The professionalization of museum educators: The case in science museums

TY - JOUR

T1 - The professionalization of museum educators

T2 - The case in science museums

AU - Tran, Lynn Uyen

AU - King, Heather

PY - 2007/6

Y1 - 2007/6

N2 - Museum educators have a longstanding presence and importance in museums, but there is limited recognition and understanding of their work, both in research and practice. Investigations into the pedagogical actions of educators in science museums suggest that educators do not share a common understanding of best practice, which may be due to the absence of professional preparation grounded in a recognised knowledge base. To ensure quality and credibility of museum education work, and for the occupation to complete its professionalization process, a knowledge base is needed. Thus we offer a framework upon which the professional work of museum educators may be grounded. This knowledge framework comprises six components: context, choice and motivation, objects, content, theories of learning, and talk, which are organized into three domains of knowledge: museum content knowledge, museum pedagogical knowledge and museum contextual knowledge.

AB - Museum educators have a longstanding presence and importance in museums, but there is limited recognition and understanding of their work, both in research and practice. Investigations into the pedagogical actions of educators in science museums suggest that educators do not share a common understanding of best practice, which may be due to the absence of professional preparation grounded in a recognised knowledge base. To ensure quality and credibility of museum education work, and for the occupation to complete its professionalization process, a knowledge base is needed. Thus we offer a framework upon which the professional work of museum educators may be grounded. This knowledge framework comprises six components: context, choice and motivation, objects, content, theories of learning, and talk, which are organized into three domains of knowledge: museum content knowledge, museum pedagogical knowledge and museum contextual knowledge.

U2 - 10.1080/09647770701470328

DO - 10.1080/09647770701470328

M3 - Article

VL - 22

SP - 131

EP - 149

JO - Museum Management and Curatorship

JF - Museum Management and Curatorship

IS - 2

ER -