lit review: Museums and Design Education

Again, I was taken completely by surprise after pulling a random book off the shelf just to see if I it included anything relevant.  Odd how that happens!  This time I discovered Museums and Design Education: Looking to Learn, Learning to See, edited by Beth Cook, Rebecca Reynolds, and Catherine Speight and published by Ashgate Publishing Limited in 2010.  Because the book has a British focus and is aimed at university design programs, I was not sure it would be relevant.  I found chapters 4 and 6 most interesting, although I read through a fair bit of the book.

In general, Museums and Design Education is supportive of museums and universities working together.  In fact, it gives a brief history of the origins of university museums being specifically created (at least in Britain) to support higher education programs such as biology, medicine, and archaeology. 

The book makes a number of other noteworthy points, such as:
[these points incorporate those included in Chapter 4: "Creative Differences" by Jos Boys, and Chapter 6: "Student Use of a University Museum" by Rhianedd Smith]

• that not a lot of theoretical research has been done on support for university students from museums--I would argue that for archives as well;
• the co-operative work between universities and museums is ad hoc and not done through a formal program supported with policy and procedure;
• undergraduate students find it more difficult to determine their research needs as they are still learning their style, skills, etc.  They cannot easily shapre their learning experience.  This comes with time;
• museums cannot meet the needs/teach the skills without assistance, partnerships, staff, and money;
• grade-school curriculum is standardized and so museums can find an easier fit than with the less-structured university course.  This makes a "one size fits all" session difficult to create;
• the museum's sessions are one-offs and about short-term goals that enrich the visitor's experience.  Universities build activities in layers, at different levels of difficulty, with long-term goals; and,
• museums do not teach in a way that anticipates outcomes; it is more about inspiration.  A display cannot really provide any outcomes.