Spring semester updates

Because my project is research-based, I didn't get to do anything too exciting or hands-on over the break. This format allows me to work on my thesis at more of my own pace, and not that of a more rigid project schedule, which I think is helping me a lot. I find myself writing at odd times, like during a quick 20 minute break or really late at night, but every little paragraph is still progress!

As I began writing, I started to notice a few "holes" in my research. I had originally thought some of my sources would have enough material, but I find myself wanting to add a bit more, just to improve the flow. It's difficult to know whether I'm dwelling too much on background context and the history of museum education, but I'm assuming that I'll end up cutting a decent portion of that first section of my paper. The more I write, the better idea I have of what research I still need.

After today's class, I'm now trying to think ahead to what types of images would be appropriate to include. The final "product" of my thesis will be a list of suggested applications of museum education methods to selected Common Core standards, so maybe a table would be an efficient way of listing that information.

Evolution of my thesis

At the beginning of the year, I had a pretty clear idea of my research question. Although the main premise of my thesis hasn’t changed much, my sources have. I had gathered a lot of research that was mostly relevant, but as I progressed in my research process, I found a whole new set of sources that are directly related to museum schools, their defining characteristics, and their curriculum. My current bibliography looks very different from only a couple weeks ago, but I think it’s for the better.

As for the project side, I had initially envisioned doing a series of observations at a local museum school. But with the input from my classmates and advisors, I have decided to also do classroom observations at a traditional public school, so I can compare the two. The specifics of my project will likely change, as I’m still in hammering out details with both of the schools. But I’ll definitely have a clear outline in the next week or so, and I’m looking forward to finally visiting the classrooms.

Museum school learning experiences

In past Museum Studies classes, we have briefly talked about the concept of museum schools. The research process for my thesis has brought me to a much deeper understanding about the history of the museum school model, as well as the finer details of the learning experiences this model provides.

I had always just assumed that museum schools have higher rates of student engagement, because of the use of objects and interactive methods in their lesson plans. However, I learned that “engagement” is a difficult value to measure. But my research has introduced me to the idea of metacognition and multiliteracies, which are reoccurring themes in the field of museum schools. When students create their own exhibitions at the end of a unit to show what they’ve learned, they are thinking about how best to present the information to visitors, so they can learn too. Metacognition, or “thinking about thinking,” is a higher-order thinking skill that has been successfully integrated into several museum school curriculums.

Although I’ve also done research about the New York State public schools and the Common Core standards, I still need to learn where museum school strategies could potentially fit into that system. I think once I talk with public school teachers during my observations and interviews, I’ll have a better idea of the limitations and opportunities within the Common Core curriculum.

Thesis topic

Over the past few years, my home state of Florida has endured major upheavals to the public education system. Issues such as funding charter schools, redesigning standardized testing, and improving teacher evaluations are continually being debated. Reading about these reform efforts has made me reflect on the role public institutions like museums play in our education.

Some of my classes have discussed what is known as the Museum School model. The main theory behind this model is that students learn best through hands-on experience. Museum schools allow students to explore topics in ways that traditional schools are unable to provide, due to their partnerships with museums and other research institutions. Museum school curriculums are project-based, and allow students to create their own exhibits to share what they've learned.

With schools across the country cutting back on field trips in an effort to save money, the Museum School model is especially interesting to me. I was thinking about comparing traditional and Museum School curriculums as a basis for my thesis. I want to do more research about the benefits of experiential learning, and maybe I'll find a way to narrow down my topic to a specific research question.

Introduction

Hi, everyone.

My name is Elizabeth Gwilt and I’m a senior in the museum studies program. Although I’m from Tampa, Florida, I transferred to RIT from a college in Oregon a couple years ago.  Growing up outside of Washington, D.C. led to many visits to the Smithsonian, which sparked my interest in museums.

After taking several MUSE classes, I’ve discovered a preference for interacting with visitors and the general public over collections and archival work. Specifically, my interests include public programming, education, and accessibility.

Over the summer, I worked at Genesee Country Village & Museum surveying the historic structures and researching ways to make improvements to their accessibility. I also created a social narrative, which is a tool for visitors on the autism spectrum to acquaint themselves with the guidelines and expectations of going to a museum.

I had a great internship experience, and perhaps that might inspire a topic for my thesis! 

Also, I attached a photo of some ducks that live at the historic village, since I loved walking by them every time I was there. 

Potential topic

Since I want to explore a career in Museum Education, I think I’ll write my thesis about a topic related to the field. Specifically, I want to focus on adult learning in nonformal environments. I wrote a paper for Dr. Lent's class about the same subject, and I want to examine it further. 

There is a definite gap of academic research focusing specifically on adult education in museums—most of what I found was about children and school groups. To narrow my topic further, I think I’ll write about a specific underrepresented adult demographic, like seniors or adults without college educations. Museums claim to be centers for lifelong learning, so the academic research should reflect that. Seniors and retirees make up a large part of museum visitors, members, and volunteers, yet I can't find much about how to accommodate their educational needs. I'd be interested in a project that addresses this issue.

Introduction: Elizabeth Gwilt

Hi everyone, my name is Elizabeth Gwilt and I’m a fourth year in the Museum Studies program. When I first transferred into the program, I didn’t have a clue about which specific aspects of museum work appealed to me. But now, after taking more museum classes and learning from my own experience, I can say that I’d like to focus on the field of Museum Education. Examining how people learn in museum settings is very interesting to me. I’d love to learn more about methods for assessing learning, and how to design programming that meets visitors’ needs.

My first internship experience took place at the Henry B. Plant Museum in Tampa, Florida. Although I had a great experience, the small museum lacked an education department, so I hope to find another internship that can support my interest in education. In the meantime, I think my thesis will be related to education somehow.