Museum-based projects focus on facilitating such “aha” effects, even when resources at the museum are limited. Through creative means and through building projects around museums as cultural and community institutions, teachers can still use museums to develop engagement, excitement, interaction and deep learning. In this module, we will look at some examples, such as take-over days and sleepovers, which can be organised no matter how traditional or limited a museum is in its exhibits.
In this module, we will:
- explore the idea of developing collaborative classroom projects linked to museums
- explore museum take-over days and sleepovers
- reflect on other creative museum-based projects
- draft the final course product
- review your peers’ final course product
3.1 Twitter Chat
Q1: How would you define inquiry-based teaching and learning in a museum? #MuseumLearning
#MuseumLearning A1: It's leading students into research work and problem-solving activities based in a museum.
Q3: How would you describe the basic moves in an inquiry approach to teaching in a museum? When do we ask questions? What kind of questions? When do we insert information (as we need to do that too...)?#MuseumLearning
A3 I also agree with Elena. The questions that can have more than possible answers, are the best ones, as they enhance critical thinking #MuseumLearning
Q4: How exactly does students' training in the inquiry method help them? For now and for the future... #MuseumLearning
A4 It helps them to express themselves freely without being afraid their opinion doesn't count or is wrong,they gain self-confidence knowing they are capable of doing sth on their own #MuseumLearning
Q5: What would you say are the academic benefits we can reap from inquiry discussions during the pre-, while- and after-visit activities? [Can you imagine one day students shooting questions directly at each other? :-) ] #MuseumLearning
A5 Development of personalities that take initiatives, negotiate, respect the different, imagine, and become culturally aware #MuseumLearning
Q6: How exactly can museums and schools collaborate in using inquiry-based instruction? Some useful tips and tricks perhaps... :-) #MuseumLearning
A6: Schools and museums would have to work very closely. Not only learning objectives and museu aims would have to come together, but also activities at school and at the museum would have to be planned together as part of the same learning unit. #MuseumLearning
#MuseumLearning A6. I already have been thinking about that
Open days for schools with particular curriculum themes. Classes have specific field trips and students become the museum curators!
Open days for schools with particular curriculum themes. Classes have specific field trips and students become the museum curators!
Q7: I believe sooner or later inquiry standards will take precedence over content-based standards - do you think it will be rather sooner OR later? #MuseumLearning
A7: Around here the old ways seem to be wining the test of time :-( But here are some teachers who individually or in small informal groups try to break the chains. :-| #MuseumLearning
3.2 Classroom collaboration projects with museums
As you browse through the examples of such projects, start thinking about how you could use museums to build a collaboration project of your own.
The following projects are all examples of good practice in museum-based projects(some of them still running, with potential to develop even further), with eTwinning students connecting, communicating, cooperating, collaborating and learning in, and with the help of, museums.
They are projects with individual students pretending that they are certain artefacts and writing biographical sketches, or journalists and interviewing either the artefacts themselves or individuals who might have used them; with students participating in trials about historical events in which they introduce specific artefacts present within the museum as pieces of evidence; with students developing their own ways of communicating the meanings of specific artefacts and exhibitions; with students seriously considering the essence of the artefacts, thinking criticallyabout the ways in which the artefacts could be incorporated into engaging activities, and then actually using the artefacts for practical purposes; with students seeing the artefacts while viewing them, or hearing their message while listening to them; with students developing personal connections to various exhibits through predetermined objectives.
- For more information, see Travelling Museum (2015-2016) - rewarded with national and European eTwinning Quality Labels.
- For more information, see Museums speak louder than words (2016-2017) - rewarded with national and European eTwinning Quality Labels.
- Let's go to a museum! (started on 24 September 2017)
- Museum & learning (started on 13 April 2017)
ACTIVITY
The Travelling Museum (2015-2016) eTwinning project is mine, with my colleague from France, Isabelle Dufrene. The main idea was that the students get acquqinted with the idea of Museums and how they can interact with them. The students of the two countries had to visit museums, select one they liked more and then create products relating to these museums. They finally created hand craft copies, virtual museums, posters etc and then, exchanged suitcases-kits with their products. It was a marvellous experience for both students and teachers.
3.3 Museum take-over days and other projects
Take-over days are projects where students run the whole or parts of a museum, thereby experiencing the museums’ collection in an active manner. Take a look at this example from the UK:
For more ideas of museum-based projects, check out the following links:
ACTIVITY
Museum take-over days and other projects
Have you participated in a museum take-over day or a museum sleepover? If so, what was your experience? What other types of projects are you aware of or can you come up with?
I HAVEN'T PRACTICED IN A MUSEUM TAKE-OVER NOR A MUSEUM sleep-over, but I like this idea. I plan to use it in the future. The truth is that it gave me ideas on how we can take advantage of museums.
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