Course Description
History and current practices in museum education. Emphasis on approaches to aesthetics and art criticism in the museum environment.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Completing a separate project, to be determined by mutual agreement between the professor and the student. Results will be presented in a written and/or oral form.
Athena Title
INT TO MUS ED
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered summer semester every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will learn about the history, theory and practice of museum education. They will be taught to assess the theories and philosophies contained in class readings within the context of the museum envirionment. Emphasis will be placed on the disciplines of aesthetics and art criticism as they relate to this environment. Through required essay assignments, students will reflect on the nature of this relationship. Students will also critique exemplary museum-produced curricular materials and present the findings in a written critique and a formal presentation. Students will then develop curricular materials emphasizing historical, aesthetic, and critical modes of viewing for selected works of art within the collection of the Georgia Museum of Art. Graduate students will be required to submit a research paper in conjunction with their development of the curricular materials.
Topical Outline
I. Survey of History and Philosophy of Museum Education A. Readings/class discussions B. Gallery observations II. Current Trends/Exemplary Curricular Materials A. Guest speakers/field trips B. Readings/class discussions C. Student critiques and presentations III.Development of curricular Materials A. Selection of works/research B. Student presentations of materials in the museum setting COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to introduce students to the role of the art museum in the educaitonal process. Readings will be assigned which will provide students with a historical survey of the development of the art museum as an educational institution. Exemplary education programs from museums throughout the country will be examined and reviewed. Guest speakers and field trips will supplement class discussions. Students will also have the opportunity to apply the theories and philosophies discussed to actual museum situations. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Reflective Essays - Readings and museum experiences form the basis for reflective essays which will be assigned throughout the semester. These assignments are designed to provide students with a knowledge of museum education and the ability to apply that knowledge to particular situations. Presentation and Critique of Educational Materials - Students will each select and review an exemplary museum educational resource and present their findings to the class. A written critique of the selected resource is required. Applied Project - Students will apply theory and philosophy in a practical manner in a curricular project based on the collection of the Georgia Museum of Art. This application should take the form of a project designed to build on the research and methodology interests of the individual student. Typical student designed projects could address one or more of the following: 1) Field-trip preparation, participation, and follow-up activities for a particular museum exhibition 2) Design of a hypothetical exhibition intended for a specific population (adult professionals, senior citizens, college students, etc.) 3) In-depth curricular materials related to a specific work of art. 4) Design of an outreach tour for use with a specific population All projects must address historical, aesthetic, and critical modes of viewing. Required Readings: Readings will be selected from a variety of sources and will reflect current trends in museum education. The required text is the NAEA anthology, "Museum Education: History, Theory, and Practice," edited by Nancy Berry and Susan Meyer. Additional supplementary readings are available through Bel-Jean Copy Center. Attendance and Participation: Regular class attendance and involved participation is expected. Evaluation and Grading: Assignments and class participation will be graded and weighted according to the following: reflective essays (1), museum educational materials critique (1) critique presentation (1), mid-term exam (1), class participation (1), and applied project (2), Graduate students will be required to prepare a research paper related to their applied projects.