Museum Science Education in the Pandemic Era

Abstract

This paper presents the development of a distance learning course for pre-service teachers which focuses on science education in museums with the use of technology. The purpose was mainly to adapt to the new situation of the pandemic, and offer pre-service teachers an online version of the course following an expansive learning cycle. Towards this direction, the course ‘Τhe Role of the Museum in Science and Technology Education’ was developed in an online version, so as to connect science education and technology with the museums, and is addressed to pre-service teachers during the last year of their studies. Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was used as a theoretical framework for the design and the analysis of the course. Τhe methodology followed in an expansive learning cycle with the participation of 88 pre-service teachers. The results presented in this paper concern pre-service teachers’ views about distance museum education, conflicts during the distance learning course, and the connections of scientific topics with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that pre-service teachers made. The development of this course shows an example of alternative methods of learning that can be implemented in crisis situations.