Comprehensive Research On UK And US Science Center: Features, Models, Impacts

As the development of communication technology, People are living in the situation of mass media and new media's amalgamation period. The way that people get to know the information varies differently. So different countries not only come to pay attention to the science research and development,but also focus on the importance of media choosing in the process of science communication, especially the interactive means of communication, the positive impact.The science center which has the interactive and experiencing characteristic develops in UK and US in recent years. Science center plays an important role in the movement of Public Understanding of Science (PUS).The emergence and growth of science center, to some extent , meets the needs of people's desire to know science knowledge, participating in the science research and policies discussion. But the importance is that science center builds the relationships between Science and Society.In Chapter one and two, the thesis discussed the science centers both in China and the other foreign countries on the areas of history, features, development, goals etc. On the base of science centers'and science museums'difference and links, chapter two discussed the definitions among these science museums, science centers.In Chapter three, under the conditions of paper research and web search, analyzed and the author summarized four kinds of science center's operating model such as school, community, enterprise and institutions between science centers. In UK, the science center's school program and partnerships on enterprises responded to the government's―Science and Society‖plan effectively. Science center also deepened the understanding and trust between the public and science community. Meanwhile, the US's science center has already played an important role in the informal science education.(Outside classroom science education.)In the community, the US science center's communication themes meet the public's interests and creation on science communication. In Chapter four, the thesis discussed the content on social, personal, political and economic impact research on science center , especially analyzed the process of science center's economic impact study.In conclusion, the thesis summarized the inspiration that we could learn from the practice and research on UK and US's science center study,then suggested that develop our own way of research on science center.