Year: 2009
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Although other research has addressed some features of successful school group visits to \nmuseums, such as preparation and follow up and emphasis on first-hand experience, there \nhas been little research on the practices being used by the teachers who take their classes \nto the museums. I examined how teachers from five schools conducted their visits to one \nof four museums (Scibono Discovery Centre, HartRAO, Johannesburg Planetarium or \nAdler Museum) with their learners. The case study involved observing the five teachers \nbefore, during and after the visit and interviewing them before and after the visit. The \ndata were analysed using communities of practice theory to determine the practices of the \nselected teachers. An in-depth analysis of the five teachers’ interviews and observations \nwas done both for the rich data it provided and for triangulation purposes. \nThe analysis shows that three teachers had what was described as task-oriented \npreparation while the other two had learning-oriented preparation. One teacher \npreparation was also described as not directly about the visit. The analysis further shows \nthat four teachers were observed to have no interaction with their learners in some \ninstance. Three teachers had learning oriented interaction with their learners at the \nmuseums. Three teachers were also observed controlling the behaviour of their learners. \nFurthermore, the analysis shows that the purposes and objectives of the field trips as \ngiven by teachers were for entertainment, edutainment,curriculum, interactive, career \nand tradition. Lastly, teachers follow up activities were described as either task-oriented \nor learning-oriented. The study shows that some teachers are old timers while others are \nnewcomers in the community of teachers who take their classes to the museums.
Author: M.S. Mosabala
Language: English
Subfield: Museology
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2302626553