ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

There have been several published investigations of sense-making and  
school group visits, which also speak to the question of other  
(alternative) behaviors (such as described by the newspaper letter  
writer). See for example Griffin & Symington (1997), Gilbert & Priest.  
(1997), Cox-Petersen et al. (2003), Griffin (2004),  Kisiel (2006),  
etc.

The role of the teacher, chaperone and/or more experienced peer is key  
in the sense-making process, but what turns up regularly is the fact  
that most of the teachers in these studies did not have any plan or  
preparation for their field trip. (Some considered that to be the  
museum's task.) There were no pre-visit or post-visit instruction or  
other teaching/learning connection.

Of course, many museums and science centers do not contribute to that  
planning process, either. (Other than perhaps one of those task sheets  
which serve as pacifiers.)

In short, if the trip is a 'day off' from teaching/learning, that's  
what tends to happen.

-Kevin


On Jun 3, 2006, at 8:44 AM, Matthew White wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
> institutions.
> *********************************************************************** 
> ******
>
> Back when I was training to be a classroom teacher, our methods  
> professor and Student Teaching supervisor had a saying: 90% of  
> classroom behavior problems can be solved by an effective lesson plan.
>
> With more experience, I think she might have exaggerated a little, but  
> the point is well taken.
>
> Matthew White
> Director, Hands On Science Center
> Smithsonian Institution
> National Museum of American History
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> On Jun 2, 2006, at 7:06 PM, Joe Ruggiero wrote:
>
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
>> Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
>> institutions.
>> ********************************************************************** 
>> *******
>>
>> Hello Glen,
>>
>> I didn't mean to imply that there was some problem with the group  
>> itself or that the museum needs to to come down harder on badly  
>> behaving groups - though in some extreme cases this just has to be  
>> done.  But it's not all  the kids' fault  Excitement and interest is  
>> good. That's what we're after.
>>
>> I would bet - with some exceptions - that many of the problems we see  
>> with school group visits happens when the museum is approaching its  
>> visitor capacity - which might be significantly less than the maximum  
>> occupancy posted on the wall by the building department. It's hard  
>> enough to understand group dynamics but just try to figure out the  
>> dynamics of groups of groups.  Encouraging free exploration is great  
>> when the place is half full. But that same exploration is seen as  
>> chaos when the number doubles, not to mention that the quality of the  
>> exploration goes down as occupancy goes up. So, you can give all the  
>> speeches and post all the rules you want, but if the institution  
>> ignores the facts of their exhibit floor, they share in causing the  
>> problem.
>>
>> Truly, chaperones don't always do their jobs diligently and the kids  
>> are left completely on their own.  This isn't by itself a problem if  
>> the kids are engaged with the exhibits.  The problems really start to  
>> grow when the museum environment is not only crowded but largely  
>> uninteresting to the kids. Though there should be standards of good  
>> behavior, I can't really blame the kid too much for being bored and  
>> looking elsewhere for their entertainment, especially if they are  
>> having a hard time getting close to popular exhibits
>>
>> So, though chaperones don't always do a good job - or do it too well,  
>> or there are occasionally 'problem cases,' kids with too much  
>> 'energy,' lets say, I think there are times that some of the 'blame'  
>> has to be placed at the doorstep of the institution. I've seen it  
>> with my own eyes and have even been a party to it.  Guilty as  
>> charged.
>>
>>
>> Joe R
>> www.TheExhibitGuys.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Glen Moore wrote:
>>
>>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
>>> Centers
>>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
>>> institutions.
>>> ********************************************************************* 
>>> ********
>>>
>>> Joe
>>>
>>> Our strategy is to post 'conditions of entry', provide pre-visit  
>>> written info to teachers, talk to students and teachers about the  
>>> 'rules' upon arrival and provide 1 (active, involved) guide per 15  
>>> children. And yet the behaviour described still happens  
>>> occasionally.
>>>
>>> The very nature of the hands-on environment in science centers  
>>> generates excitement, encourages self paced discovery and  
>>> interaction between visitors. I have seen student interest destroyed  
>>> by teachers and guides being too obsessed with discipline. The  
>>> vastly different behaviour of school groups is a clear indication  
>>> that the behaviour in the science center is largely due to factors  
>>> outside their control.
>>>
>>> Glen
>>> gkm at SCP
>>
>>
>> ********************************************************************** 
>> *
>> More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
>> Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at  
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>
> ***********************************************************************
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