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March 15, 2001
Museum - School Connections in the Digital
By Jean Shields
Museums have always been havens of learning, places to walk the length of a life-size cetacean or cower beneath the rearing bones of T. rex, its coy hands held primly to its chest. Or maybe you'd prefer to get lost in Monet's garden gazing at the water lilies, explore the mathematics of perspective, or chart changes in war helmets from the time of Genghis Khan to the Crusades. Nothing beats such experiences for reinforcing timelines, giving students a sense of scale, and fostering their innate curiosity about the world around them. And for educators, the serendipity of what kids notice in these experiences offers a wealth of teachable moments that no amount of lesson planning can provide.
While nothing beats the real thing, the digital revolution has made it possible to bring the treasures of the world's museums, zoos, aquaria, and observatories directly to students. At the very least, these institutions have been quick to digitize selected objects from their collections. And many do much, much more-providing valuable lesson plans, inquiry-based activities, and even full-fledged professional development programs.
Read about the different ways museums are enhancing classroom learning.
Maximizing Your Museum Visit
Jean Shields is a former educator and writer in New York City.
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