This space was created by the Museum Education Roundtable to expand upon the most recent Journal of Museum Education (JME) issue, reflect on member events, and address timely issues that we face in the field of museum work. Read about how to write for our blog here.
Knowledge in Action ™
Year-End Update from the MER President
re·spon·sive·ness /rəˈspänsivnəs/ noun 1. the quality of reacting quickly and positively. As museum educators, we invest a lot of effort learning and honing teaching strategies and skills that enable us to be responsive to the varied backgrounds, interests, and preferences of visitors. We practice creating an inclusive, audience-centered environment and facilitating dialogue through open-ended questioning, active listening, paraphrasing, linking, and … Read More
Why use Illustrations?
I was thrilled to be asked to create some illustrations for a recent issue of the Journal of Museum Education. While not an illustrator by trade, I often use illustrations on the blog that I publish about issues in the museum field. Over the years, I have used pictures to help people understand museums’ lack of neutrality, the myth of … Read More
Holiday Wish List: Books (and a podcast!) that are getting us excited this season
Each year, the Museum Education Roundtable compiles a list of board-member-recommended reads near the holiday season, perfect for gift-giving or for making use of cozy winter nights. Have a look at this year’s picks, below: The More We Look, the Deeper It Gets: Transforming the Curriculum Through Art by Nicola Giardina What is this book about? Hot off the presses, … Read More
Learning to Consume Difficult Media
The Journal of Museum Education’s recent issue Woman/Trans/Femme in the Museum brought together some of the most important thinkers in the museum field (as well as my illustrations). Collectively, the authors are working to make museums more diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive. Their hard work and thoughtfulness show in every essay. Yet, in reading the journal, I was struck by … Read More
4 x 4: Self-Care and Parenthood with Divya Rao Heffley
Our “4 x 4” interview blog format aims to incorporate multiple perspectives on current topics in our field by inviting four thought leaders to answer four questions related to a chosen theme. This playful approach seeks to navigate pressing topics with the personal touch of a conversation. Our first theme features four approaches to “self-care.” In this candid conversation held over … Read More
Looking Inward: Insights from the 2018 MER Survey
In the spring of 2018, the Museum Education Roundtable (MER) administered an online survey to both MER members and non-members with the purpose of understanding our members and potential members, how they perceive and use MER and its resources, as well as what they want and expect from us moving forward. The 2018 survey followed and expanded upon our 2015 … Read More
4 x 4: Self-Care and Nature with Mike Murawski
In a new format aimed at incorporating multiple perspectives on current topics in our field, MER introduces “4 x 4” interview, in which we invite four thought leaders to answer four questions related to a chosen theme. This playful approach seeks to navigate pressing topics with the personal touch of a conversation. Our first theme features four approaches to “self-care.” Aligning … Read More
Facing Change: MER’s 2018 Forum
Following each year’s board retreat, the Museum Education Roundtable (MER) hosts an open forum for museum educators. This year, we welcomed Dr. Nicole Ivy to share her experiences creating the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) publication, Facing Change. For reference, you can download Dr. Ivy’s forum slide deck here: [download id=”975″]. Issued earlier this year, this report reflects the five … Read More