Education Commons^™

The Nature Of Informal Educators In Science Centers, Science Museums And Zoos: Case Studies Of Personnel, Practices, Programs, Outreach And Organization, Courtney Erickson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Informal Science Centers provide educational experiences for people across the country daily. While the terminology is often similar, there are differences between institutions, often determined by mission, organizational structure, and experience. The purpose of this study was to identify shared experiences and unique characteristics of eight informal science centers around the country. The significance of the study was to add to the understanding of informal science educators' responsibilities, organizational structure, decision-making process, and development. Data for the study was collected using qualitative measures through a researcher-created interview, sent to fifteen institutions, after the recommendation from two well-known informal science researchers. …

You Belong Here: A Critical Look At Community Engagement In Museum Education Through K-16 Place Based Pedagogy, Janelle O'Malley

Student Projects

Historically museums exist as object centered spaces with little consideration of the community and artists that support them. Therefore museums as pedagogical sites must reorient themselves to become people centered spaces incorporating participatory pedagogical experiences for both community members and artists.

There is a lack of research in place-based pedagogies in museum education. It is important now more than ever to recognize the need to center community in museum education. This study will seek to investigate how museums can exact meaningful change through their educational practices and create a sense of belonging in museums for their immediate community. The outcomes …

Writing History: A Teacher’S Guide To The History Of Language Technology And Museum Practice, Sonya Ochshorn

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The following document contains a guide for classroom teachers to use when bringing a class of 6th graders to a museum with ancient writing techniques, illuminated manuscripts, and books printed with movable type in their collection. The guide shows teachers how to guide students through the journey of tackling the essential question, “How have technological evolutions in language affected society?” This guide also helps teachers understand the difference in teaching in a museum setting and why this kind of learning is important for student development.

Towards The Creation Of The Civil Rights Museum Of New York City, Taylor Koczot

Graduate Student Independent Studies

In this study the author explores the many reasons why a museum devoted to the Civil Rights Movement should open in New York City. This work examines and delves into the very early stages and ideas that go into the creation of the museum, which include finding a need and purpose as well as envisioning what the institution has the potential to do and become. Koczot begins with a discussion of her own interests in the subject, including her experiences in the South and as an educator in New York City. The author moves on to discuss the city’s connection …

Guggenheim For All: Museum Education For Students On The Spectrum, Chiara Di Lello

Occasional Paper Series

The aim of this paper is to articulate the strengths of Guggenheim For All (GFA) as a place-based learning experience and the ways it can benefit students on the autism spectrum. I review educator practices in light of both Universal Design for Learning principles and best practices for teaching students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and draw on anecdotal data from teachers that support a view of GFA as place-based learning.

12 Museum Theorists At Play, Marian Howard, Lauren Appel, Nicole Ferrin, David Vining, Katherine Hillman, Marissa Corwin, Berry Stein, Nicole Keller, William Elliston, David Bowles, Tiffany Reedy, Kathryn Eliza Harris, Liat Olenick

All Faculty and Staff Papers and Presentations

Introduction by Lauren Appel
1. Learning by Do-weyan, by Marian Howard, with Nicole Ferrin
2: Dewey Defines Himself and Education, by David Vining
3. Benjamin Ives Gilman: Arts in People’s Lives, by Katherine Hillman
4. John Cotton Dana: The Social Construction of Museums, by Marissa Corwin
5. Piaget in the Art Museum: Constructing Knowledge Through Active Engagement, by Berry Stein
6. Lev Vygotsky: The Social Aspects of Learning, by Nicole Keller
7. Paulo Freire: Literacy, Democracy, and Context, by Nicole Keller
8. Maxine Greene: Aesthetic Education, by Lauren Appel
9. Howard Gardner and Multiple Intelligence Theory: A Practical Application of …

Museum Educators' Workshop Study Highlights: Attracting And Retaining Teachers In Museum-Sponsored Professional Development Programs, Steven Rogg

Steven R Rogg

Following Phase I, of the Museums In the Park Study, the Planning Team used this information to design and conduct the Museum Educators’ Workshop event on March 15, 2002. Highlights of the Phase-I study were also presented to participants at the workshop event.

Maps-Ii Study Final Report For The Initiative “Museums And Public Schools” On Behalf Of Museums In The Park And Chicago Public Schools, Steven R. Rogg

Steven R Rogg

The Museums and Public Schools (MAPS) initiative intends to “create a lasting impact on teaching and learning by integrating museum resources into the educational process and serve as a national model.” It is conceived as a “sustained partnership of museums and schools, students and teachers,” engaging them in “authentic learning experiences.” This is to be accomplished primarily via the explicit incorporation of relevant (as indicated by the Chicago Academic Standards) cultural, historical, and scientific resources of Chicago’s world-class museums into the curriculum of Chicago Public Schools. The result is to be an experience of education that is powerfully rich, engaging, …

Maps Study Final Report For The Program “Museums And Public Schools” On Behalf Of Museums In The Park And Chicago Public Schools, Steven R. Rogg

Steven R Rogg

Evaluation of the first year implementation of the Museums and Public schools (MAPS) initiative is reported. The MAPS initiative is described in its original proposal in the following way: “Guided by the Chicago and Illinois academic standards, (MAPS) …will, over time, make museum resources a creative and integral part of classroom learning and teaching. In so doing, this partnership will enhance teacher knowledge and skills, enrich student educational experiences and advance the educational attainment of all children in Chicago’s public schools. In short, this collaboration is an investment in Chicago’s future.”