A study of docent-led guided school tours at a museum of natural history was investigated. Researchers engaged in naturalistic inquiry to describe how natural history content was conveyed to students and what students gained from this model of touring. They also investigated how the content and pedagogy within the guided tour complemented recommendations from formal science standards documents and informal learning literature. About 30 visiting school groups in Grades 2-8 were observed. Teachers (n ¼ 30) and select students (n ¼ 85) were interviewed. Researchers found that tours were organized in a didactic way that conflicted with science education reform documents and research related to learning within informal contexts. Students' responses to interview questions indicated high satisfaction with the tours but low levels of science learning. ß 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 40: [200][201][202][203][204][205][206][207][208][209][210][211][212][213][214][215][216][217][218] 2003 Museums are important and well-respected educational and cultural resources. In particular, they serve as learning environments for students who take part in guided museum tours. In this article, we present the results of an investigation of guided tours of school groups at a large natural history museum. We describe and discuss the nature of these tours and how their structure and content relate to recommendations for science education reform [American Association for the

Classrooms across the United States increasingly find White teachers paired with ethnic minority students, but few of these teachers are prepared for the disparities such cultural integration presents. This is particularly true vis‐à‐vis science education. While classrooms have diversified, science instruction has not necessarily followed suit. Two theories, constructivism and culturally relevant pedagogy, have been identified as mechanisms to diminish the disparities in science education. Yet culturally relevant pedagogy has not had the same impact as constructivism, even though it has been posited as a crucial means to better assure ethnic minority access to education. A case study of two classroom teachers investigates whether and how constructivism can be leveraged to develop culturally relevant pedagogy in science instruction. Identifying practical possibilities for culturally relevant pedagogy in science education is important for students, teachers, and the future of the U.S. workforce because it provides a means of increasing marginalized students' access to science and technological fields. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 92:994–1014, 2008

No abstract

No abstract

As children's museums become increasingly popular, they serve as ideal environments to supplement school learning. This study inquires into the pre-trip preparation and interaction between elementary teachers and students during a field trip to a Discovery Center of Natural History. We found that teachers did not specifically prepare students for their visit to the center and many teachers exhibited formal school behaviors in this informal environment. Students manipulated a variety of objects with and without teacher assistance; however, teachers who initiated hands-on experiences had students who were engaged in a variety of activities for greater lengths of time. 20