Examining Teacher Choices for Science Museum Worksheets

Preservice and inservice teachers were asked to examine 2 considerably different museum-based worksheets and to choose which, if any, they might use if they were conducting a science field trip for upper elementary or middle school students. The more detailed, survey-oriented worksheet was chosen more frequently than the open-ended, concept-oriented worksheet. Although different rationales were given for these preferences, findings suggest that teaching experience was not strongly related to worksheet choice. Furthermore, while particular worksheet characteristics were valued by some teachers, others perceived these same characteristics as a drawback. The study suggests that teacher perspectives toward museum visits are quite complex and that these viewpoints must be taken into account when looking to improve learning experiences during school field trips.