Evaluation of a Wildlife Education Exhibit for Youth

Understanding the ability of educational exhibits to communicate information effectively is important in all Extension programs. We evaluated the influence of a table-top exhibit entitled "Threats to Pennsylvania's Wildlife." In fair and classroom settings, participants in grades 5-7 (N=698) were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups. One group participated in a pre- and post-survey; the other completed only a post-survey after viewing the exhibit. Results demonstrate that table-top exhibits are useful in conveying basic information and facilitating learning; however, the overall effectiveness of this exhibit was only about 10% and may have been influenced by additional confounding factors.