Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 31/2. (2011)

Museum Pedagogy

Ana-Maria MESARO$, Gabriela CUZEPAN

Each teacher that wanted to participate in our educational project had to send an email of interest and in return she received a general description of the activities and the worksheets, so that she could decide which one was more suitable for the level of preparation of the children and which conquered with her current school curriculum.

After reading the general presentation of the project for that month the teacher sent the selected worksheets and the date and hours when he or she would like to attend the activity. Each request was then entered in the project database, which included the following sections: a current number for the entry, the name of the teacher, the educational institution that he/ she represented, the class grade, the number of participants, which activities the teacher choose (power-point presentation, worksheets and visit in the general exhibit, scientific documentary).

The entire process of environmental education involves a wide range and variety of learning awareness and understanding: sensitivity, concern, responsible choice, willingness and commitment to action. All these qualities, obviously, cannot be provided through one single source or method. The coordinators had to draw from a wide range of learning resources and employ a variety of techniques, singly or in combination, to take the learners nearer to the set goals.

The teaching techniques selected for the project ensured maximum involvement of the learners and provide enough opportunities for students to experience the simulated environment. Studies on cognitive development reveal that student participation is a key to success in learning that is why the children had to resolve the animal general aspects worksheets which structured the information presented by the museum curator during the power-point. In general the project included for each activity learner-centred activities:

Learning-by-doing the general aspect of the animals worksheet and learning common names of the animals and their habitats worksheet (Fig. 2 a/b/c, 3);

Group discussions at the end of each power-point presentation;

Games provided by the masks that they had to colour and cut (fig.4);

Problem solving the maze worksheet (Fig. 3 a/b);

Inquiry approach, the museum curators responded during the power - point presentations to the children questions and at the same time encouraged them to respond and participate at the discussions.

These techniques brought about maximum learner participation. Through active participation learning becomes internalised and part of learner’s cognitive structure, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and Bruner’s theory of concept formation support these beliefs [3].

Results and discussions

The project, from our point of view, was a success:

February, the month of the Bear, the activities were attended by 442 participants from 5 educational institutions from Sibiu County (“Octavian Goga” National College, The General School from Orlat Sibiu County, School number 18 from Sibiu, School number 8 from Sibiu and School number 10 from Sibiu);

March, the month of the Wolf, there were 389 participants from 9 educational institutions from Sibiu County (“Gheorghe Lazar” National College from Sibiu, “Octavian Goga” National College from Sibiu, Tire General School from Orlat Sibiu County, School number 18 from Sibiu, School number 8 from Sibiu and School number 1 from Sibiu, School number 25 from Sibiu, School number 2 from Sibiu, School Centre for Children with special needs - CSEI Centrul Educational pentru Educatie Incluziva - number 1 from Sibiu);

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