This paper (13 page PDF) describes a project where students created posters describing their research and displayed them in an open format on campus. The 'research' studies people who attended the poster session; there was a pre-test and post-test to evaluate 'learning' along with a survey where the participants were asked to rate their enjoyment. I find the concept intriguing. Wouldn't it be interesting is professors and graduate students did open poster sessions for the general public at a local mall? The purpose of such a session would of course go far beyond narrowly-defined 'learning' and even 'enjoyment'. Of course, the real question here is (as even this study acknowledges) the "intrinsic motivation" of the people presenting the posters. In this example the students were given extra credit, an incentive that doesn't apply to professors. Image: UVic, where "a student-oriented and student-run annual event" open to the public allows students to showcase their reserach.
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