Teacher Motivations for Field Trips to Small Museums

Abstract

This study explored what components are most valued by teachers during the planning phase of field trips to small museums. It identified teachers' motivations and constraints when planning a field trip to a small museum. In addition, it examined the influence of motivations and constraints on the likelihood of teachers taking a field trip and teachers��� willingness to put in effort to take a field trip after the planning phase. Past research on teacher motivations for field trips, however, reveals a need to improve in the area of small museums. Small museums are significant contributors to society by providing local access to education, creating job opportunities, promoting sustainability, and more. This study sought to find teachers' motives and constraints during field trip planning and the intention of taking a field trip after planning through survey data collected from teachers ranging from kindergarten to twelfth grade. The data analyzed were grouped into motives, constraints, likelihood, and willingness. The findings offer insight to small museums to make the necessary investments in school field trips that may increase revenue, enhance community engagement, and create better educational experiences