A New Approach to Museum Field Trips

Most people, at least I myself, think of school field trips to museums as a one day event where students are led to different gallery spaces to fill out worksheets and participate in programs or activities that usually relate to some aspect of school curriculum that can be tied to the museum’s exhibits. However, in the chapter “Engaging Young Minds and Spirits: The Glenbow Museum School” by Michèle Gallant and Gillian Kydd, a unique approach to museum visits by school groups is presented. In The Museum School, teachers submit proposals to the Glenbow covering any range of topics and formats they wish to explore in partnership with the museum over the course of two weeks to a whole school year. Cost subsidization is offered by business partners to alleviate the burden on schools to provide funding for the program and allow for greater participation. The teachers introduce concepts that will be explored at the museum in the classroom as a first step in the process. Then students and their teacher spend an entire week in the museum using various learning techniques such as observation, critical thinking, and free-choice exploration to expand upon concepts presented in the classroom.

While reading this chapter I created a connection between the design of the Glenbow Museum School and the constructivist learning theory. Gallant and Kydd stressed that students were given time every afternoon to explore exhibits and artifacts of their choice and reflect critically on them by writing or drawing in personal hard cover journals. The students are given the liberty to make choices about what they focus on, and this gives them a sense of ownership in the learning experience. The structure is very much based on principles of the learner creating knowledge for themself. The success of The Museum School program is an excellent case study that outlines the benefits of a constructivist learning environment.

Looking Reality in the Eye is mainly focused on social responsibility and how museums best serve their communities. While the benefits to students are outlined above, I really see the partnership between the museums and their business associates as the way in which this program promotes collaboration in the community. Chevron Canada Resources provides funding for The Glenbow Museum School, and it is only through their support that the program is made possible. These partnerships create important networks of support that help museums to grow and remain a relevant part of the communities they serve.

One line from the chapter that I took note of was, “only by working together were the characters [museum, school, and business partner] able to gain the necessary force to reach their goal” (p. 83). This chapter is really about partnership, and this quote reveals how while individual groups may not have the resources to accomplish their goals, collaboration can be a powerful tool in overcoming obstacles. Building and utilizing community relationships is thus a key characteristic of the socially responsible museum.