The role of art museum educator has shifted from presenter of information to facilitator of dialogue. But as art museums pledge to be more accountable to--and representative of--a plurality of publics and narratives, what is spoken about with visitors? Given revolving temporary exhibitions and expanded readings of permanent collections, guides…

The purpose of this article is to share highlights of a professional development workshop aimed at helping museum educators build capacity for difficult dialogues on race with adults. Public pedagogy affords museum educators a unique role in adult education as they facilitate adult learning on social justice issues. But in sharing with adults…

In order to better understand the importance of adult learning theory to museum educators' work, and that of their profession at large, museum professionals must address the need for more adult learning research and practice in museums--particularly work informed by existing theory and work seeking to generate new theory. Adult learning theory…

Professional development in the art museum setting represents an opportunity for corporate and for-profit enterprises to enhance employees' skills in observation, creative thinking, teamwork, and sensitivity in diversity. Using original works of art as a point of departure for in-depth discussion of what appears as narrative content, participants…

Museum programs for working adults in their workplace groups are an interesting and important recent development. These programs have the potential to contribute significantly to the future health of museums. This article shows that these programs link to and build on three important trends in museums--customized experiences, deep engagement, and…

The Art of Perception is a professional development program that uses the analysis of works of art to help participants re-examine their responsibilities in various agencies of law enforcement, refresh their sense of inquiry, and reinvigorate the language they use to communicate on the job. "The Art of Perception: Museums Breaking Ground in Law…

This article presents three case studies that explore a very popular trend in art museum adult education in the last decade--partnerships with medical schools to offer critical professional development in visual observation. Each case study describes a critical perspective in the development and implementation of this programming trend: that of…

Since 1998, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has developed educational programs targeting adult audiences. Engaging public service professionals--those charged with serving and protecting our nation's democratic principles--has become a core outreach strategy to achieve the Museum's mission. This article describes the Museum's process…

In the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, Arab and Muslim Americans, already suffering from negative stereotyping, find themselves subject to greater hostility. The Arab American National Museum (AANM) has discovered that professional development and cultural competency training opportunities for law enforcement personnel,…

A set of customized adult education programs for working professionals at the Art Institute of Chicago provides both the kinds of experiences people in the 21st century are looking for and illustrates a distinctive way of thinking about fee-based programming and how it supports the overall museum mission. This article brings together convergent…

Drawing on the foundational theories of experiential learning, this article explores recent developments in theory and research on experiential learning and addresses how this work can enhance the professional development of museum docents. We introduce theories of adult learning and professional development that emphasize experiential learning as…

Frontline museum floor staff people are critical agents in the field's efforts to catalyze greater community engagement and participation at the intersections of science, art, history, and society. Yet, coming from widely disparate backgrounds and often with little formal professional development in place, many museum-based education practices are…

In this issue of the Research Review, the author focuses on the importance of developing learning environments emphasizing the Arts. First, the author reviews a study concerning professional development and "artist-teachers", which is of particular interest since most readers of this journal are involved in various educational…

Inverness Research studied the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) Seminars on Science program for eight years, from its inception in 1998 to 2006. In 2009, Inverness Research conducted additional studies of the AMNH's new online course, The Solar System. This paper presents teacher survey ratings for The Solar System, along with profiles of…

Archaeology is a highly interdisciplinary field. Its main goal is to construct culture histories, but it uses many scientific methods in the process. Ethical dilemmas inherent in archaeology make it a good vehicle for teaching ethics and character in the classroom (Moe 2000). The interdisciplinary nature of the field makes it possible to weave…