Museum Field Trips in Taiwan: Teachers’ Perceptions of Large Group Visits to a Science Museum

This article discusses a study that investigated teacher perceptions of group visits to a science museum in Taiwan. Thirty teachers who traveled with large groups were interviewed about two issues: the involvement of travel agents and the size of the group. The findings indicate that responsibility and administrative details were the primary reasons that teachers chose to travel with a larger sized group, or with assistance provided by a travel agency. Curriculum fit was not the first consideration in planning field trips. The study also found teachers' ability and attitudes to using museums as an educational resource need to be improved. The author suggests that teacher education institutes should work with museums to help both pre- and in-service teachers connect museum experiences with their classroom instruction.