What the Volunteer Experience
Means to Senior Citizen
Science Museum Exhibit
Interpreters
Grant Williams
School of Education
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
University of Massachusetts
Amherst
This study was
conducted under the
auspices of the
School of Education
at UMass-Amherst
with guidance from
Dr. Linda Griffin and
Dr. Patt Dodds
Museum of Science - Boston
The study was
conducted with the
gracious assistance
of the Museum of
Science – Boston
and its Senior
Interpreters
Introduction
Why would retired
senior citizens want
to volunteer their
free time in a
science museum
and what could
they possibly have
to offer there
anyway??
Research Questions
1) What are the personal meanings and
effects on senior citizens of their work as
volunteer exhibit interpreters at a science
museum?
2) What unique qualities do senior citizens
bring to the role of exhibit interpreter at a
science museum?
Study Rationale
In an aging society in which 85 million, 4058 year old baby boomers currently
comprise over 25 percent of the total North
American population, it is important to start
gaining understanding of the impact of such
post-retirement volunteer experiences on
the quality of life of senior citizens
A Glimpse at the Future
In another seven to
ten years, there will
be unprecedented
numbers of senior
members of our
society who will be
prime candidates
for this kind of
volunteer work
Setting and Participants
This study focused on nine senior citizens
who regularly volunteer one to two days a
week as exhibit interpreters at the Museum
of Science in Boston
The seniors ranged in age from 66-80 and
consisted of 7 men and 2 women.
Ethnically, there were 7 Caucasians and 2
Asians
Data Collection &
Analysis
Data Collection
The fieldwork and data collection took
the following three forms:
1) Personal Interviews
2) Field Notes
3) Document Reviews
Personal Interviews
1) A personal tape recorded interview with
each of the participants (approx. 60-90 min.
each) broken into three sections:
a) The focused life history
b) The details of experience
c) Reflection on the meaning
Field Notes
2) Written field notes of observations of each of the
participants at work.
Their verbal and non-verbal interactions with
museum visitors, other interpreters and staff were
noted with specific reflections on their use of
questioning, delivery, timing, humor, facial
expression, body position, contact with others,
gesturing, etc.
Document Review
3) Review of written documents provided by
the Museum of Science. These included:
Museum of Science Vision Statement
Museum of Science Volunteer Newsletter
Museum of Science Volunteer Guidebook
List of Online Resources for Volunteer
Services
Data Analysis
After transcription
of the interviews
was completed and
triangulated with
field notes and
other documents,
the process of
creating explicit
Categories and
subtle Themes was
undertaken
Results
Categories
Childhood
Career
Family
Science
experience
Volunteerism
Themes
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Keeping Active
Feeling Appreciated
Interaction with Kids
Being Challenged
Continued Learning
Relief from Stress
Access to Resources
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Connection to Science
Engaging Others
Thrill of Performance
Having a Purpose
Intellectual Stimulation
Peer Socialization
Getting out of the House
Many Meanings
With Respect to the first purpose of the
study, it was determined that the informal
science volunteer experience meant many
things to the seniors
The following slides contain quotes from
the interviews to represent these meanings:
Lifelong Love of Science
“I can associate with
people to whom
science is
important. I learn
something new
every time I come
here. I'm using
some of the
knowledge that I
have.”
Better than the Sox??
“I’m used to being
intellectually
stimulated and this
keeps it up.
Because if you're
not, all you're
interested in is
watching the
Patriots and the
Red Sox.”
A-Ha Moments!!
“The great thing
is when you see
something in a
kid's eyes. A-ha!”
An Oasis
“Oh, my - this place is an oasis. It really is.
Because when I get home, not only is my
daughter ailing, but my wife's having some
problems. And I come over here and it gives
me an opportunity to do something else that
involves kids running around, doing this
and that, and people interacting with the
people here you know just - something
completely different – an escape”
Lessons Learned
Each and every one of the nine participants
in the study shared a very salient trait as
expressed by the following answers to the
question,
“How old do you feel on the inside?”
I Don’t Feel That Old!
“I don't feel that old.
I have to keep
telling myself that
I'm old. There's
gotta be aches and
pains in places, but
I don't feel them.”
I’m Still Learning
“My attitude is that I'm
in my 40s. I've had
experience in life, OK,
and I can go ahead and
onward. I'm still
active, I'm still
learning things, OK,
I'm not out the in the
workplace, but
nonetheless, I'm
learning things.”
A Shared Quality or a
Perk of the Work?
In repeatedly hearing this theme of “eternal
youthfulness”, one has to ask the question
of whether this is simply a shared quality of
those seniors who chose to this activity.
- or perhaps it is the activity of informal science
education volunteering that has fostered this
incredible attitude within them.
Aged to Perfection
With respect to the
second purpose of
the study, it was
discovered that
senior citizens
bring unique and
valuable traits and
talents to the work
of informal science
education.
Unique Qualities of Seniors as
Informal Science Educators
Life
Experience
Been There
Done That
Reflection
on the
changes
they have
seen in the
world
Patience for
working
with the
public-kids
Time to
spend
without
compromise
Knowledge
from years
of study and
work
A need to
share what
they know
and care
about
Lifelong
Passion and
Love of
Science
A sense of
Humor and
Relaxed
Attitude
Conclusions
This study has brought to the surface many
important aspects of the value and importance of
senior volunteerism in informal science education.
Considering the demographics of North American
life and an aging population, this study contributes
important information to the understanding of the
effects of this type of activity on seniors and the
special roles they play within it.
Implications for Science
Teacher Education
STE programs need to include components
focusing on:
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Informal science education
School/ Community Science Collaboration
Inter-generational Science Issues
Seniors as Science Learners/ Teachers
ASTE-NE Conference
October 27-28, 2005
University of Massachusetts - Amherst