April Ursula Fox and Nicole Thomas (Educational Psychology) published, in the Journal of Museum Education, the empirical research article: From Visitor to Author: How Visitor-Created Zine Artifacts Promote Meaningful, Multimodal and Culturally Mediated Learning in Science Museums. The article explores how zine-making can transform museum visits from passive observation into meaningful, lasting learning. The research took place at the Las Vegas Science and Natural History Museum, and shows how visitor-created zines—handmade booklets that blend text, images, collage, and metaphor—help museum-goers reflect, claim knowledge, and connect science content to their own experiences. Through this creative process, participants shifted from simply viewing exhibits to authoring personal interpretations, deepening both understanding and emotional engagement. The findings offer practical insights and steps for educators, museums, and informal learning spaces seeking low-cost, creative ways to foster reflection, agency, and culturally mediated learning in science.
