This study investigated whether listening to spontaneous conversations of elementary students and their teachers/chaperones, while they were visiting a zoo, affected preservice elementary teachers' conceptions about planning a field trip to the zoo. One hundred five preservice elementary teachers designed field trips prior to and after…

The story from the museum may not be read by visitors, who come with their own knowledge and understanding and read a different story in the animals. The visitors read a story which makes sense to them and builds on what they already know and interests them. Increasingly, robotics models are being used in natural history museums, science centers,…

Argues that a trip to a zoo or museum should provide children with opportunities to use knowledge they have acquired in their school science classes. Reports on museum research on the conversations of visitors. Concludes that visitors need to actively work with their observations and information to turn the visit from a series of everyday…

Exhibits are a way of self-guided presentation in which visitors use their own knowledge and understanding. Studies a self-guided group visiting an exhibition on dinosaurs which are displayed as robotic models. Finds that the animatronics have a well thought out storyline that increases family and school visitors' understanding of the exhibit…

An ethnographic study of spontaneous conversations of elementary children and their accompanying adults during a zoo field trip was conducted. (LZ)