ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Great idea. We actually do something similar to this as well. The public school board in Toronto has identified a group of schools (approx 100) that are in 'at risk' neighbourhoods in the city, and needy in a number of ways and therefore eligible for additional school board supports. When we first learned about this a couple years ago, we did some analysis and saw that these identified schools
only came to the Science Centre for school visits sporadically, at best. We implemented a program, extending our existing access program that offered discounted admissions, to these schools. The offer was that they could come to our Centre and take a program, free of charge, from September to April. The good news - we got incremental attendance of 30,000 and the program became a notable source
for our fundraising efforts. Extra good news - these kids got a science centre visit with a curriculum linked program that otherwise they could not have afforded - it's high on the 'feel good' scale.
Catherine
Informal Science Education Network <[log in to unmask]> on October 26, 2011 at 12:53 PM -0400 wrote:
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>We've seen declining attendance like everyone else, so we instituted a
>new pricing model for this school year whereby field trips in September
>and January are greatly reduced. We sent letters in late summer to
>regional superintendents, science curriculum coordinators, and science
>teachers acknowledging their struggles with educational cuts and
>announcing our own field trip offers to help them out.
>
>It's too soon to tell for January, but in September our group visits
>were up more than 100%; most of the school groups were entirely new to
>us - had never visited before at all. So it does not appear that we
>cannibalized our attendance in September from other months.
>
>But it's an ongoing struggle, for sure.
>
>Ann M. Metzger
>The Henry Buhl, Jr., Co-Director
>
>Carnegie Science Center
>One Allegheny Avenue
>Pittsburgh, PA 15212
>
>Assistant: 412.237.3326
>Phone: 412-237-3340
>Mobile: 412.215-6607
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Informal Science Education Network
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Catherine Paisley
>Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2011 12:46 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Declining attendance from school groups
>
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
>Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
>institutions.
>************************************************************************
>*****
>
>Hi all,
>
>Last spring we did some focus group research with teachers (a
>combination of loyal and lapsed customers) to try to understand factors
>that may be contributing to declining attendance from this important
>stakeholder group. Unfortunately, our findings showed that there were a
>number of things that contributed to teachers not getting out of the
>classroom as much (ie. no silver bullet - darn!), some
>of which are quite outside of our control (cost of buses).
>
>I know a general decline in attendance is being seen at other
>institutions, and maybe to science centres/museums as a whole. I'm
>interested in hearing from others regarding attendance trends from this
>particular market. Has anyone else done research to try to identify
>specific issues/reasons for the decline/potential opportunities? Has
>anyone introduced new programming or models of engagement
>that are seeing positive results re student numbers?
>
>Thanks in advance for your responses.
>Catherine
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Catherine Paisley
>Vice-President, Science Education
>Ontario Science Centre
>416-696-3295
>[log in to unmask]
>www.ontariosciencecentre.ca
>
>
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