Design and Development in a Children's Museum: A Multicase Study of an Interdisciplinary Preservice Teacher Collaboration

• In Event: Making Museums an Integral Part of Formal Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Introduction
This study explores the experiences of preservice teachers (PSTs) merging theory and practice in a series of interdisciplinary fieldwork assignments in a local children’s museum. As a part of a course in educational psychology, students completed a museum curriculum design project, and a day-long intensive museum teach-in. Assignments related to these projects encouraged students to work with classmates and community members; to make curricular connections to local community; to challenge assumptions and test theories about human development and learning; and to think critically about teaching and learning across contexts.
This research emerges from the belief that museums can serve as a place where interdisciplinary, applied, and experiential learning can occur for all visitors, as well as a place of pedagogical and content learning for PSTs (see Marcus et al, 2012; Kisiel, 2013; Woyshner, Reidell, & Brasof, 2013). Museums become a natural extension of the teaching and learning that happens inside of schools- as Dewey (1900) suggests, museums can serve as the intellectual center of a schooling experience, providing opportunities that inform and reinforce learning that happens in other parts of life.
Furthering Dewey’s argument, Hein (2010) reminds us that all learning environments, whether formal or informal, “need to test their activities constantly against a criterion of their relation to the world outside the specialized setting” (423). The critical self-reflection required to develop a continued capacity for growth is fostered by educational experiences that translate across settings. We believe that by introducing PSTs to museum learning experiences they will be better prepared to provide these experiences for their future students.

Methods:
We conducted a multicase study (Merriam, 2009), drawing on course artifacts two PSTs (one undergraduate physics student and one graduate art student) working collaboratively on two museum-based projects in a course in educational psychology. Researchers analyzed course documents, observed participants engaged in planning and teaching activities, and conducted follow-up interviews with participants.

Results & significance:
PSTs found that practicing essential skills in curriculum design and assessment of student learning in the low-stakes, fast-paced museum environment provided a concrete opportunity to bridge the theories of human development, teaching and learning to the practice of instruction. PSTs described the combined challenge and value of doing collaborative, interdisciplinary work, including the potential for doing this work in museum contexts.
This fieldwork experience also provided opportunity to confront some of the “praxis shock” (Kelchtermans & Ballet, 2002) characteristic of early career teacher experiences, particularly the difficulties of collaborative work, the challenges of assessment for group-based and hands-on learning, and the balance between preparation, adaptability, and improvisation in instruction.
This research demonstrates ways in which museum-based fieldwork experiences for PSTs can compliment student work in an interdisciplinary required course such as educational psychology. It provides insight into the strengths and challenges of teacher education experiences situated in museum contexts. The positive experiences of these two PSTs challenge teacher educators to consider the ways in which field experiences in informal learning contexts can enhance PST voice and collaboration within broad communities of practice

Author

• Sara Clarke-Vivier, University of New Hampshire