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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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