Microplastics have been found in the most remote locations on Earth as well as in where we live, work, and play. Despite increasing research focus on microplastics, efforts to inform the public about their omnipresence have lagged. To bridge this gap between research and public knowledge, we developed a museum exhibit with interactive and…

This paper presents an educational program for children with disabilities implemented in conjunction with a temporary exhibition of visual artists with disabilities in a museum in Greece. Through the description of the exhibition, the design and implementation of the educational program, and the creative activities offered, the authors identify…

'Why study the arts at school?' This book offers a fresh perspective on this question. Informed by rigorous research, the book argues that the arts help young people to develop key skills, knowledge and practices that support them to become both critical appreciative audiences and socially engaged cultural producers. Drawing on a three-year study…

This dissertation discovers a hybrid collaborative curation and creation exhibition project at the Florida State University's Museum of Fine Arts. This research serves as a tangible application to integrate the third place theory (Oldenburg, 1997) and constructivist museum practices (Hein, 1998) under the umbrella of participatory action research.…

Children with disabilities, such as those with sensory processing differences or motor impairments, often have limited opportunities for community participation. Moreover, the degree to which caregivers perceive community spaces to be accessible and appropriate for their children can be a determining influence. This study evaluated caregiver…

History museums sometimes struggle to communicate history's relevance to visitors. By reframing historic interpretation through the lens of environmental sustainability and by developing issue-based exhibits to bridge past and present, Accokeek Foundation (which runs the National Colonial Farm) has made colonial history more meaningful to…

This review examines how natural history museums (NHMs) can enhance learning and engagement in science, particularly for school-age students. First, we describe the learning potential of informal science learning institutions in general, then we focus on NHMs. We review the possible benefits of interactions between schools and NHMs, and the…

Art can provide a vehicle for animating learning. Teachers bring ideas to life through curriculum, while artists realize their ideas through images, often translating between forms, media and spaces. This paper describes the context, content and format of a residential Summer Arts Academy for gifted and talented middle and high school students,…

Eighth-grade students from three school districts in three small towns in Crosby County, Texas, received academic credit for working together with the biannual Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum summer travel education program. Each of the three districts radiate from a small town. They were within one county, and the museum was located in the…

This paper reports on the findings from the STEM Educators Academy, an ExpandED Schools initiative where classroom teachers and after-school educators engage in joint professional development at premiere science institutions, then work together back at their schools to teach maker-design projects that spark student interest and cultivate curiosity…

The purpose of this article is to describe the process and products associated with a successful Earth Day collaboration between a children's museum and a university education department. Using the idea of an "educational ecology" as a metaphor, we illustrate the collaborative development and implementation of this event hosted and…

Evolving mobile technology and the rapid spread of STEM-focused informal learning environments have created a unique opportunity to break through the barriers that have traditionally separated diverse learning contexts such as school, family, and community. Previous research suggest that in a well-designed family learning environment, both parents…

The Gifted Specialist from the Florida State University Schools (K-12) and the Curator of Education from the Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts planned a year-long project in which FSUS gifted elementary students (second to fifth grade) curated a one-gallery exhibition, entitled "Elementary Reflections," from the museum's…

In a two-year study, Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University education staff found that students who participated in a museum-school collaboration became more proficient in several Common Core State Standard skills than a control group. The program, Words & Pictures, directly ties to the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards and is…

Introducing a digital camera in the art gallery space is somewhat confrontational. Most museums have strict protocols on what can and cannot be captured. From the educational perspective it does, however, offer a new and innovative way of working that supports young people's ability to record what they see and how they experience the gallery, the…