Grateful for the Guidance
We value lifelong learning, and we are grateful for everyone who shares their wisdom with us, helping us to grow and get better at what we do. This month, we’re sharing some of that wisdom with you, including reflections on relational reciprocity, museum AI policies, and effective report writing.
What’s Making Us Curious?
CATHY’S PICK
Live in Relationship
“I’ve been reflecting on what reciprocity really means—and what it asks of me. In this short, beautifully written piece, decolonial designer and researcher Sabrina Meherally invites us to explore reciprocity through a nuanced, relational lens grounded in Indigenous traditions and communities. She asks, ‘Can we release the idea that reciprocity is an obligation to be fulfilled within a static relationship, and instead embrace it as an ongoing movement of care and trust?’ I especially appreciate the concrete ways she suggests this mindset can shape how we show up in research.”
AMANDA’S PICK
How a Large National Museum Uses AI
“AI practices and policies have been a major topic of conversation here at Kera, within the Visitor Studies Association (VSA) Professional Development Committee, as well as in VSA’s Justice and Antiracism Focused Interest Group. I really appreciated Rob Stein, Chief Information Officer at the National Gallery of Art, sharing how the National Gallery is using AI and the policies they have adopted around AI use, particularly the clear do’s and don’ts.”
KATIE’S PICK
Know Your Readers
“As evaluators, we write a lot of reports. And we are always thinking about ways to make our reports easy to read and useful. I liked this post from Chris Lysy about reading rates and types—from the skimmer (about 600 words per minute) to the deep reader (about 75 words per minute)—and the implications for how much information we choose to present and in what way based on what we know about our readers.”
New on the Learning Hub
What’s New At Kera?
Sunny with a chance of statistics? Our intrepid mixed-methods Senior Researcher, Katie Chandler, is leading a small cohort of us through an SPSS refresher course over the next couple of months, helping us brush up our stats skills and stay sharp and curious in our work. Thanks Katie!
We’re honored to be starting up another evaluation project with the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC), this time for their Co-Create Initiative, which brings together APAC staff, K-12 educators, artists, and AANHPI community organizations to co-create educational resources about local AANHPI histories. We’ll be leading a diary study, a technique we love for diving into complex, long-term programs!
Speaking of APAC, last fall and winter we partnered with them to lead iterative front-end and formative evaluations for their upcoming exhibition residency at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (NMAH), a precursor to their permanent gallery. Read all about it in the project summary!
New-ish here? We’re so glad you’ve joined us—thank you! To catch up on past issues, visit our Learning Hub and look for the blue News from Kera icons.
Moment of Wonder
“My best friend and I saw the Richmond Ballet Company perform Cinderella a few months ago. It was such an amazing performance that we were teary-eyed multiple times during the show; we love Cinderella's story, so this isn't too much of a surprise. We were also enchanted by the beauty of the theater, the Dominion Energy Center. With its starry-night sky, vibrant golds, and red accents throughout, it was a truly stunning theater to experience one of my favorite ballets!"
— Rachel
