The comparative effects of different museum tours on children's attitudes and learning

Abstract Various studies contradict each other on the value of field trips and museum visits to improve learning and attitudes. This study concluded that students of grades, 5, 6, and 7 had significantly greater cognitive learning when they participated in a more structured tour, i.e., one led by a museum docent. Students of grades 5, 6, and 7, however, had significantly more positive attitudes when they participated in the less structured tour, i.e., one guided only by their classroom teacher. The study involved 816 students in 31 tours of the Natural History Gallery of the British Columbia Provincial Museum in Victoria.