This Forum is centered around the book “Learning Conversations in Museums” which explores the integration of recent research on everyday, classroom, and professional scientific thinking in informal learning environments. The editors approach this question by focusing on conversations as both the process and the outcome of museum learning. People do not come to museums to talk, but they often do talk. This talk can drift from discussions of managing the visit, to remembrances of family members and friends not present, to close analyses of particular objects or displays. This volume explores how these conversations reflect and change a visitor's identity, discipline-specific knowledge, and engagement with an informal learning environment that has been purposefully constructed by an almost invisible community of designers, planners, and educators. Fitting nicely into a small but rapidly expanding market, this book presents:

• one of the first theoretically grounded set of studies on museum learning;
• an explicit presentation of innovative and rich methodologies on learning in museums;
• information on a variety of museums and subject matter;
• a study on exhibitions, ranging from art to science content;
• authors from the museum and the academic world;
• a range of methods--from the analysis of diaries written to record museum visits, to studies of preservice teachers using pre- and post-museum visit tests;

1. Course Expectations

Participation in class – Class discussion is crucial to the success of Forum. By participating in a critical debate of the week’s readings, you and your classmates will improve your ability to speak publicly about issues and ideas and to question the scholarly positions of others. Four essays will also be required to be completed. See “*” on Class Meetings for designated chapters for reflection (750 words), due day of class.

Attendance – Class discussions are an extremely important part of learning and on-time class attendance is mandatory. If you must miss class, please notify me in advance to discuss the situation

Grading – This is a pass/no pass seminar. It is expected as graduate students you will not have excessive absences and that you will actively participate in classroom discussion in a scholarly fashion.  In the event you miss 3 or more classes you will receive a NO PASS for the semester. In the event of continued none participation or not being prepared for class discussion, a grade of NO PASS will be administered immediately following a third warning from the instructor.

2. Required Material

LEARNING CONVERSATIONS IN MUSEUMS - Author/Editor: Gaea Leinhardt (ed.), Kevin Crowley (ed.), and Karen Knutson (ed.) Primary Subject: EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY; Secondary Subject: EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH ISBN: 0-8058-4052-4 Year: 2002

CLASS MEETINGS

January 13 - Introduction

January 20 - MLK Day - No Class

January 20* - K. Knutson, Creating a Space for Learning: Curators, Educators and the Implied Audience.

January 27 - M. Abu-Shumays, G. Leinhardt, Two Docents, Three Museums: Central and Peripheral Participation.

February 3* - K.M. Ellenbogen, Museums in Family Life: An Ethnographic Case Study.

February 10 - G. Leinhardt, C. Tittle, K. Knutson, Talking to Oneself: Diaries of Museum Visits

February 17 - G. Leinhardt, M. Gregg, Burning Buses, Burning Crosses: Student Teachers See Civil Rights.

February 24 - J. Fienberg, G. Leinhardt, Looking Through the Glass: Reflections of Identity in Conversations at a History Museum.

March 3 - C. Stainton, Voices and Images: Making Connections Between Identity and Art.

March 10 - SPRING BREAK NO CLASS

March 17* - S. Allen, Looking for Learning in Visitor Talk: A Methodological Exploration

March 24 - (SITE)- E. Rosenthal, J. Blankman-Hetrick, Conversations Across Time: Family Learning in a Living History Museum.

March 31 - K. Crowley, M. Jacobs, Building Islands of Expertise in Everyday Family Activity.

April 7* - D. Ash, Negotiations of Thematic Conversations About Biology.

April 14 - S.G. Paris, M.J. Mercer Finding Self in Objects: Identity Exploration in Museums.

April 21 - (AERA)- L. Schauble, M. Gleason, R. Lehrer, K. Bartlett, A. Petrosino, A. Allen, K. Clinton, E. Ho, M. Jones, Y-S. Lee, J-A. Phillips, J. Siegler, J. Street, Supporting Science Learning in Museums.

April 28 - Reflections on the Semester

Related websites:

http://www.museumlearning.com

The Museum Learning Collaborative (MLC), funded by a consortium of public agencies under the direction of the Institute for Museum and Library Services, has been established to further theoretically driven research on learning in museums.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/cils/mission.html

The Center for Informal Learning and Schools (CILS) supports research and scholarship in the improvement of K-12 science education through the study of informal science learning and institutions, and their relationships to schools.

Academic Integrity - Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty: Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from The University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of The University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced. Please reference the following URL for more detailed information concerning University policy http://www.utexas.edu/depts/dos/sjs/academicintegrity2.html