Full Description
International Thinking on Children in Museums introduces current research, theory, and practice about young learners in museums around the world. The book imparts vital knowledge about the nature of childhood and children's learning that will improve understanding of the very youngest museum-goers.
Including contributions from practitioners, scholars, and consultants around the globe, this volume examines museum practices and children's learning across a range of distinct cultural and geographic locales. The framework of the book is based on research and current thinking in the realm of developmental psychology, sociology, and anthropology, allowing the contributors to examine the evolution of early learning and children's programs through a sociocultural lens. This broad-based look at international museum practices for children offers a rare view of the field from an important, but oft-neglected perspective: that of society and culture.
International Thinking on Children in Museums will broaden understanding of museum practice across cultures and geographic regions and, as such, will be of interest to scholars and students engaged in the study of museum education, museum studies, and early learning. It should also provide a much-needed source of inspiration for museum practitioners working around the world.
Contents
Section I The Conceptualization of Childhood and Sociocultural Theory;Chapter 1 Conceptualizing Childhood;Chapter 2 The Museum as a Cultural Institution ;Sociocultural Theory: Influences on Museum Experiences for Children;Section II Research Perspectives from the Field;Chapter 3 Connecting Young Children's Learning Processes with Art Museum Practices;Chapter 4 Young Children and Cultural Citizenship in Australia;Section III Case Studies on Children and Museums;Chapter 5 From Tool to Process: On Learning in Swedish Museums;Chapter 6 Play Africa: Disrupting with Children in Johannesburg, South Africa;Chapter 7 Early Learners in Lebanese Archaeology and Art Museums: A Sociocultural Case-Study;Chapter 8 Developing Programs for Young Children at the National Museum of China;Chapter 9 Hawaii Children's Discovery Center: A Gathering Place Where East Meets West;Chapter 10 Inspiring Young Children in Museums: The Smithsonian Institution, Leading the Way;Chapter 11 A Case for Early Learning in Peruvian Museums;Chapter 12 Discovering World Cultures through Chester Beatty's Collections for Primary Schools;Section IV Museum Practices in a Global Society ;Chapter 13 Making Sense of International Perspectives on Children in Museums
