Using Museums as an Educational Resource

Visits to museums have long been recognised as an important aspect of the education of young people. Not only do they introduce them to the many and varied forms of our material culture, they also introduce them to social, philosophical and spiritual themes and situations that are difficult to experience elsewhere. This book aims, through the discussion of theory and practise, to provide a comprehensive introduction for students, practising teachers and other educators to all that is required to make good educational use of museums. It does so in a number of ways. To begin with, it explores what museums are, their value in the education of children and why they require special teaching skills. It then goes on to look at the practicalities of planning, preparing and conducting a visit. Next, it introduces the basic skills involved in working with the resource (such as sites, buildings, objects and the like) that are required to make the best educational use of museums. Finally, it considers ways of following-up work done outside the classroom, including some of the longer term strategies that teachers should consider.