Understanding Learning in Museums and Heritage

Through an overview of the educational and learning contexts of a wide range of Australian and international museums and heritage sites, students will be guided into developing analytical, synthetic and evaluative skills that allow them to observe, assess, design and implement educational exhibitions/programs in museum and heritage settings. Students will also be guided into experiential investigations of local or virtual museum/heritage settings, and contact with professionals in those settings and to examine learning theories, critical pedagogy, audiences, curricula and policies, practices of learning and evaluations of learning in museums and heritage sites. The course will also enable students to consider cases of public contestation which position heritage professionals and museums into the role of learner.