Does Real = Impact? 

Completely fascinated with this idea presented in “Museums, Can We Stop Letting Objects Control the Narrative?”

Being the object-based learning groupie I am feeling a bit of disequilibrium after reading this. But, the basics I agree with. Story is an important piece of the work of a museum. Dare I say, the most important work of a museum. Sometimes we can get caught up with the object and lose the story.

The author of “Museums, Can We Stop Letting Objects Control the Narrative?” argues that museums need everything in their arsenal to engage visitors nowadays and she includes a long list of tools museums can use:

“Yes, everything! Digital media. Immersive spaces. Interactives. Dialogues with docents. Theatre. Maker spaces. Crafting stations. Wall text. Wonderous visuals. Lighting design. Sound design. Games. Simulations. And yes, objects.”

Teachers need everything too. All of the above and then some.

In my perfect world classrooms would be set up like gallery spaces in a museum. Rotating exhibitions. Exhibitions centered around Big Ideas. A variety of methods to interact with content. Students surrounded by content and ideas and objects. Students given the opportunity to interact with those elements, leave their mark. Surveys often. Visitor feedback.

But, like museums getting caught up in the object, teachers are in danger of getting caught up in the content. So caught up that the story is lost. The major narrative is blurred.

How do we free ourselves from the content to ensure students walk away with the narrative?