Professional Bio

Dr David Anderson is an Associate Professor and museum learning specialist within the Department of Curriculum Studies, University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada. His research over the last two decades has focused on the fields of science education and museum-based learning. His interest in visitor learning emergent from experiences in informal contexts (museums, science centres, art galleries, and aquariums) were the focus of his graduate work, as well as other studies in conducted in Australia and the United States, before joining UBC in 2002. His previous appointments include: Curriculum Developer, Reuben Fleet Science Center, San Diego, CA; Senior Research Associate, Institute for Learning Innovation, Annapolis, MD; Senior Research Associate & Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.

Dr Anderson has conducted numerous educational research projects and studies in the field of informal learning and assisted many museum-based institutions and organizations in Canada, USA, Kenya, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Australia. His recent research studies and interests have focused on young children’s behaviour and learning in museum settings, visitors’ long term memories, teacher pre-service training in museum settings, metacognition and learning in museums, and most recently, the socio-cultural influences on learning in informal settings, particularly in Asian, African, and Latin American contexts. Dr Anderson’s consultative and research activities focus on helping museum-based institutions optimise the experiences they provide their visitors, and refining the theoretical frameworks through which educational researchers conceptualize and investigate visitor behaviour and learning in informal settings.

Dr Anderson currently the Vice President of the Visitor Studies Association (VSA), and serves on the boards of the Vancouver Aquarium and Marine Science Centre, the Education Committee of Genome BC and numerous education committees within the University of British Columbia. He also serves on three editorial boards of journal of significance to the museum field, including: the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Visitor Studies, and Curator: The Museum Journal.

Expertise & Interest Descriptors

Long-term Memory, Children's Learning in Museums, National Educational Reforms, Teacher Education, Metacognition, Informal Learning.

Planned Conference Participation