Education and
Interpretation in Museums (History 6303)
Spring 2005
Instructors:
Ann McCleary, Coordinator
of Museum Studies Certificate program, UWG History Department, 678-839-6041, amcclear@westga.edu, Office hours: 11-1:30 Tuesday/Thursday and by appointment
Karen Kelly, Director of
Education,
Class meetings
10-12:15
Wednesdays in the small classroom at the AHC, plus 15 hours observing or
participating in educational programs, as specified in the course requirements
below. The
Catalog description
An
examination of the educational functions of a museum including interpretive
principles and techniques, school programs, adult and community programs,
staffing, marketing, and other programming logistics. This class is taught in association with the
Course description
The goal of this class is to
prepare students interested in museum work or in public history with the knowledge
and skills they need to plan, implement, and evaluate educational and
interpretive programs for the public.
This course is part of the graduate-level museum studies certificate
program developed by the UWG History Department and the
In the spirit of this program,
our goal is to present theoretical knowledge and offer practical experience in
the museum field to teach students what we would have liked to have known when
we entered museum work. The class will
be team taught by a public history professor from UWG and a member of the AHC
staff, both of whom bring considerable experience working in the field of
museum education and interpretation. The
As a graduate seminar, this
course will emphasize class discussion and participation as well as the
creation of a portfolio. We will use
current writings by museum professionals and
supplement these sources (listed below as required books) with additional
readings, as appropriate. Students will
undertake a variety of hands-on “practicum” assignments that provide experience
in the tasks that a museum educator would undertake and will compile these
assignments in a portfolio to turn in at the end of class. Students interested in a career in museum
work or public history are encouraged to blend this
portfolio with assignments of portfolios for other classes to use when seeking
jobs or other career opportunities.
Learning Outcomes
After successfully
completing this course, students will be able to demonstrate:
1. Familiarity with literature in the field of museum
education and interpretation;
2. Knowledge of the theory and ethics of museum education
and interpretation;
3. An understanding of learning theory as it relates to
museum education;
4. A knowledge of the principles of museum education
programming, from school groups to adult, family, and community programs;
5. Knowledge of educational and interpretive techniques,
from guided tours to object-based learning and living history interpretation.
6. Practical skills in museum education through the
completion of practicum assignments that mirror real-world experiences in the
field, including:
a. to plan and prepare budgets for educational and
interpretive programs
b. to create an interpretive plan
c. to produce educational materials for museum programs
d. to demonstrate how objects can be used in learning
activities
e. to participate in 15 hours of educational and
interpretive programs and to evaluate how those programs according to
professional museum standards.
7. Knowledge of the Quality Core Curriculum (QCCs) in
Required
These
books are available for purchase at the university book store. All are also available through the American
Association of Museums (AAM) Bookstore.
AAM members receive a discount.
Please note that there will also be additional readings assigned
throughout the semester. Copies of these
readings will either be provided to you in class or available on electronic
reserve.
John H. Falk and Lynn D. Dierkling, Learning
from Museums: Visitor Experiences and
the Making of Meaning. Alta Mira Press/American Association of State and Local History
(AASLH), 200.
George E. Hein and Mary
Alexander, Museums: Places of Learning. American Association of
Museums Education Committee, Professional Practice Series, 1998.
Barbara Abramoff
Levy, Sandra Mackenzie Lloyd, and Susan Porter Schreiber, Great
Bonnie Pitman, editor, Presence of Mind: Museums and the Spirit of Learning. American Association of
Museums 1999.
Freeman
Tilden, Interpreting Our Heritage.
Course Requirements
Class
Portfolio (85% of total grade)
All students will complete a
variety of class assignments which will be graded according to the descriptions
below. At the end of the semester, in
lieu of a final exam, students will assemble these assignments into a portfolio
to be submitted on the final exam date.
A portfolio is a valuable tool to use in demonstrating the skills and
knowledge that you have to potential employers.
In preparing the portfolio, think about how you could best demonstrate
what you have learned in this class. You
should incorporate some narrative along with your written assignments to show
us that you understand the broader field of museum education and
interpretation. We encourage you to be creative
in making your portfolio, including items such as photographs of you
undertaking some of this work at the AHC.
If you so desire, you may revise any of your class assignments based on
comments you may have received from the instructors before placing them in your
final portfolio. We will review your
materials again at this time.
Your portfolio should
include the following assignments:
1. Two program plans
with budget (each assignment worth 10%of the final grade)
You
will create ideas for two programs in association with an upcoming exhibit at
the
2. Produce
educational materials for one of these programs (10% of final grade)
For
one of the above programs, create one educational material to use in
association with that program.
3. Object-based
interpretive assignment (10% of final grade)
Create
an object based interpretive tour of one of the AHC exhibits, incorporating at
least five objects that have particular meaning for you.
4. Interpretive plan
outline for the Conner Brown Trail (15% of final grade)
The
AHC is involved in new interpretive endeavors for these sites. You will create an interpretive plan,
following AHC guidelines.
5. Program evaluation
for “Sheep to Shawl” (5% of final grade)
Each
student is expected to attend this Saturday event at the Tullie
Smith farm and evaluate this program.
Students will collect feedback from AHC visitors using an audience
survey questionnaire and will then collate and analyze this evaluative date.
6. Documentation of
participation in or evaluation of 15 hours of educational programs (15% of
final grade)
You
will be expected to observe and/or participate in 15 hours of educational
programs as part of the “laboratory” component of this course (in addition to
the “Sheep to Shawl” program mentioned above.
For each program, write a two-page evaluation based on the criteria that
we provide. Before evaluating the
program, be sure that you have a copy of any program goals and objectives so
that you can assess to what extent the program met its stated expectation.
Within these 15 hours, we ask
that you sample at least six
different types of programs from the following list. Additional types of programs may be included
upon permission of the instructors. We
will provide plenty of opportunities for you to participate in programs at the
AHC, and we ask that you participate in at least eight hours or programs
here. The remaining hours must be at a
museum other than one at which you might work, if you are currently employed at
a museum. Please use this opportunity to
go to see programs that have interested you but which you have never had an excuse
to attend or to do something out of the ordinary.
1. school program
2. adult program
3.` family program
4. outreach program in the schools
5. guided
tour at the Tullie Smith Farm or Swan House or historic home
6. living history program
7. final arts tour
8. garden/horticulture
or other science tour
9. special event
We encourage you to observe or
participate in programs throughout the semester. Ideally, we would like for you to attend
programs in advance of our talking about a specific program, like a guided tour
or science or art museum program. The
syllabus includes dates during the semester when a program evaluation is due.
Class
participation and attendance (15% of the final grade)
As a graduate seminar, this
class emphasizes class discussion and participation. We expect students to complete the readings
in advance of the class and to be prepared to discuss them. Attendance is also important, as we will be
bringing in a variety of guess speakers and incorporating hands-on activities
during class throughout the semester. More than two unexcused absences will lower
your final class grade.
Tentative
Schedule
Please note
that additional readings will be required and will be provided in class
or put on electronic
reserve.
January 12: Introduction
to class
January 19: Learning
theory and styles.
Guest speaker: Dr. Robert Hilliard, retired professor of
education at UWG.
Read: Hein and Alexander 29-46; Falk and Dierkling, vii-89.
January 26: Audience,
advocacy, partnerships, and collaborations
Read: Hein and Alexander, pages 5-28; Pittman,
21-35
February 2: Interpretive
plans: historic houses and exhibitions
Read: Tilden xiii-54; Falk and Dierkling,
113-148; Pittman, 141-149
Due: first program evaluation
February 9: Interpretive techniques and object interpretation
Read: Tilden, 57-115; Levy, Lloyd, and Schreiber,
59-80; Pittman 90-95
In class: Object interpretation exercise
February 16 Museum
Education, school systems, and the QCCs
Read: Falk and Dierkling,
149-218; Pittman, 151-166.
February 23: Guided
tours
Read: Levy, Lloyd, and Schreiber 3-56, 81-123.
Due: program evaluation of guided tour
March 2: Adult programs, public programs, and special events
Read: Falk and Dierkling
91-112; Pittman 37-51, 71-78, 133-139.
Due: program plan with budget (assignment #1) for
a non-school program
March 9: Programs at art, science, and children’s museum program
Read: Pittman 53-69, 970108,
121-131.
Due: program evaluation at one of these museums
March 16: Logistics: program plans, managing
programs, docents, volunteers, and staff
training
Read: Levy, Lloyd, and Schreiber, 127-148.
March 23: No class: spring break
March 30: Living History
Read: on reserve, to be assigned
Due: evaluation of a living history program
April 6: Museum outreach programs
Due:
interpretive plan for Conner Brown Trail
April 13: Evaluation;
Outcome-based education
Read: to be assigned
April 16: Meet at the AHC to evaluate the Sheep to Shawl program. Time to be announced
April 27: Education-related materials and curriculum guides
Due: presentation of your school program and
related education material
May 4: Technology and web-based education; The future of museum education
Due:
Class portfolios