| Chapter 2: | Background |
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In the 19thcentury, museums were often a primary source of education for the general public. Slowly, the role of museums in education declined. Building museum collections took precedence over public education, with museum personnel looking towards the expansion of knowledge through larger collections as their primary focus (Skramstad, 1999).
In the 1920s and 1930s, John Dewey’s educational philosophy brought a new spirit of innovation into the application of museums to learning. Dewey invigorated education, and this same spirit of innovation found its way into museum education. Many museums hired educators to develop interactive exhibits for their visitors (Hein, 2001). Another major innovation introduced in the 1920s and 1930s was the use of field trips as a principal educational component for classroom students. The field trip approach dominated the museum / school relationship for several decades (Frankel, 1995). Typically, students were taken on a quick tour through the museum, and the museum staff let the objects and exhibitions speak for themselves.
As early as the 1950s and 1960s, issues such as the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the lack of stable financial support resulted in the fading of museum educational programs (Yellis, 1990). However, during the late 1960s and 1970s, as educational theories such as discovery learning were expanded within museums, museums once again became part of educational programs.
Discovery learning is a cognitive instructional approach of learning developed by Jerome Bruner (Slavin, 1986). Students are encouraged to ask questions and formulate answers through activities and observations. Hands-on or discovery rooms are introduced in museums to involve students more closely in their learning. The focus is to make learning real and interesting by building a relationship between students, teachers, and the subject of inquiry (Frankel, 1995).
Slowly museums began offering tangible assistance to the educational needs of the schools. Museums made their collections accessible to students for hands-on learning. Museum staff mentors would come into the classrooms, visit with students, and then lead those students on personal tours of museum resources. Over time these uses of museums evolved into a common activity in many classrooms.