Adult Education in Cultural Institutions
Adult Education in Cultural Institutions
Structures for Cognitive Change
Cultural Institutions such as Zoos, Libraries and Museums are organized environments of knowledge designed to foster knowledge.
Learning concepts used in these institutions are:
Informal Learning: Incidental, Unintentional
Self-Directed Learning: More Goal-Directed
Free Choice Learning: Alternate concept to self-directed learning. Originated in museums, Non-sequential, Self-Paced and Voluntary, Driven by needs and interest of the learners
The roles of the affective (defined as influenced by or resulting from the emotions). Learners heightened sense of curiosity. Example learners struggle to pay attention to the beauty of their surroundings or focus on the tour guide.
Theories in Adult Education in Cultural Institutions
Limited research
Visitor surveys
Research is site specific instead of having diverse locations
Constructivism Theory is the most relevant in this situation
Library Reference Desk is the best example of this
This is the most natural constructivist teaching environment.
It has an array of resources that can be used to create knowledge.
Contextual Model of Learning
Dialogue between individuals and the institutions environment
Learning seen as interactions between an individual’s: Personal, Sociocultural, Physical context over time
Negative: Model overlooks class, gender or ethnicity
A critical lens recognizes that knowledge within these cultural institutions is not just an individual construct, but also an ideological tool.
Facilitators of Change
Facilitators of change are different when compared to more formal institutions.
Facilitators include: the educator (librarian, zoo keeper) the content (exhibits, books, animals) the national setting
The interrelationship between these different facilitators makes teaching in these institutions challenging and complex.
Conversely, some institutions have shared beliefs toward teaching. Parks and Museum
Structures for Cognitive Change
Cultural Institutions such as Zoos, Libraries and Museums are organized environments of knowledge designed to foster knowledge.
Learning concepts used in these institutions are:
Informal Learning: Incidental, Unintentional
Self-Directed Learning: More Goal-Directed
Free Choice Learning: Alternate concept to self-directed learning. Originated in museums, Non-sequential, Self-Paced and Voluntary, Driven by needs and interest of the learners
The roles of the affective (defined as influenced by or resulting from the emotions). Learners heightened sense of curiosity. Example learners struggle to pay attention to the beauty of their surroundings or focus on the tour guide.
Theories in Adult Education in Cultural Institutions
Limited research
Visitor surveys
Research is site specific instead of having diverse locations
Constructivism Theory is the most relevant in this situation
Library Reference Desk is the best example of this
This is the most natural constructivist teaching environment.
It has an array of resources that can be used to create knowledge.
Contextual Model of Learning
Dialogue between individuals and the institutions environment
Learning seen as interactions between an individual’s: Personal, Sociocultural, Physical context over time
Negative: Model overlooks class, gender or ethnicity
A critical lens recognizes that knowledge within these cultural institutions is not just an individual construct, but also an ideological tool.
Facilitators of Change
Facilitators of change are different when compared to more formal institutions.
Facilitators include: the educator (librarian, zoo keeper) the content (exhibits, books, animals) the national setting
The interrelationship between these different facilitators makes teaching in these institutions challenging and complex.
Conversely, some institutions have shared beliefs toward teaching. Parks and Museum