Museum Education Research Articles

On-site Learning in Museums: Re-conceptualizations and Re-directions for Museum Education in the Post-pandemic Digital Age

As the digital age introduces an increasing amount of media technologies to traditional museum settings, a wealth of literature has found that these technologies are exerting prominent effects on museum visitor experiences. Such technical shifts in essence imply a growing part of communication activities, metaphors of media culture, and implications for technology-empowered learning based on museum institutions. New emphasis is being placed on state-of-the-art definitions of museum-technology, museum-learner, and museum-society relationships, appealing for re-conceptualizations of Museum, Museum Communication, and Museum Education, and therefore inviting communication and media culture scholars to join this discourse. Reviewing upon on-site learning issues discussed in previous museum research, this paper addresses the theoretical needs for present on-site educational practices in museums with re-conceptualizations of several important and operationalizable terms and proposes an interdisciplinary, learner-centred agenda for future museum education research and practices that are facing challenges and potential opportunities from e-learning and digital culture.

The Role of Game in Promoting Museum Education Communication

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RESEARCH ON MUSEUM CULTURAL AND CREATIVE PRODUCT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF NARRATIVE DESIGN AND ATMOSPHERIC AESTHETICS

The purpose of the study is to explore how to uncover the aesthetic value of museum cultural and creative products and create an atmosphere through narrative design from the perspective of atmospheric aesthetics, to meet users' daily aesthetic needs and contribute to the further development of museum education. The research methodology is interdisciplinary. This study adopts atmospheric aesthetics as the research perspective and combines a literature review and empirical research to elaborate on the subject. The research provides a comprehensive analysis of the narrative elements and characteristics of museum cultural and creative products, proposes narrative design approaches, and explores the elements, methods, and strategies of narrative design in depth. In this study, the narrative design strategy of museum cultural and creative products is discussed from the perspective of atmospheric aesthetics, and a narrative model of museum cultural and creative product design from the perspective of atmospheric aesthetics is constructed. By exploring in depth the aspects of museum cultural and creative products, such as the meaning of form and spirit, and the emotive narrative language, we can better understand the importance and value of museum cultural and creative products in contemporary society. These narrative strategies will not only enable people to better understand and appreciate the cultural connotations of cultural relics but also bring museums closer to the general public and promote cultural heritage and aesthetic education.

The role of museum learning in promoting sustainability - Comparative research in Baranya County and Landkreis Görlitz

The study explores aspects related to the role of museums in promoting sustainability among the results of a comprehensive research entitled „The role of museum learning in strengthening resilience in peripheral regions – Comparative research in Görlitz District and Baranya County” conducted with the support of the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism's Saxon Visiting Professors Program 2022. Among the many aspects of the role of museums in promoting resilience, the empirical research also dealt with how much and in what way the museums/heritage sites in the two investigated areas contribute to the promotion of sustainability through their exhibitions, programs and other initiatives. Within the framework of the comparative research, based on a stratified sampling procedure, structured interviews were conducted with museum educators, museum directors, and relevant senior colleagues of 13 Baranya County and 13 Görlitz District museums/heritage sites between October 2022 and January 2023. The study compares the activities of the museums included in the research from the two regions in terms of the extent to which they promote the realization of the following seven of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN’s Agenda 2030: health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, reducing inequalities, responsible consumption and production, action against climate change, sustainable cities and communities.

Science museum educators' views on object-based learning: The perceived importance of authenticity and touch.

Museum educators play an important role in mediating visitors' museum experiences. We investigated the perspectives of science museum educators on the role of touching authentic objects and replicas in visitors' learning experiences during educational activities. We used a mixed-methods approach including surveys with 49 museum educators and interviews with 12 museum educators from several countries in Europe. Our findings indicate the importance of context when presenting museum visitors with objects. Participating museum educators based their choices for including authentic objects or replicas in educational activities more often on narrative and context than on the authenticity status of an object. In addition, educators used various definitions of authenticity, which may hinder the discussion about the topic within the field.

ONLINE PROJECTS AS A FORM OF SPREADING PEDAGOGICAL BIOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONTEXT OF OPEN SCIENCE

The article deals with the relevant issue of using social media in the context of open science to disseminate the results of scientific research and implement the mission of institutions of social memory – libraries and museums – to preserve, study and popularize the national pedagogical heritage. It has been revealedthat in foreign and Ukrainian historiography there are no special studies on the spread of biographical knowledge in social networks. The online project is considered both as a multifunctional information resource and as a digital tool for educational activities, which, with the help of web technologies, demonstrates specially created open-access content to a wide range of users. For the first time, the paper analyzes the spread of biographical pedagogical knowledge through the development of online projects and their implementation by means of social networks. Biographical online projects of V. O. Sukhomlynskyi State Scientific and Educational Library of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine and the Pedagogical Museum of Ukraine are characterized by the following parameters: systematized information in the form of a table (implementation model, name, web resource where the project was implemented, implementation period, hashtag), grouping by type (collective, individual, calendar, thematic), a brief description of the content of each project, a graphic layout of the project. The examples of biographical online projects have been given. The article reveals thetrend of an increase in the number of biographical online projects in the Ukrainian segment of the Facebook social network during 2020–2022, caused by the decolonization of the Ukrainian humanities. 4 proven models for implementing biographical online projects have been proposed for a widespread use: "Online project on Facebook", "Online project on Facebook and Instagram", Online project on Facebook using a web portal/website", Online project on Facebook as a source ofvirtual exhibition on the website". It has been proven that the use of social networks for the dissemination of pedagogical biography in the form of online projects in the educational and scientific space is not only an effective way of providing access to the results of scientific research to a wide audience, but it also contributes to the restoration and preservation of the national memory.

Distance Learning and Online Peer Tutoring for Better Digital Education Environments: a post-graduate experience

This paper presents the results of qualitative research conducted on two post-graduate courses Museum Education and Advanced Studies in Museum Education (jointly University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and University of RomaTre) in the academic year 2021/2022. Students were involved in focus groups in order to enquire how digital transformation in education brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic can foster distance learning for better futures and help shape digital education environments that are accessible and equitable. Results show that the combination of technologies for distance learning and online peer tutoring can play a pivotal role in helping students develop their potential and build a sense of belonging, thus promoting their well-being.

The use of a video and a small-scale model for rain-induced landslides in geotechnical engineering education

Small-scale physical models of geotechnical problems are thought-provoking didactic tools that motivate students by arousing their curiosity and facilitating the understanding of physical phenomena and theoretical concepts. This work presents the development of an educational video about slope stability failures and its contributing factors. It shows several small-scale models built in a glass wall tank measuring 150 x 50 x 10 cm. Layers of fine gravel were placed on a sloping surface of polystyrene to represent a slope with a layer of residual soil on rock. Toy houses and cars were used to represent anthropogenic agents, and water with dye represents the groundwater flow. Each model depicts a different scenario of shallow slope failure. The objective of the video is to show that most slope failures in urban areas result from natural and anthropogenic factors. Several influence factors are shown: porewater level rise, excavation, surcharge application, and solid urban waste deposition. The 6-minute video has had more than 130,000 views on YouTube. Thanks to its simple and concise language, the video is shown in basic education and science museum, as well as in graduate and undergraduate courses. A questionnaire survey was carried out with undergraduate students to assess how helpful the video was for the learning process. This article explains the construction of the model, the video script, and the strategies for its use, as well as its reception. It was found that the video promoted motivational and learning benefits of providing context, establishing relevance, and teaching inductively.

TIES AND IDENTITY BONDS. MUSEUMEDUCATION AND COGNITIVE CONSERVATISM

The article discusses the complexity of identity,the interdependence of social and cultural identity, andtheir relationship with museum education. The Authoremphasizes that an individual’s identity is shaped both bytheir membership in a social group and the internalizationof its cultural values. With respect to museums, institutionalemployment contributes to identity formation, whilecultural identity stems from museum narratives. The Authoranalyzes individual identity as a manifestation of cognitiveconservatism influenced by neurophysiological mechanisms.The Author argues that museum education can play a significantrole in transforming individual identity, especially by exposingindividuals to diverse perspectives and values. The researchindicating the potential for lasting changes in preferences asa result of educational activities is cited. The Author highlightsthe importance of social bonds formed within the museum,and suggests expanding the perspective of relational art toinclude the experiences of museum education. Furthermore,it is also emphasized that museum education initiatives shouldnot be viewed as tools for analyzing the museum institutionbut as opportunities for participants to express themselves andbuild connections with one another.

Design for Learning in Museums: A Professional Development Exercise

The paper discusses the role of educational research and reflective practice in the design of a learning methodology in a museum education context. Educational research and reflective practice are addressed for their role in visitor-centred experiences and in the professional development of museum educators through the case of the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci. The paper first examines the research questions by looking into the work of the Education Department of the Museum in order to contextualize and justify certain choices and directions in the development of visitor learning and experience. It then analyses one of the education projects of the Museum, “Future Inventors”, as the context for the learning design and reflective practice processes in order to question traditional epistemological stances in visitor learning and to stress the importance of professional development for museum educators to enrich their knowledge in the field and the competences necessary to stand as the audience advocates within the museum institution.

Museum Education Through Social Media

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced museum educators to draw on new resources, which has led to the increased use of social media as an educational tool. This qualitative study explores museum education through social media using an adapted museum education theoretical model. The more specific aim is to address the approaches, experiences, and objectives of museum educators who use social media, and to consider how youth aged 18 to 24 respond to it. Twenty-eight art museum educators answered a survey, and 15 young people participated in in-depth focus groups. The results suggest that social media is a new horizon for museum education, short-form videos are an effective tool for learning about art in museums, the connection between educators and visitors is complicated via social media, and a balance between high and low cultural practices is hard to strike. The study also provides practical recommendations for educators who wish to consider young people’s experiences in the future development of networking platforms for museum educational purposes.

Fostering a Coaching Mindset: Applying Coaching Competencies to Enhance Museum Educator Practice and Visitor Experience

ABSTRACT Museum education is a dynamic and evolving field, requiring a commitment to continuous professional growth and the integration of best practices as they develop. As the field has shifted towards creating participant-centered experiences that encourage active learning and dialogue, museum educators have been seeking new ways to enhance their practice and provide visitors with meaningful experiences. One such approach is the adoption of a coaching mindset, drawing on core competencies from the professional field of performance coaching to support museum educators. This article will explore how the effective application of five key coaching competencies, alongside a coaching mindset, can empower museum educators in their practice, improve their museum teaching, and enhance the visitor experience. By exploring the impact of coaching competencies and mindset on museum education practice, this article aims to contribute to a broader understanding of the potential benefits of utilizing coaching approaches in the field of museum education.

Museum Educator Conversations: Building Relationships Through Reciprocal Storytelling

ABSTRACT In this article, I explore how relationships can change the teaching practices of museum educators and strategies of entire organizations by empirically studying conversations museum educators have every day in meetings, in the hallways, and all the places where they talk about their work. I present the possibilities of reciprocal telling exchanges – where museum educators engage in a reciprocal exchange of stories – as a way they jointly organize learning for and with each other. Through transcripts and interaction analysis methods, we review four case conversations drawn from two groups of museum educators. Findings implicate the value of small talk as useful for museum educators to strengthen the relationship-building muscles for future reciprocal story exchanging about museum teaching and learning.

Revisiting Roundtable Reports After 50 Years

ABSTRACT 2023 marks the 50th anniversary that the Museum Education Roundtable (MER) has been publishing reflections and research from the museum education field, first as Roundtable Reports, and since 1985 as the Journal of Museum Education (JME). Though it is best known through these publications, even before MER began writing, its members were gathering. This article presents an interview between Michelle Dezember, former MER President and 2018–2023 board member, and three of the founding members of MER: Diane North, Jane Farmer, and Mary Alexander. The discussion focuses on the founders’ experiences laying the foundation for the Museum Educators’ Roundtable and Roundtable Reports from 1969 to 1973. Their memories provide context revealing how the Civil Rights era shaped the sense of purpose and collective power of museum educators in Washington D.C., as well as their organizing work to create a larger community of practice through gathering, sharing practice, and publishing.

Mentoring Up, Down, and Sideways: Reciprocity and Care in the Museum Education Field

ABSTRACT Recent literature on mentoring revises the long-held notion of a dyadic, master-apprentice affiliation to better reflect the fluid, flexible, and even non-hierarchical dynamics that occur between mentors and mentees today. Relational mentoring, intersectional mentoring, and co-mentoring models offer frameworks for reconsidering the role of mentoring in the museum education field, both for newcomers and for museum professionals with many years of experience. Centering four mentor-mentee conversations about the role of mentoring in their professional lives, this article captures the crucial, though rarely documented, importance of mentoring, and also enumerates various ways that mentoring shows up for museum education professionals at various points in their careers. In doing so, it makes space for mentoring as part of the larger discourse around how we navigate the profession and care for one another in the process.

Revolution, Responsibility, and Reflection: Fifty Years of the Journal of Museum Education

ABSTRACT As the Journal of Museum Education reaches its fifty-year publication milestone, this article traces the roots of the Museum Education Roundtable (MER) and the organization’s resulting journal, both critical to professionalizing and shaping the field of museum education. Central to this publishing effort were the relationships amongst MER board members, editors, and authors, all working collectively to ensure that this publication allowed for new relationships to flourish between museum educators and their institutions, audiences, and other professionals. The responsibility for ensuring that this work shapes and impacts the field has been shared by generations of museum educators. The revolutionary challenge presented by the formation of MER and its publication continues today, as the JME continues to provide space to document legacies and endeavors to be a place that emerging professionals can use to reflect on new approaches, directions, and imperatives to continue strengthening the field of museum education.

Cultivating Community: The Essential Role of Intergenerational Relationships in Culturally Specific Museums

ABSTRACT This article delves into the vital role played by intergenerational, cultural, and social relationships in the work of museum educators at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM). It highlights the relational exchanges among different generations of staff and volunteers. These relationships not only facilitate the intergenerational transfer of Japanese American history and culture, but they also help to cultivate a sense of community and shared experience. This case study underscores that these relationships not only contribute to the professional growth of museum educators, but also foster a community-centric approach to history education and the preservation of cultural heritage. The authors further emphasize the distinct organizational culture at JANM, characterized by care, familial connections, and mutual support. Through the cultivation of relationships and shared cultural traditions, an enriching environment is created at the museum that enhances the work of its educators and provides a richer experience for visitors.

There are Different Suns: Learning, Restorative History, and Finding Ground

ABSTRACT This article draws on my time as a classroom teacher and my experience as a museum educator affiliated with the Center for Restorative History to argue for learning that centers relationships over education that centers measurement. The world we live in is shaped by a logic that prioritizes categorization, regulation, and metrics measured against a western liberal ideal. Restorative history, building on practices of peacemaking and restorative justice, offers maps to different ways to be together and think about the world. Places and moments of learning informed by critical pedagogy are the ground on which we can use restorative history practices to build a different world that centers relationship building, mending, and maintaining right relations.

Chances and Limitations of Immersive Augmented Reality for Game-based Learning in Museums

This article discusses opportunities and limitations of using immersive augmented reality (AR) with head-mounted displays for gaming and education in museums. We first report on a prototype application for HoloLens 2 that we developed and tested with 109 museum visitors in a recent project for an exhibition with large animal skeletons. The results show that the feedback from visitors was overall positive, while more steps are needed before it can be implemented in a museum routine. Based on the findings, we discuss hypotheses for the planned further development of the approaches towards game-based learning in the real environment of a natural history museum.

The potential of using museum podcasts for educational purposes for intercultural exchange

Digital technologies take museums beyond the academic framework and expand their capabilities in the educational sphere. Web 2.0 tools allow museums to target the current generation of young people as well as transfer the basic values of humanity to develop an all-sided, harmonious personality capable of lifelong education. Museum podcasting for educational purposes seems to be authentic intercultural content that helps to establish efficient intercultural communication between students from Kazakhstan and other countries, aimed at popularizing cultural heritage and promoting social inclusion and civic engagement. Eleven EFL students agreed to take part in recording five museum podcasts for educational purposes to improve listening and speaking skills, work on interactive student problems, and create a dialogic space that affords student-teacher agency. Student involvement resulted in the development of a meaningful strategy for creating educational museum podcasting, where each episode deals with the art-historical findings of the researchers from the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of Buketov Karaganda University. We think that by using this digital content during curatorial hours, university teachers will help spread awareness of Central Kazakhstan's historical and cultural heritage among students and young people both domestically and abroad.