which way wind is moving*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

**A.3. Understanding the kiosk & trackball computers**

OVERVIEW: Most kiosk users had a reasonable idea of what it showed (El
Nino, changing water temperatures, or hurricanes). The trackball
computer users gave a variety of answers depending upon which screens
they had viewed (since they could choose among the six parts of the
program). About one-third specifically mentioned different aspects. The
other most cited parts were geography, El Nino, and Mars (or other
planets). It appears that many of the trackball users were exploring
screens other than what was being shown on the sphere; approximately
one-third to one-half chose to follow the program on the sphere and used
the computer to find out more about that aspect.

**(after looking at the kiosk or using the trackball computer)**

***What would you say that small screen was about?***

[Kiosk]{.underline} [Trackball]{.underline}

(n=52) (n=47)

46% 19% El Nino, changes in water temperature

21% 9% hurricanes

17% 4% weather, clouds, temperature

10% 19% it explains what's on the sphere

0 30% mentioned multiple topics (looked at more than one screen)

0 23% continents, geography, topography, earth science

0 19% sun, mars, planets, solar system

6% 4% other / night sky, unclear

**Sample of KIOSK answers**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  [ADULTS]{.underline}

  *El Nino*

  *Typical water temperatures in ocean water*

  *El Nino pattern; average temperatures of oceans*

  *Temperatures*

  *Showing it\'s warmer in SE Pacific .. El Nino*

  *Temperature variations that affect El Nino*

  *El Nino*

  *Water temperatures in average year*

  *Water temperature in average year and El Nino*

  *Like a supplement to globe and tries to explain what\'s going on*

  *Cloud temperatures*

  *Differences in El Nino and the average year*

  *Show you where hurricanes form in Atlantic, direction and wind
  movement*

  *Hurricanes*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

KIDS

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  *How everything occurs*

  *Water is warmer than normal in east Pacific Ocean*

  *Giving you closer idea about what\'s going on on the big globe*

  *It tells you about the storm that\'s called El Nino or something*

  *Where hurricanes are and cloud temperatures with colors*

  *It\'s talking about different oceans and El Nino effect\....on oceans*

  *The average year and El Nino year*

  *Like the temperature of disasters*

  *Telling you where the hurricanes are*

  *About hurricanes*

  *Hurricanes*

  *Cooler place is where hurricane hits*

  *Hurricane in Florida*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

**Sample of TRACKBALL** answers

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  [ADULTS]{.underline}

  *Shows different aspects of earth\'s temperature, climate, lights,
  weather*

  *Seeing the different presentations without having to wait for it to be
  on sphere*

  *Science of the planet*

  *What Earth looks like from space*

  *Showing different views like El Nino, night time*

  *World in different views*

  *Different planets*

  *Highlighting parts of earth and particular characteristics*

  *Different ways to look at the planet and mars*

  *Basic patterns on Mars, Earth*

  *Number of different images of globe, the earth*

  *Satellite view of different things, how much does it relate to globe?*

  *El Nino, comparing to no El Nino*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

KIDS

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  *Tell about planets*

  *Earth and all its different forms and night, hurricanes, past &
  future*

  *Gives information on globe*

  *Helps you understand what speaker is saying and sphere is showing*

  *How the earth just started*

  *About what goes on on the earth, weather, climate, hurricanes*

  *Helps explain which one it is*

  *About the water that is warmer*

  *It\'s to see how good you know the colors on globe*

  *Showing you two hurricanes and how they made it to land or
  disappeared*

  *El Nino*

  *Mars and earth*

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

**A.4. Did the computers help people to better understand the SOS
exhibit?**

OVERVIEW: Kiosk users were somewhat more likely than trackball users to
say that it had helped them better understand what was on the sphere
(which makes sense because trackball users can get sidetracked with
additional information and not necessarily see what's relevant to the
current sphere program). The most helpful elements of the kiosk,
according to visitors, were the key that explains how colors relate to
ocean temperatures, the fact that the image didn't move (some think the
sphere changes too quickly), and the labels of places and hurricanes.
Only half as many trackball users mentioned the color key, and the most
frequent answer was just that it gave additional information (no
details).

***Did the computer help you to better understand what you saw on the
big sphere?***

[Kiosk]{.underline} [Trackball]{.underline}

(n=52) (n=47)

definitely 67% ++ 51%

a little 29% 40%

not really 4% 9%

**(if definite/little) *How did it help?***

[Kiosk]{.underline} [Trackball]{.underline}

(n=52) (n=47)

33% 17% ocean temperature color key

23% 11% can see more details, globe changes too quickly

19% 2% gives labels for places and names of hurricanes

12% 28% gives more information, explanation

6% 6% you can match them up, compare

4% 9% I prefer reading or visual learning over listening to narration

2% 9% other

12% 15% no answer or negative comment about helpfulness, prefer big
sphere

**Sample of answers: *How did the KIOSK help?***

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*Correlate between screen and globe*

*See where I\'m looking, area/region*

*Can look at it longer, globe moves fast*

*Words with it, static picture, both sides of sphere*

*More visual person, tune out guy talking*

*Big screen has no labels; small does*

*Gives general overview of what\'s being shown up there*

*Gave clear explanation with color guide*

*Tells you it\'s hurricanes*

*Provided more info on temperature stuff*

*Description of what colors refer to*

**\[KIOSK, continued\]**

[KIDS]{.underline}

*Shows area labels of places that are important*

*Shows the bar and it says cooler or warmer*

*It gave an explanation*

*Just a smaller version of big globe*

*If you couldn\'t see in the big globe you could see it here*

*Because it wasn\'t moving and had a key*

*Told where the hurricanes are*

*Color key, it\'s not moving as rapidly*

*I understand different movements*

*Described it more, but not great detail*

*Because it's not moving around*

*Color key*

*Color key, more info than globe*

**Sample of answers: *How did the TRACKBALL help?***

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*Being able to zoom in on hurricanes and such*

*More words, instead of just audio*

*Words, explanations*

*Shows things clearly*

*Explained descriptively definition of El Nino and different temperature
readouts*

*Gave me an idea of larger display and what other planets are like*

*Specifically what El Nino is*

*Distracted me from big sphere*

*Not enough information*

*If I had a question on the big globe I could find it here*

*Narration has biggest impact*

[KIDS]{.underline}

*Can\'t tell what colors are on globe*

*Gave idea of what it\'s about and big globe shows movement*

*Could see and read instead of just listening*

*Has a key, easier to tell what\'s what, takes less time get
information*

*Tells more information*

*Understand what kind of weather and how it\'s changing*

*Globe shows temperatures; screen shows in depth*

*Small gave easy words to understand*

*Words*

*Could see it more closely*

*Could read it*

**Analysis of understanding based on open-ended questions**

OVERVIEW: Again, the analysis of open-ended responses yields a similar
pattern of results as visitors' self-report: the vast majority of
visitors showed an improved understanding of the sphere after using the
computers. Among those who [didn't]{.underline} understand the sphere
initially, 86% of kiosk users and 74% of trackball computer users showed
improvement (this difference is not statistically significant).

***Now, what's the big globe showing?***

[Kiosk]{.underline} [Computer]{.underline}

[Among those who didn't understand initially]{.underline} (n=28) (n=31)

understood after using computer 57% 55%

improved understanding, some idea 29% 19%

still didn't get it 14% 26%

Understood = El Nino, changing ocean water temperatures, formation or
movement of hurricanes

Some idea = weather patterns, changes in the atmosphere, temperature,
storms

Didn't get it = the world, the wind, solar system, places, global
warming

[Sample of answers showing improved understanding:
**KIOSK**]{.underline}

(What's the globe trying to show? What's the small screen about? Now,
what's the globe showing?)

*Weather, where certain snow storms are and intensity; Shows areas El
Nino affected most; Areas of El Nino, weather warmer/cooler over time*

*The world; El Nino; Different temperatures over a period of time*

*Weather patterns warmer/cooler; Water temperatures in average year;
That\'s what it is, going through years 1980-1998*

*The warmer and cooler air around the earth; Hurricanes; Where it's
moving*

*Water is blue; Hurricanes; The hurricanes*

*The weather; Average year is normal and during El Nino it\'s got
warmer; Hurricanes, how they are moving like hurricane Daniele*

*Temperature or rain; Show you where hurricanes form in Atlantic,
direction and wind movement; Direction of weather patterns, strength of
weather patterns*

*The currents, wind; Hurricane in Florida; Average year, sea surface
temperature*

*How warm the world is; the surface temperature of seas and how one got
hotter; Time span from one to another how you get from one to the other*

[Answers among those who were still unclear or vague]{.underline}

*The heat of it; It tells you about the storm that\'s called El Nino or
something; it was showing heat, like I said before, heat waves and cool
waves*

*Temperature of earth; Cloud temperatures; Cloud temperatures*

*Try to show where places are on earth, what\'s liquid and what\'s rock;
Where the oceans and land are and when it was made up; These places with
those places to compare*

*Global warming; Different colors and how cool and warm parts of the
earth are getting; Showing these colors*

*Like the weather; Like the temperature of disasters; Exact same thing
on big globe*

[Sample of answers showing improved understanding:
**TRACKBALL**]{.underline}

*Facts about future and what has happened; Hurricanes in 2004 coming
from Africa and hitting Florida; Building over the ocean*

*Lots of colors; Tell about planets; Hurricanes*

*Different objects in the solar system; El Nino, comparing to no El
Nino; It\'s going together with big globe*

*The movements of clouds and temperature of clouds; Helps you understand
what speaker is saying and sphere is showing; Hurricanes moving*

*Weather; About the whole globe; About hurricanes that hit the east*

*Which parts of the earth are there and where it is; About the water
that is warmer; Tells you what\'s warmer, where El Nino is, blue is
colder, red is warmer*

*Colors are temperatures of the earth; El Nino; Different temperatures
and El Nino*

*Environmental changes, temperature changes; Different aspects of
country and earth*

*Earth and changes on it; Basic patterns on mars, earth; El Nino
patterns*

*Trying to show what\'s happening in different years and colors are
changing; Mars and Earth; showing an event called El Nino that floods
different parts of California*

[Answers among those who were still unclear or vagu*e*]{.underline}

*Different pattern, how it all ties together; Science of the planet; How
unique our planet is, how some things are constant, some different*

*Where the continents and oceans and different land forms are; Gives
information on globe; Everything small screen shows combined*

*Where the sun is; Different planets and how they\'re working; Big shows
ideas little doesn\'t*

*Storms; World in different views; Don\'t know*

*Weather; Helps explain which one it is; Weather climates over time*

*A political agenda; Described your various conditions of Earth, Mars;
Depth of ocean, temperature, bigger view, more defined view*

*Just showing what would happen if we don\'t do good to the earth; It
has all the different earth globes; If we could make sure the world is
cleaner we could have more water*

*The world\'s changing every second of the day; It\'s to see how good
you know the colors on globe; Changes of weather because it\'s really
cool in 1992, keeps changing weather*

*The wind; It\'s telling you about El Nino; Just the same changing
colors from this to that.*

**B. Reactions to the Kiosk and Trackball computers**

This section focuses on people's opinions of the computers -- what
visitors' liked and disliked about them, and their ratings of the
appearance, the informational content, and ease of use. Some of the key
findings are:

-   [Kiosk]{.underline} users liked the colorful, easy to understand
    graphics and the way it clarified what was being shown on the sphere
    (especially the key that explained the ocean temperature
    variations). Their suggestions for improvements included: labels for
    the oceans and continents, more information, and more interactive.
    Other complaints included: the images were static and the screen was
    blurry (dirty with fingerprints perhaps?).

-   [Trackball]{.underline} computer users liked the interactivity and
    that you could choose what topics to explore. The main complaint was
    that it was hard understand how to use it at first (in part due to
    children's unfamiliarity with the term 'cursor').

-   Both types of computers received high ratings for appearance, clear
    and easy to understand graphics, and interesting information.
    Children gave significantly lower ratings than adults for the 'ease
    of use' of the trackball computer.

**B.1. What people liked most**

OVERVIEW: Visitors liked that the [kiosk]{.underline} had good colorful
graphics and a color key, and that it was easy to understand and
clarified the sphere. Visitors liked that the touch screen computer was
interactive and had a variety of things to look at.

***What do you like best about this screen?***

[Kiosk]{.underline} [Trackball]{.underline}

(n=52) (n=47)

27% 11% good visuals, colorful, bright

27% 0 the color key, shows warmer and colder

10% 11% easy to understand

10% 4% clarifies sphere

8% 17% shows hurricanes, El Nino, night lights, etc.

6% 0 labels

4% 9% gives additional information

0 30% interactive, you can choose what to look at

0 28% has a variety of things to look at

6% 13% blank, no answer

**Sample of answers: KIOSK**

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*It enriches the information on the sphere*

*Easy to understand*

*Colorful*

*Examples they give you*

*Explains well what El Nino is*

*You can see where the warm water is and how cool Atlantic is relative
to normal*

*Difference in color*

*Very detailed, explains things easily*

*It\'s very clear and colorful*

*Very easy to read, well lit*

*Like El Nino globe because it\'s more relevant, shows more*

*Shows other weather related events in the world*

[KIDS]{.underline}

*Lots of colors on it*

*There\'s not lot of red, the air\'s kind of in middle of cold and warm
air*

*Gives you more interactive learning about what\'s going on up there*

*Colorful*

*Labels for hurricanes and Florida*

*Good special effects, easy to understand*

*It has the key and shows cooler and warmer*

*The colors*

*The map part*

*Because it labels where things are and what things are*

*Shows us warm places and where it\'s cold*

*That stands still so you can look at one spot, don\'t worry about
changing*

*Shows average years, colors show cooler and warmer*

*Very clear; you can see everything*

**Sample of answers: TRACKBALL**

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*It peaks your interest*

*Interactive*

*Simple; look at different areas*

*Zooms in on parts of earth*

*Seeing different views*

*I don\'t know that it did anything really*

*Hurricanes, the in motion tracking*

*Available information quickly*

*Most interesting thing is showing storm movements*

*It\'s easy to navigate*

*Nice that it illustrates different perspectives interactive aspects*

*Nothing particular*

[KIDS]{.underline}

*Shows hurricane, kids want to see*

*Moves globe and lets you choose what part you want to see details
about*

*Shows different things about different parts of world*

*Patterns, maps, solar system*

*Shows that planets move and colors*

*Night lights; could click and see stuff, it\'s interactive*

*So many options*

*How you could see more parts by rolling around than looking at big
thing*

*Shows a lot of different views in a lot of different times*

*It has the colors and our world*

*Showing you where El Nino is and what it is*

*The different globes and you can learn more*

*You could look at land, weather and different kinds of things,
temperature*

**B.2. What people didn't like**

OVERVIEW: About two-thirds of kiosk and trackball users were able to
think of something they didn't like about the component they had used.
Kiosk users wanted more labels of continents and oceans, more
information, and more movement or interactivity. Trackball users also
said they would like more information, but their biggest complaint was
that they weren't sure how to use it at first (some kids were confused
by the word "cursor" and thought a touch screen would be easier).

***What did you like least about it?***

[Kiosk]{.underline} [Trackball]{.underline}

(n=52) (n=47)

13% 4% hard to tell where continents & oceans are, need labels

13% 0 static, no animation

8% 11% need more information, explanation

6% 2% visibility, blurry screen

6% 2% not interactive enough

4% 0 I don't understand the point

2% 2% boring

0 23% instructions unclear, not sure what to do

15% 21% other

38% 34% blank, no answer

**[What you like least: KIOSK]{.underline}**

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*Static picture, no interaction*

*Might be effective to have temperature numbers along with color scale*

*Have to look straight at it (groups would have a hard time)*

*No animation*

*Could be bigger*

*Too simple, doesn\'t explain how temperature affects hurricanes*

*Little out of focus, would be nice to have temperature scale*

*Doesn\'t do anything*

*I\'d put pictures on top, words on bottom*

*Looks okay, descriptive*

*Slant could be greater, chart reading level for kids lower than adults*

*Could be multi media with motion*

*Pretty dirty on the screen*

*You have to sit and pay attention*

*If it had more explanation of what El Nino is that would be better*

*Was expecting something more exciting*

*Could be enhanced with contours of continents*

[KIDS]{.underline}

*See something, earth different on each graphic so hard to find same
areas*

*Part of the earth is black, and so is this (background) so it\'s hard*

*Doesn\'t change*

*All the red*

*Hard to understand, like if somebody didn\'t understand it\'s about
temperature*

*Not moving like that one (points big globe)*

*Needs more information*

*Can\'t see where everything would be like where water is, where
continents are*

*Label both oceans, shows Atlantic but should also show Pacific*

*Don\'t like that area is getting warmer*

*How everything is warm in most of the world*

*The globe isn\'t colored*

*I don\'t get the colors*

*Not something to choose*

*Should\'ve put more things in it to make it more interesting*

*Can\'t see other parts of globe*

**[Answers: TRACKBALL]{.underline}**

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*Kind of simple*

*Not enough information especially for an inquisitive adult*

*Doesn\'t guide to other places, what they have to show?*

*Took a minute to figure out what to do*

*Confused in beginning, thought there was more to it*

*Wasn\'t focusing on correct sphere to match*

*Sitting down you can\'t see the screen*

*Main display talking about El Nino, I was on other side looking at
Indian Ocean*

*I rolled over this one like on the one up there, it didn\'t do anything
so went back*

*Needs more explanation, what each sphere one is before you start*

*I clicked on globe w/ night lights and not all places bright were
labeled*

*Mars, it\'s out of character; all others about earth*

*On first screen should put names on globes not just click here*

*Should be more information for example with Mars and Olympus video*

*Information wasn\'t in depth enough*

*No numbers on earth\'s climate color bar to tell you temperature
exactly*

[KIDS]{.underline}

*Wasn\'t sure what to do*

*Didn\'t have instructions of what to do; was a little confused*

*Didn\'t like night lights*

*Not enough info*

*Didn\'t show where I live, not big enough*

*Just very limited things to do, just read it*

*Kind of hard to figure out instructions, move cursor?*

*Confusing to move the mouse*

*I couldn\'t change the picture (of the big globe)*

*When you get it right it keeps asking the same thing*

*Don\'t get it like it says roll the cursor, I don't know what that is*

*Not enough information*

**B.3. Appeal of the computers**

OVERVIEW: The two different types of computers were similarly appealing
-- 79% of visitors said they like the looks, 70-75% said the graphics
are clear, and 81-84% said the information is interesting. However,
children were less likely than adults to think the kiosk was
interesting. The vast majority of adults thought the trackball was easy
to use (88%) but only 55% of kids agreed.

***Your opinion about some different aspects of the screen:***

[KIOSK]{.underline} [TRACKBALL]{.underline}

**I like the way it looks**

definitely 79% 79%

a little 17% 19%

not really 4% 2%

**The graphics are completely clear**

**and easy to understand**

definitely 75% 70%

a little 23% 28%

not really 2% 2%

**The information is interesting**

definitely 84% ^b^ 81%

a little 14% 17%

not really 2% 2%

**I think it's easy to use**

definitely n/a 72% ^a^

a little 26%

not really 2%

\*\* [a.]{.underline} Adults were more likely than children to think the
trackball computer was easy to use (88% vs. 55%)

\*\* Adults were more likely than children to think the kiosk
information was interesting\
(96% vs. 74%)

OVERVIEW: Visitors frequently referred to the colors when asked what
they liked about the computer components.

***What part do you like (about the way it looks?)***

[Kiosk]{.underline} [Trackball]{.underline}

(n=52) (n=47)

42% 38% colors

13% 6% easy to understand

13% 2% easy to read, font, white letters on black background

8% 4% more details, labels (compared to sphere)

4 10% physical size, height, set-up, etc.

4% 9% pictures, images, graphics

0 6% variety of choices

13% 15% other

13% 23% blank, no answer

**Sample of answers: KIOSK**

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*Nice graphics, details*

*Contrast of colors; see big picture*

*Clear; quickly read; multi-user in sync with globe*

*Bright; easy to read*

*Colors*

*Colors, black background/white letters*

*Screen*

*Colors, white letters on black*

*Color distribution, showing data*

*Layout easy to read*

*Colors attract everyone*

*Simplicity*

*Ease of reading*

*Very clear, colors showing what you should look at*

*Ergonomically positioned, colors are very good*

[KIDS]{.underline}

*The red part*

*Shows overall idea, good because it\'s confusing at first*

*Size of font and colors (realistic)*

*It\'s 3-D so the way it\'s laid out*

*Two different worlds one relating to big sphere*

*Shows the globe and different parts of Florida (labeled)*

*Shows the world and facts about it*

*Color scheme*

*Really bright colors that are easy to understand*

*I like that they show the world*

*The states, the colors*

*Gives you more info than globe*

*Color key*

**Sample of answers: TRACKBALL**

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*Different images with choices*

*Neat, attract attention*

*Sleek looking*

*Good size and nice black frame*

*Whole set up moves easily, color differences*

*Size of screen, color, easy to read*

*Like light at night*

*Good presentation*

*Pictures are great, might be better as touch screen*

*Graphics are nice, very simple*

*Colors*

*Everything changing like very multi media*

*Colors are clear and show distinction between land and water*

*It\'s visually stimulating, colors are very clear*

*Very colorful informative*

[KIDS]{.underline}

*Colors*

*Earth\'s climate*

*The information and rotating the earth, geography*

*Whole thing*

*The way its set up*

*Different colored globes*

*How opening screen is set up*

*Screen, visual-colors on globe*

*Easy to follow with key at the bottom*

*Main menu, colorful and can move your cursor*

*Shows different ways we can more understand about earth*

*I like the colors*

*Colorful and how on the big thing it shows the time*

*Colors and moving around on different globes*

OVERVIEW: Visitors cited a variety of things that interested them about
the computers. Among kiosk users this included learning in general (new
information), seeing how hurricanes form, learning about El Nino and how
different colors represent different temperatures. Trackball computer
users cited learning about hurricanes, an interest in the topic
(especially weather), new information in general, and seeing changes
over time.

***What's interesting about it?***

[Kiosk]{.underline} [Trackball]{.underline}

(n=52) (n=47)

13% 11% educational, informative, new to me

12% 15% hurricanes, how they form

12% 2% different colors, temperatures

12% 0 El Nino

10% 6% relevant topic, in the news, (e.g., global warming)

8% 4% global perspective

8% 13% I like the topic (e.g., weather, earth science)

4% 2% how everything is connected, how it affects us

4% 0 more detail about what you see on sphere

2% 9% seeing changes over time

0 4% Mars

8% 17% other

10% 21% blank, no answer

**Sample of answers: KIOSK**

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*Overall picture of flow of weather*

*Learn more about what\'s on globe (with audio too)*

*Already interested in weather*

*New info to me*

*Gives big picture fun to watch El Nino develop*

*All affects us*

*I\'m interested in global climate change*

*What happens with weather, effects on US and South America*

*Because it\'s in the news*

*How the storms form*

*Explains an event on news, this more descriptive*

*Watching the changes of patterns throughout years*

*Vast difference between two globes (El Nino)*

[KIDS]{.underline}

*Shows activity of storms*

*Can show where hurricanes form & what their name was, how it happened*

*Didn\'t know any of this stuff before, new to me*

*Didn\'t know what El Nino was, more detail than my history book*

*How it shows the storms and keeps info patterns over the years*

*It shows you what\'s going on and colors you want to figure out*

*Telling you about the places like the Pacific Ocean*

*Shows the different hurricanes and weather that happens*

*Just that it\'s interesting how it\'s warm at the equator*

*To learn about the different stuff like continents, color, years*

*Our planet*

*It\'s cool, it\'s informational*

*I\'m learning about El Nino in earth science*

*How the wind forms the hurricanes*

**Sample of answers: TRACKBALL**

[ADULTS]{.underline}

*On climate one, temperatures in 2010 as opposed to now*

*We are too detached from our surroundings and weather impacts all*

*Projecting of the planet, hurricane tracking*

*Enjoy the subject and perspective*

*Global warming and how atmosphere changes*

*Look at different areas; some are similar some different*

*I\'m a science person, trying to find something I don\'t know*

*Shows earth from view that we can\'t see*

*Can see action, makes you aware that there is continuous action in
atmosphere*

*Interested in earth, geology*

*How the hurricanes begin and end up on land or not if pick up speed*

*Watching hurricanes from sky where I can\'t see it*

*Mars- I didn\'t know anything about it before*

*Know a lot about earth but also had mars which very limited*

*Like different views and weather and you can see differences in each*

*Like watching storm track, brings hurricane season to life, pictures
are interesting*

[KIDS]{.underline}

*Hurricanes through the years*

*You can go to any you want*

*Tells about world and what can happen in the future*

*Giving interesting facts about earth*

*Shows different colors and tells a lot of stuff*

*Interest in weather, earth in general*

*Class is doing something with journey north, tracking butterflies*

*Tells you like the history of the hurricanes*

*How global warming would change because of pollution, how much
water\...*

*Tells you what happens and happened in the past*

*Exploring the unknown*

*Tells you stuff you don\'t know yet, next time you can learn more*

**C. Visitors' Suggestions for 'Science on a Sphere'**

This section presents visitors' top-of-mind suggestions for making the
SOS exhibit easier to understand, more interesting, and for any
additional questions they have about it. These results are summarized as
follows:

-   The most frequent suggestion for making it easier to understand was
    to add labels of oceans, continents, and countries to the globe.
    Some people mentioned having arrows point to the place to which the
    narrative is referring.

-   To make the sphere more interesting, visitors suggested a variety of
    things, including labels, more color, photos of hurricanes, and
    having the sphere rotate like the earth.

-   Visitors are most curious about the technology behind the sphere --
    they want to know how the images are projected, how the sphere is
    suspended, and if it's a hologram.

**C.1. What could make the sphere easier to understand?**

OVERVIEW: When asked what could make the sphere easier to understand,
the top answer was "labels" (mentioned by 30% of visitors). Other
suggestions included arrows to indicate the area being talked about, if
it rotated so you didn't have to walk around it, and the kiosk. About
one-quarter of the visitors had no suggestions.

***What could make the globe easier to understand?***

30% labels (continents, names of hurricanes), a key, symbols

9% arrows showing where narrative is talking about

6% not having to walk around it, if it rotated so you could see
everything

6% this kiosk

5% graphics not always clear, blinking

4% if it moved more slowly

4% text, more explanation, hand-outs

4% years, latitude and longitude lines hard to see

9% other

27% blank, don't know, it's fine

[ADULT answers:]{.underline}

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  *Handouts with information, especially a classroom guide*

  *Voice over and date and time*

  *Longitude and latitude lines*

  *Names of continents*

  *If had more labels, broken down*

  *Draw an equator line around globe*

  *Maybe if slowed down a little*

  *Time in sync with voice?*

  *Labels, designate areas that audio is referring to*

  *Label storms*

  *Lower height, not a good height for kids*

  *Have to rotate with globe, bad for lazy person*

  *Breaking up the continents*

  *If image was smoother, data dropouts, jittery*

  *Continents listed, you can tell from the shape, but maybe not
  everyone*

  *Weather effects on land*

  *Too fast, little slower, year hard to see*

  *Letters, or a way to pinpoint info, instead of just audio*

  *Need something to stand at and read, paragraph of what\'s going on,
  also color chart*

  *Pointers to look at Pacific Ocean when El Nino is showing*

  *If it rotated you could see more, you\'re trying to track what he\'s
  saying\...*

  *You could put in the black areas, the name of continents \...show N,
  S, E, W*

  *Maybe some people need names of Africa or whatever*

  *Kiosk does the job*

  *Pretty easy, what seasons were being displayed and what happens during
  hurricanes*

  *Should be some explanation that draws your attention to what talking
  about*

  *The kiosk labels, if labeled sphere would be cluttered, timeline
  pertinent\...*

  *Doesn\'t explain what El Nino is, hard to see year, show effects of El
  Nino\...*

  *No, very well executed, maybe slow down rate, too fast-weather
  changes*

  *Would be nice if there was good way to represent time scale as they
  travel*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

[KID answers:]{.underline}

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  *Labels*

  *Symbols on it*

  *Tiny source of information for people to read*

  *If everything was labeled*

  *If you could only sit in certain section, so you don\'t have to walk
  around*

  *If you show little bits of warm weather and cool weather at a time*

  *Put the bar on (colder/warmer key)*

  *Maybe if it moved in a circle*

  *Read this kiosk then look at globe*

  *Could have, like, more labels, arrows with labels*

  *Arrows and circles*

  *A little smaller so everyone could see it*

  *If part of globe would write down what they\'re saying*

  *Putting words on it*

  *Larger, more clear, more islands and geographic features*

  *Have words*

  *Graphics make images more clear (hurricanes)*

  *More interactive somehow globe to touch and light up maybe*

  *Wanted to see other side and said nothing*

  *Make it rotate so you could see all of it*

  *Latitude and longitude lines could be bigger*

  *Labels*

  *Put words on countries*

  *Blinking sometimes is hard to understand*

  *Write the place on it so we\'d know like where is the Pacific Ocean?*

  *Make like the present colors colored and past colors black & white*

  *Label it or something like what\'s happening*

  *Saying what the thing on it is explaining - the wind or whatever*

  *Make years a different color because you can\'t read them*

  *Put some of the names of the continents on there*

  *No, think it\'s pretty good but it\'s kind of blinking (animation)*

  *Probably you could show the color down so you know what\'s going on*

  *Put more labels on it*

  *Hurricane part- in certain parts it goes dim and flashes, disturbing*

  *If it could rotate so you could see the south pole and north pole*

  *Tells what the things are things that are moving*

  *Most kids don\'t know continents so you could label them*

  *Could put in different spots where more hurricanes are*

  *Put a key, surface temperature key on globe*

  *If it showed directions when it\'s moving*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

**C.2. What could make the sphere more interesting?**

OVERVIEW: When asked what could make the sphere more interesting, 42% of
the visitors made suggestions, such as labels, more colorful, photos of
hurricanes, and if it rotated like the earth.

***What could make the globe more interesting?***

8% labels

7% more colorful

6% photos of hurricanes, show effects of El Nino on land

5% if it rotated like the earth

3% more planets, other shows & images

2% more text, explanation

2% lower the sphere, too high

1% if it spun more slowly

8% other

58% blank, don't know, it's fine

[ADULT answers:]{.underline}

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  *It\'s good*

  *Addition of major cities (names) along coast and on continents*

  *Wish it spins*

  *Less flickering in hurricane show*

  *Keeping data more up to date (referring to 2004 hurricane data set)*

  *Spinning slowly*

  *Show storms actually hitting (like a TV)*

  *Also show effect of El Nino on land*

  *Name continents*

  *Don\'t want to add anything, it would detract from it*

  *More relevant to our own area, how El Nino affects Maryland, east
  coast*

  *More intuitive what you were looking at, not having to guess what
  image represents*

  *If it moved, spun around*

  *If it had some color in the background*

  *If it moved/spun like earth normally does*

  *Have basic info written on sphere as we do with MSC logo before live
  show*

  *It's quite interesting if it wasn\'t so gray it would be better*

  *More instructive, add titles of S. Africa and America*

  *More real time pictures*

  *Seen a lot of the same shows as a member and want to see different
  planets*

  *Could have different shows playing instead of same ones*

  *I think it\'s pretty cool, compelling*

  *Put in info that\'s relevant to what\'s here; woman\'s voice would be
  more inviting*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

**What could make the globe more interesting?**

KID answers:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  *Labels*

  *If there was some pink on it*

  *Make it a little lower, can\'t see top*

  *How hot was it in that area?*

  *More 3-D objects*

  *Show pictures of what happened with hurricane they\'re showing*

  *Pause and see fast fact about the earth*

  *Giving more color to it*

  *More different colors*

  *To understand better, having it written down instead of just
  listening*

  *Big continents could be named, globe could be lower*

  *More color not just gray*

  *You could label the continents*

  *Make water blue and different places different colors, because kids
  like colors*

  *When it\'s over you could do a quiz*

  *You could label the places so you know where hurricanes are*

  *Maybe match the way the globe is going on the big globe*

  *Add the rest of the solar system*

  *It is very interesting you could make the world spin*

  *Put kiosk on bigger screen and hang in gallery*

  *I think it\'s pretty cool*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

**C.3. What else would you like to know about the sphere?**

OVERVIEW: About one-third of the visitors expressed curiosity about the
technology behind the sphere: how are the images projected? how is it
suspended in the air? is it real or is it a hologram? Only a small
proportion of people wanted to know more about the content of the
program.

***Is there something else you would like to know about what you're
seeing here?***

17% how does it project? is it a hologram, projector inside or outside?

8% more about El Nino, hurricanes, other content

6% how is the sphere suspended in the air?

7% other questions about the technology of how the sphere works

4% other

[ADULT questions:]{.underline}

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  *How does it project, a little blurb for people to read?*

  *How they get it on there, is it a big screen?*

  *Trade winds? History of mariners? Equator/meridians*

  *Is it an image? Or solid?*

  *Name of exhibit and what you\'re supposed to be learning*

  *What\'s controlling the sphere? Is it a hologram?*

  *Maybe have a longer time line*

  *Where data came from, what time period? Displays/globe hard to read*

  *Possibly visualize weather effects on land, instead of just showing
  black*

  *How it affects weather in US, droughts, where? has nothing about land
  mass, only water temps*

  *Curious how it projects*

  *How is it mounted? How created? Maybe have a sign explaining this*

  *Would like to see plate tectonics, to make it interactive that way*

  *How it works, assuming its internal projection, but don\'t know*

  *Is the photography coming from outside or inside? Is it the same image
  on other side?*

  *If I could hear and might have some questions*

  *Where do you get information from?*

  *How did they make the globe look like that like a hologram?*

  *Is it the different projectors? Is it a holograph?*

  *Where is the projector and is it outside or inside?*

  *Is it all lasers or an actual sphere with wires?*

  *Fascinated by how they managed to project spherical image*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

KID questions:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  *How often El Nino/Nina occurs*

  *What will happen in the future? (hurricanes? Katrina?)*

  *How is it floating? What happens if you touch it?*

  *Is it all one picture?*

  *How they get the globe up there*

  *What\'s inside the ball?*

  *Is it holographic?*

  *How do the colors change?*

  *Little bit more about other planets none specifically*

  *Is it real? What do colors represent?*

  *Nothing, I can tell it is taken from satellites*

  *How the picture is getting on the globe*

  *Is it a hologram?*

  *How it changes and what do the different pictures show*

  *Like what makes the colors*

  *Don\'t know what button on screen is and what is the cruiser?*

  *How does it float like that?*

  *Not really, like is there just a ball hanging on or is it a hologram?*

  *How the projectors make globe image*
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

**D. Characteristics of the Samples**

Demographic characteristics of the 99 adults and children who
participated in this study are summarized separately for the two samples
(kiosk and trackball), including experience with MSC, gender, age, and
education level (of adults). The two samples are fairly comparable --
some differences but not statistically significant.

**D. Characteristics of the Samples**

OVERVIEW: Overall, about half of the adult participants had visited the
Maryland Science Center before, a majority of the groups included
children, about three-quarters had college degrees, and the proportion
of men and women interviewed was fairly equal. The two samples (kiosk
users and trackball users) were similar in terms of visitors'
familiarity with MSC, group composition, and ages of participants. Some
apparent differences (more men, higher level of education among kiosk
users) were not statistically significant with the small sample sizes.

**ADULTS [Kiosk]{.underline} [Trackball]{.underline}**

(n=24) (n=25)

[Familiarity with MSC]{.underline}

first-time visitor 50% 48%

repeat visitor 50% 52%

[Group composition]{.underline}

adults-only 33% 44%

family with children 62% 43%

school/ larger group 5% 13%

[Education:]{.underline}

high school 4% 12%

some college 17% 12%

college graduate 25% 44%

graduate school 54% 32%

[Gender:]{.underline}

man 61% 46%

woman 39% 54%

[Age:]{.underline}

20's 32% 29%

30's 20% 25%

40's 28% 25%

50's 8% 17%

60+ 12% 4%

OVERVIEW: A majority of the children who participated in this study were
first-time visitors to the science center and there were slightly more
girls than boys. About two-thirds of the children were ages 8 to 11,
while one-third were older.

**KIDS [Kiosk]{.underline} [Trackball]{.underline}**

(n=27) (n=22)

[Familiarity with MSC:]{.underline}

first-time visitor 59% 64%

repeat visitor 41% 36%

[Age:]{.underline}

8-9 30% 23%

10-11 41% 41%

12-13 22% 27%

14-15 7% 9%

[Gender:]{.underline}

boy 52% 32%

girl 48% 68%

[Group composition:]{.underline}

family with children 89% 95%

school/larger group 11% 5%