Assessment is a process for reflecting on
the quality of our teaching practice and trying to
identify if we have met
our established criteria for what we think makes a successful activity.
As museum educators, we face many of
the pressures that those of you that teach in a classroom face,
such as incorporating evaluation into our practice
to have a better understanding of the impact we have on our students.
We think reflectively about our practice so that we can assess what's
working and what's not and determine ways for improving.
We aim to engage with the content in a way that helps others
engage with that concept and with one another in meaningful ways.
Although the settings and the structure are different,
the processes museum educators undergo are very similar to classroom practice.
While I'm thinking about my students,
I also need to outline all of my goals and objectives for the activity.
These two things often go hand in hand.
Is there a particular theme or big idea you want to connect with?
Are there particular works of art I already know I want to include?
What skills or techniques do I want my students to practice?
Are there particular ideas or concepts I want the students to explore?
What do I hope students gain from their experience?
Once I know a little background about the students,
or anything relevant about learning experiences or special needs,
I can outline my teaching goals.
From there, it's fairly easy to identify the type of engagement I want to have.