While social studies is often referred to as either disciplinary or interdisciplinary, we explain why the term intra-disciplinary might be more appropriate. Specifically, we present new materialist definitions of the prefix intra- and theorize why it is productive to consider social studies concepts as simultaneously historic, geographic,…

Art museum educators have drawn on contemporary learning theories emphasizing viewers' meaning-making as individual, constructed, contextual, and subject to interpretation. This learner-centered turn toward meaning-making and away from the object and the discipline of art applies especially to young children's learning, which needs to be…

Purpose: The researchers conducted a collective case study to investigate how families engaged in making activities related to aerospace engineering in six pop-up makerspace programs held in libraries and one museum. The purpose of this paper is to support families' engagement in design tasks and engineering thinking, three types of discussion…

Real-world knowledge via exposure activities could be positively enriched with the aid of situated learning. In a way to practice this theory and to revolutionize the educational system, this phenomenological-qualitative research was conducted to analyze how natural history museum supports the interest of STEM students towards the environmental…

In this article, learning about Native American culture is explored, but culturally sensitive practices also have implications for shaping learning experiences about other cultures. Fortunately, there are reputable and well-thought-out curriculum resources to counter misinformation about Native Americans (Caldwell-Wood & Mitten, 1991; Denver…

The age of literacy, also known as modern age, was based on vision, regulation and control, whereas the post-literacy age, characterised by the advent of digital technologies, is based on an immersive, multisensorial and participatory approach. The ICT provide new opportunities to rethink and redesign the ways in which cultural heritage has been…

Designing exhibits that catch and hold people's interest -- particularly easily distracted children -- is a key challenge for science centres. Here we apply situational interest (SI), a model from educational psychology and STEM education, to understand characteristics exhibit designers use to trigger and/or maintain interest, evoke emotions and…

Public museums are increasingly exhibiting difficult histories that aim to challenge traditional national narratives of exclusion. This paper examines the "Being Japanese Canadian: Reflections on a Broken World" exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum to provide insight into how innovative museum pedagogy might challenge hegemonic narratives…

Partnerships are crucial for museums to reach new audiences, expand their approach, and simply survive in these uncertain times. While practices for effective partnerships between large museums and other institutions are well-documented, the needs of small museums pursuing partnership are less studied. To understand the specific needs of partners,…

Informal education and outreach can be highly effective at shifting public opinion and action on climate change, particularly in rural areas where climate change may be avoided in regular school curricula. Small and mid-sized museums in more rural areas can serve as important sources of climate change content, even when they are not primarily…

'Dancing Glass: Reflection of Art through Dance' was a collaborative project using artwork from the glass gallery at the Lowe Art Museum of the University of Miami, as a springboard for artistic inquiry in improvisational dance. Students enrolled in a Dance Improvisation course, guided by professors Carol Kaminsky and Jorge L. Morejón in order to…

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented changes to the museum field in 2020. Significant among these changes are losses in museum education. Using data collected from museum educators and museum directors, the authors document and contextualize what they consider incongruous, detrimental impacts on museum education. Most troubling, when…

Repatriation of archival materials holds great potential for decolonizing archaeological archives. This paper argues that while repatriation of human remains and cultural objects is required by law under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), traditional manuscript archives can and should be subject to the same…

Working within a new museological paradigm that sees museums as fluid, unbounded, and dependent upon context, this article seeks to examine the discourses that underpin collaboration as a contemporary and necessary museum education practice. In conducting this examination we will use examples from both Germany and the United States to illustrate…

An important aspect of museum education is the pedagogical approach which is used to introduce students to diverse objects, artifacts and specimens in a particular museum or collection. This article explores Object-Based Learning as a mode of teaching which inextricably links objects, learning outcomes and literate practices.