The history and importance of museum programs and learning theories based on them
Introduction
According to Walhimer (2017), a museum is a permanent non-profit institution that offers documentary history on humanity and the environment for enjoyment, study, and educative purposes to the public and society. With the development of technology and artificial intelligence, where every institution is trying to make education not only cheap to the public but also easily assessable, the museums have not been left out in the integration of technology as they have come up with programs to avail their educative documents online through websites and publications. Learning theories provides a piece of holistic information on how educational purposes can be integrated to improve knowledge adaptability. Several learning theories are ranging from constructivism, behaviorism, cognitivism, multiple intelligence, and contextual model (Stevens-Fulbrook, 2019). The history of the museum can be traced back to the 3rd century, ever since the museum culture has spread across the world with every country documenting history in their museums (Arinze, 1999). Therefore, this literature review will focus on museum programs’ history and importance and their applicable learning theories.
Literature review
History of museum programs
Arinze (1999) explains that the first-ever museum is traced to the University of Alexandria in Egypt. Out of which, other parts of the word started borrowing the museum idea, and today museum is a common culture in all countries in the world. The first museums were only for specific people, especially the educated a norm that has recently been washed away by making these places open to the general public (Arinze, 1999). Traditionally, museums acted as curiosities cabinets with priorities on the collection of artifacts to audience attraction (Leftwich, 2016). However, the museums are pushed to be relevant to the citizens due to human intelligence development and transformative visitor-centered institution re-shaping. The push for relevancy is because everything around the world is changing, and museums cannot remain stagnant historical sites with persistent visitors’ interests and technology (Gangopadhyay & Officer, 2014). In the 21st century, museums play significant roles in finding how to make historical information meaningful through the developmental modification of stages and needs of learners, other disciplines and skills tangible connection, and personal content connection facilitating (Leftwich, 2016).
In the current world, museums have evolved from being just a collection and archiving point to more research and investigative locations where researchers can source historical evidence. In the modern world setting, museums are shying away from being more than a public institution, curating collection and artifacts mass availability to the digitalization of public programs, collection digitalization, and research sharing (Richman-Abdou, 2018). With modern technologies in place, museums can engage their audiences beyond museum walls’ constraints through their websites and publications (Richman-Abdou, 2018). Although programs of taking educative materials out of building started in libraries, museums adopted the technique to expand its territories. Instead, the plan of taking education out of the walls was adopted to relieve the museums the people’s pressure and technological wants (Rees, 2016). This lead to the development of mobile museums. Mobile museums are generally the concept of leveraging technology to traditional museums. With the technological leveraging, the museums have adopted website, publications, and artificial commercializing that is open to the general public (Rees, 2016).
Importance of museum programs
Generally, museum programs were organized to leverage educative purposes. Therefore, the importance of museum programs solely relies on the information it provides concerning historical findings. Museums have a role in promoting education quality in learners and researchers. Steward (2017) explains that museums will be more relevant to learners and scholars when they partner with schools to offers qualitative historical-based information. The partnership between schools and museums can be a mutual benefit as they help each other full fill their educational need. For instance, schools can benefit from the partnership since museums provide a framework on how schools can enlarge their approach to studies beyond academic work (Steward, 2017). In the museum-schools’ partnership, through museum programming, the students have the opportunity to participate in activities that assist in understanding class academic materials and also a chance to develop their skills that are necessary for effective social, academic, and emotional integration (Blad, 2017). Further, museum programs allow the students to make the emotional connection of narratives elaborated in exhibits (Steward, 2017).
Museums programs play an essential role in social science centers (Pereira et al., 2011). The chronological counts give shreds of evidence on the importance of museums dating from the traditional cabinets of curiosities to the modern mobile museums. Generally, form traditional museums, museums have been centers for learning and have much influence that arises from sociocultural and historical context (Pereira et al., 2011). Quintela (2001) explains that the first museums were created with the mentality of bringing together rare, strange, memorable, vibrant works and objects to reaffirm their power possessions. During the middle ages, museums were assigned receptacles roles of collecting donations and wealthy family paraphernalia that were only accessible by the nobility and clergy. From the middle ages of museum roles, it is evident that the museum played a vital function in linking the nobility families with the church (Pereira et al., 2011).
Currently, museums have embarked on providing educational material and referencing artifacts through digital collection equipment and platforms (Faleti, 2017). Faleti (2017) explains the relevancy of museums in education and relates museums as a potential destination of students with research to be done. Therefore, museums play an essential role in enabling students to have a productive command in their various learning fields through new environment experience gaining and the provision of a unique set of educative materials in a wide range of topics (Faleti, 2017). With mobile museums, nowadays, students and researchers do not need to travel to the building to gain access to information in the museums. Most museums have lodged photos of artifacts and materials in their possession in their websites and publications that are available online, making them accessible at an individual’s comfort. Further, museums are developing travel programs and mobile museums that aim to provide information to the general public through a scientific research simulation environment lodged in mobile tracks (NHM, 2020).
Museum programs and learning theories
The museum transition from institutes of artifacts storage to an educative environment for those seeking knowledge has made the individuals working in these museums to a good understanding of how different people learn (Smith, 2006). Education programmers in museums have an essential role of creating programs for visitors to supplement what they can discover on their own; therefore, the educational programmers just like teachers should have a thorough understanding educational theories to help them in developing educative programs not only to the public but also to the students (Hooper-Greenhill, 2007). Their knowledge of the theories will help them understand how different kinds of people learn things. Hooper-Greenhill (2007) explains that museum educational programmers can utilize John Dewey’s philosophy on participatory experience through hands-on-activities concept. Another theory applicable by museum educational programmers is Jean Piaget’s theory on cognitive learning development basing on peer age-group learning (Hooper-Greenhill, 2007).
Learning in the museum have erupted several reactions from a sociologist who have tried to coin how teaching and learning take place in museums. Therefore, the learning and teaching experience in the museum analysis should gain the perspective of learners’ cognitive benefits (Hohenstein & Moussouri, 2017). Leinhardt et al. (2003) explain that there are two theories of understanding museum learning. These two: a contextual model of learning and museum education theories model (Leinhardt et al., 2003). A contextual model of learning is an interactive experience model with physical, personal, and sociocultural overlapping contexts. In the contextual model of learning, the visitors present their personal learning context that involves knowledge and motivation to explore artifacts. The museum, education theories model, proposes four learning domains, traditional, constructivism, discovery learning, and behaviorist. The museum education theories model was premised on the idea that knowledge is an active process involving learners’ construct of physical and mental values (Hein, 2006).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the topic of museum program history and importance concerning learning theories presents an opportunity for the researcher to explore the museum program scenario from a different perspective. It is evident from the historical chronological of the museum that museums are evolving from traditional stores of artifacts to research-based institutions and educational centers. Museums also act as educational facilities not only for students but also for research individuals; therefore, it essential for museum programmers to understand educational theories so that they can develop learning frameworks on how quality learning can take place within the museum. Some of the theories that museum programmers can utilize include contextual models of learning and museum educational theories models.
References
Arinze, E. N. (1999). The role of the museum in society. Lecture delivered at the National Museum, Georgetown, Guyana, 17.
Leftwich, M. (2016). New Intersections for History Education in Museums. Journal of Museum Education, 41(3), 146–151. https://doi.org/10.1080/10598650.2016.1198133
Gangopadhyay, P., & Officer, C. L. (2014). Time for a perfect storm. Building the Future of Education: Museums and the Learning Ecosystem, 21-26.
Rees, J. (2016). A Brief History of the Mobile Museum: What it is, what it was, and what it can be.
Pereira, G. R., Soares, K. C. M., Paula, L. M. D., & Coutinho-Silva, R. (2011). Museum-school interactions: the importance of continuing education programs for teachers in municipalities away from urban centers. Field Actions Science Reports. The journal of field actions (Special Issue 3).
NHM. (2020). Mobile Museums. nhm. https://nhm.org/educational-resources/mobile-museums.
Smith, N. D. (2006). No one flunks museum: An overview of learning theory and its implementation in formal and informal history education.
Hooper-Greenhill, E. (2007). Museums and education: Purpose, pedagogy, performance. Routledge.
Hohenstein, J., & Moussouri, T. (2017). Museum learning: theory and research as tools for enhancing practice. Routledge.
Leinhardt, G., Crowley, K., & Knutson, K. (Eds.). (2003). Learning conversations in museums. Taylor & Francis.
Hein, G. E. (2006). Museum education. A companion to museum studies, 340-352.
Walhimer, M. (2017, April 9). What is a Museum? Museum Planner. https://museumplanner.org/what-is-a-museum-2/.
Faleti, Y. (2017, July 11). News – Why Museums are Still Relevant to Education. News – Why Museums are Still Relevant to Education | Stevenson University. https://www.stevenson.edu/online/about-us/news/museums-education.
Blad, E. (2017, September 15). Scientists to Schools: Social, Emotional Development Crucial for Learning. Academy for Social-Emotional Learning in Schools. https://selinschools.org/scientists-to-schools-social-emotional-development-crucial-for-learning/.
Steward, L. (2017, September 22). Museum and School Partnerships: Why They Are Important for Education. Medium. https://medium.com/@steward.lindsey/museum-and-school-partnerships-why-they-are-important-for-education-f239f4e2ff99.
Richman-Abdou, K. (2018, March 31). How Museums Evolved From Private Collections to Modern Institutions. My Modern Met. https://mymodernmet.com/history-of-museums/2/.
Stevens-Fulbrook, P.(2019, April 17). 15 Learning Theories In Education (A Complete Summary). TeacherOfSci. https://teacherofsci.com/learning-theories-in-education/.