Survey

The second component was to conduct a survey, used as a descriptive method to further analyze the quality and accuracy of the study objectives (Fraenkel & Wallen, 1996). Two sets of questionnaires were sent: one to existing art-related certificate/degree-granting museum study programs in the nation; the other, to the five selected positions in thirty selected art museums. I used Anderson, Eisner & McRorie's (1998) study methods as guidelines to design survey procedures. Aspects addressed in Glaser & Zenetou' s (1996) questions considering museum studies programs were used when designing the survey questions.

In order to gather more precise and specific information, the structure of the questions in this survey consisted of various methods of inquiry: direct answer questions, open-ended questions, and closed ended questions (Dillman, 1978). Some questions involved additional follow-up questions to ascertain the respondents' perceived intent in their initial answers. These follow-up questions served to help understand the perceived meaning of different words or phrases in the questions. They also helped to affirm the answers and eliminate possible response-error problems due to misinterpretations of the words or phrases that are used in the prior (target) questions (Groves, Fultz, & Martin, 1992).

There were two sections in the survey for the art museum professionals (five positions at selected thirty art museums). First, each participant was asked to provide a list of criteria for course work needed in museum training programs based on his/her experiences in the art museum field. The second part of this survey for art museum professionals consisted of questions on their identification and response toward current issues in the field of art museums. In addition, their perspectives on museum training programs were investigated. Questions such as, 'How do you think museum studies programs should react when facing changes?' were utilized to gather their opinions on expectations for museum studies programs. Through gaining personal insight into the museum reality, l mapped out art museum professionals' ideas on the training content of museum studies programs. This section ended with a scenario question, "If you were to establish a certificate or degree-granting art-related museum studies programs for potential art museum professionals, how would you design your program?" This question provided art museum professionals' concepts of an ideal art-related museum studies program.

There were three components in the survey for art-related museum studies programs. The first section included important aspects in assessing the current state of museum studies programs. The questions addressed the faculties, the required courses, museum relations, student bodies, and the performance of the museum program graduates. The second part targeted the content of the course work, the design of curricula, and the strategies used to bridge theory and practice of museum work. The third part of this survey were questions on how each individual institution responds to current issues in art museums. Specifically, questions addressed each institution's self-evaluations on its performance in preparing art museum professionals for the selected five positions.

Based on the finding from content analysis of the data, I paired up results from both sides (museum studies and art museums), I investigated if and how the training at art-related museum studies programs coincides with the art museum reality.