Towards defining success factors for school visits to digital science centers

• School visits to science centers can provide valuable opportunities for pupils to engage with science content and practices different from the traditional classroom and raise pupils' interest in science and science careers. Teachers play a key role in the success of a visit by linking to classroom practice. Unfortunately, visits tend to be viewed as an isolated experience by teachers and pupils, wherein pre- and post-visit activities that actively integrate the visit into classroom practice are often lacking. While many science centers offer suggestions for such pre- and post-visit activities, teachers do not typically take advantage of them. Thus, it is imperative to explore teachers’ views on successful visits and barriers that may influence the experience for pupils. As part of a larger research project on success factors for school visits to science centers, we examined teachers views on success factors, motivations and barriers to visiting a digital science center in Sweden. Based on interviews and the accompanying literature, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to teachers in local compulsory schools. Responses from 50 teachers revealed that the most important success factors were a well-prepared program, that the content is conveyed visually, that the visit induces pupils’ curiosity, and that the activities are linked to the curriculum. Teachers most common motives for visiting were that it offers a unique experience from the classroom, that the visit is free and that the program considers pupils’ needs. The majority of the teachers conducted no or limited pre- and post-visit activities, although the science center offers lesson plans linked to the visit. Main obstacles to visits included public transport costs for suburban and rural area schools. Our results suggest that the design of a visit should also consider and support the practical constraints for teachers and schools. 

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Didaktik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Didactics (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Digital science centers

school visits

success factors

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)