Journal of Educational Sciences > Volume 11, No. 1, 1999

Attitudes of Male and Female Art Education and History Students Towards Museums and Their Staff / Mohamed Abdel Mageed Fadl

This research aims at investigating the attitudes of male and female art education and history students at King Saud University towards museums and their staff. Art education and history students were chosen for this study because their realm of study is closely attached to museums. The subjects of this study are 200 in number: 50 male and 50 female history students; and 50 male and 50 female art education students . All of them are at King Saud University - Riyadh . The researcher has used the Mann Whitney test (U-test), in addition to percentages. repetitions and averages. to calcuate the differences and to compare the two samples investigated. The following results were obtained:
1 - All students agreed that museums have a vital role in society.
2 - They agreed by consensus that museum staff are useful to society,
3 - No differences of statistical significance were found between male and female students towards museums and their staff.
4. No differences of statistical significance were found to support the idea that those who have studied a class on museums form a favorable attitude towards them. 
The research concluded with recommendations stressing the need for museums and urging those responsible for our educational institutions to encourage their students to get acquainted with the exhibits of the museums and to utilize them artistically, educationally and culturally .