Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 29-30/2. (2010)
Mueum pedagogy
Daniela Ramona BOTOS ________________________________________________2_ Starting from the temporary exhibition ’’Bats between science and legend ”, itinerated by the Danube Delta Ecotourism Museum Center from Tulcea to the Natural Science Museum from Targu-Mure$, from the dioframe, representing a cave, as part of the fundamental exhibition of the Natural Science Museum from Targu-Mure§ and also from the event “European Bats Night”, celebrated each year in August-September, in European countries, to attract the public attention on jeopardizing the bats population, there was carried out a performed programme on museum pedagogy called “The European Bats’ Night”. The main purpose of this project was the turning into account of the “Bats between science and legend” exhibition as well as the museum patrimony through the “cave” found in the fundamental exhibition. The objectives of this project were the followings:- to accustom students to the problems of the bats life and also to encourage them with a future “proximity” to these unique animals;- to attract the public attention on the jeopardizing the bats population and also upon the environment protection in general;- to develop the intellectual skills;- to accustom the children with working with auxiliary things in order to enrich their knowledge, such as: texts, flyers, labels, badges etc. (Fig. 1);- to develop the students’ spirit of observation;- to develop the students’ creative imagination;- to initiate the genuine pleasure in visiting the museum. The project has started with a cooperation protocol at the beginning of the school year 2008—2009, between the museum and the two other participant schools: "Alexandru Papiu Ilarian” National College and “Europa” Elementary School. In this project were involved six classes, fifth and eighth graders from ’’Alexandru Papiu Ilarian” National College and the fourth graders from “Europa” Elementary School and also a biology teacher, an art teacher and two schoolmasters. The activities have been developed according to a precise schedule (Fig. 2 a, b). The documentation phase of the project took place between August and September 2009. It has consisted in constant visits to the public and students’ personal library in search of information about the bats biology and also a bit of field research in the attempt to identify the bats population from Tárgu-Mure?. The creation phase consisted in:- the presentation part called “In expectation for the bats”, where students had the chance to present their own projects (Fig. 3). The activity took place at the museum’s head quarter in September 2009, at 7 p. m., meaning at night, when the bats begin their activity. The event was spiced up due to the talent of some students who had come up with flyers which contained information about the necessity of protecting the bats population;- the organization of two creation workshops “My beloved bat” and “Wings in the darkness”. At the “My beloved bat” workshop, students tried to create a cave, after the original one, found in the fundamental exhibition, bats from the museum’s specimens and mammal’s collection and also after specialized books, using all sorts of materials (cartoon, seeds, fruits, textiles). For some bats there were created labels after the ones found in the museum’s collection, including the Latin name and the traditional name of the bat and even a possible collecting place. At the “Wings in the darkness” workshop, students made paintings representing bats, under the leading of an art teacher and schoolmaster, using as a model pictures, the aspects found in the museum’s collection. The evaluation phase finalized and valorised the other two through:- the organization of an exhibition of the students’ creative works (bats, caves, paintings); 172
