Using Museums As An Educational Resource

Visits to museums have long been an important aspect of the education of young people and in recent years it has been increasingly recognised that education is core to the purpose of the museum. Not only do they introduce students to the many and varied forms of our material culture, they also introduce them to social, historical and scientific encounters that are difficult to find elsewhere. The second edition of this popular book takes account of the ongoing changes in both museums and education to provide a comprehensive introduction for student teachers, practising teachers and other educators to all that is required to make good educational use of museums. It explores what a museum is, their value in primary and secondary education and why they require special teaching skills. It then goes on to look at the practicalities of planning, preparing and conducting a visit, including risk assessment. Next, it introduces the basic skills involved in working with the resources that are required to make the best educational use of museums, including online and digital resources. Finally, the author considers ways of following-up work done outside the classroom, including some of the longer term strategies that teachers should consider.

Over the last twenty years the educational role of the museum has come to be central to its mission. There are now far more educational opportunities, new spaces, new interfaces - both digital and physical, and a growing number of education and interpretation departments, educational curators and public engagement programmes. Despite these developments, however, higher education has remained a marginal collaborator compared to primary and secondary schools and to other forms of adult learning. This has meant that the possibilities for partnerships between universities, colleges, museums and galleries has remained relatively unexplored, especially in relation to their potential for generating innovative patterns of research and learning. This book addresses the key issues which are preventing such partnerships and examines how to enable more effective and creative connections between museums and higher education. The authors identify conceptual and practical barriers and explore whether current academic models are fit for purpose. They argue that as pressures mount on public educational resources around the world, there needs to be an urgent increase in the exchange of knowledge across these sectors and the forging of world-class scholarly partnerships. Examples of research undertaken internationally offer best practice models for collaboration and integration. This book will be compulsory reading for museum and educational specialists and those interested in engaging in museum/higher education partnerships. It will also be of interest to those involved in policy and decision-making in education, the museum sector and national and local government.

This second edition interweaves technology into every aspect of the manual and includes two new chapters on working with K-12 learners and interaction. With checklists, schedules, organizational charts, program examples, and other how-to documents included throughout, The Museum Educator's Manual is a 'must have' book for any museum educator.

At the beginning of the 21st century museums are challenged on a number of fronts. The prioritisation of learning in museums in the context of demands for social justice and cultural democracy combined with cultural policy based on economic rationalism forces museums to review their educational purposes, redesign their pedagogies and account for their performance. The need to theorise learning and culture for a cultural theory of learning is very pressing. If culture acts as a process of signification, a means of producing meaning that shapes worldviews, learning in museums and other cultural organisations is potentially dynamic and profound, producing self-identities. How is this complexity to be ‘measured’? What can this ‘measurement’ reveal about the character of museum-based learning? The calibration of culture is an international phenomenon, and the measurement of the outcomes and impact of learning in museums in England has provided a detailed case study. Three national evaluation studies were carried out between 2003 and 2006 based on the conceptual framework of Generic Learning Outcomes. Using this revealing data Museums and Education reveals the power of museum pedagogy and as it does, questions are raised about traditional museum culture and the potential and challenge for museum futures is suggested.

Administrators of museums and other informal-learning centers often need to demonstrate, in some tangible way, the effectiveness of their institutions as teaching tools. Practical Evaluation Guide discusses specific methods for analyzing audience learning and behavior in museums, zoos, botanic gardens, nature centers, camps, and youth programs. Evaluation is essential because it allows you to answer critical questions like: How can one measure the impacts of educational experiences in a museum, zoo, or aquarium? Are digital technologies more effective than traditional exhibits for enhancing visitor interest and understanding? How does one measure learning in these informal environments where visitors themselves decide what they will experience? Since we know many visitors come to informal institutions for social interaction and play, how does one access these social impacts? The Practical Evaluation Guide is an all-in-one resource to guide professionals working in museums and other informal educational institutions. This new edition includes updates throughout and features a brand-new chapter on evaluating digital interactive exhibits. The section on observational tools includes a new section on using video recordings and the section on interviews includes recent studies from countries outside the U.S. Practical Evaluation Guide serves as a basic, easy-to-follow guide for museum professionals and students who want to understand the effects of such public institutions on the people who visit them.

Education departments in museums of all kinds serve millions of students and adult learners every year using the objects and other resources of the museum. Teaching the Museum offers insights, anecdotes, and valuable advice on how to get started and how to succeed in this rapidly growing field. Twenty contributors with decades of museum experience point out the opportunities for new graduates and seasoned teachers alike who want to explore this exciting profession.

Grounded in the strengths of its first edition, this book has been restructured to include new papers and recent articles, and presents front-running theory and practice as it addresses the relationships of museums and galleries to their audiences.