Live animal shows, which combine animal facts with trained behaviours, are commonly used to engage zoo visitors globally. However, such shows have been criticised for portraying a potentially unhelpful image of 'performing animals' and have raised issues of animal welfare ethics. Little is known about the educational effectiveness of these shows.…

Informal science educators' goals for preschool-age audiences (ages 3-5 years) shape how they design opportunities for children and families to learn science. However, little research has explored the opportunities provided by informal science educators for preschool-age children to engage in science practices. We invited 12 informal science…

Global interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) literacy necessitates studying public perceptions of the STEM learning ecology -- the spectrum of settings where people encounter STEM. By expanding on the STEM learning ecosystem focused on youth's structured learning, we explore settings where lifelong learners encounter STEM…

Fieldtrips to informal science institutions can be opportunities for children to engage in three-dimensional learning, which is the integration of core disciplinary ideas, science practices, and cross-cutting concepts. We explored the question of whether the combination of a planetarium fieldtrip and classroom lessons could support young…

Every year millions of families visit arboretums and botanical gardens, but little research has been conducted into the complex processes at play on a family nature hike. This qualitative study sought to better understand the roles family members play during the hike, the elements of the trail which they mention, the cognitive level of their…

This study explores the current knowledge and understanding about animal biology of zoo visitors and investigates whether knowledge of animal biology influences the ability of people to understand how human activity affects biodiversity. Zoos can play a role in the development of scientific literacy in the fields of animal biology and biodiversity…

The main goals of this study were to understand the different roles played by teachers and students during a school-guided tour to an aquarium and to analyse their different perspectives about the visit. The study focused on students' and teachers' behaviour during school-guided visits to an aquarium; students' and teachers' perspectives about…