Museum Education Division

Virtual Preconference 2021
Centering Care in Art Museum Education
Tuesday, February 23 and Thursday, February 25, 2021 (non consecutive days)
11 AM – 3 PM EST / 8 AM – 12 noon PST
$49

Join museum educators from across the U.S. and beyond to explore what it looks like to center care in all our work: care for ourselves, for our fellow staff members, for our colleagues who have been furloughed or laid off, for our visitors, for our community partners, for the K-12 teachers and students we serve, and more.

The Preconference will feature a keynote presentation by Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry, and multiple small group (30 people or less) sessions where we can connect with others to discuss the super-practical to the theoretical, and everything in between.

Participants will have the opportunity to gather by programming areas (K-12, docents, family, etc), number of years in the field, and size/location of the institution. We will also have a strong focus on diversity, equity, accessibility, inclusion, and anti-racist practices.

Register here

Present at Preconference! Proposals due: Friday, January 8, 2021, 11:59 PM EST Acceptance Notifications on or before: Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Note of encouragement: We want to hear from you! Please submit, and don’t stress over it. We are trying to take the pressure off. Let go of “perfection.” Bullet points are great. We just want to hear from you!

We’re looking for lots of different types of presentations/facilitators:

• Virtual Gallery Teaching (50 min. Live for 20-30 participants)
• Skill Share (30 min. Pre Recorded, with Live Q&A)
• Deep Dive Workshops (80 min. Live for 15-30 participants)
• Celebrate the Wins (5 min. live)
• Self-Care Segment (5 minutes. Pre Recorded)
• Small Group Facilitator (50 min. Live, 15-20 participants)

You can read all the details here: https://bit.ly/2021mused

Submit proposals here: https://bit.ly/MuseumPrecon2021

Learn About the NAEA Museum Education Division

• Read the Museum Education Division report featured in the most recent issue of NAEA News.
• See this introduction to find out about its structure, leadership, goals, and activities and how you can contribute.

An Open Letter to Museum Directors, Museum Board Members, and Community Organizations/Leaders

Click here to download and share this important letter.

NAEA Museum Education Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Initiative

Inspired by the thought-provoking conversations that take place between colleagues at the NAEA National Convention, the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Initiative was launched in 2011 to continue professional development opportunities with NAEA Museum Education Division peers throughout the year.

Peer2Peer Winter 2021

Join the Museum Division for monthly, informal gatherings via Zoom. These participatory sessions create space for art museum educators to share ideas, questions, and reflections as we all navigate the shifting landscapes of this time. Each topic will be presented twice monthly; once on a Thursday at 3pm EST and also on a Monday 12 pm EST.

Please choose one date to attend. All are welcome to join this free video conference to connect and learn together regardless of location or employment status.

Peer2Peer Winter 2021 Conversations (all times EST)
To register for Thursday sessions, please use this link: https://bit.ly/thursp2p
To register for Monday sessions, please use this link: https://bit.ly/monp2p

Virtual Field Trips, Part 3
Thursday, January 14 at 3pm & Monday, January 18 at 12pm

Join us for an open dialogue with K-12 educators from the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts about how they have adapted their distance learning programs during the pandemic.

Virtual Preconference Preview
Thursday, February 11 at 3pm & Monday, February 15 at 12pm

Centering Care in Art Museum Education is the theme for Preconference 2021 set to take place February 23 and 25. Join members of the Museum Education Division’s Development Committee as they walk through what to expect from this new format.

Viewfinder: What Really Changed in 2020?
Thursday, March 11 at 3pm & Monday, March 15 at 12pm

In the past year we have witnessed countless calls for change, proclamations in support of Black lives, promises to undertake internal conversations about equity, and pivots to new modes of digital engagement. Join members of the Viewfinder editorial board and guests for moderated conversation on ways the field of museum education and museums more broadly have responded to both the COVID-19 pandemic and systemic racism. This session will accompany the launch of Viewfinder Issue 13: Change.

Recordings of 2020/2021 P2P sessions are posted here.

Recordings of P2P Sessions before 2020 are here.

Connect with us!
This project is strengthened by your ideas and input. We hope that you add your voice to the conversation. Anyone is welcome—regardless of your experience level, program area, or size of institution—to propose a topic, serve as a moderator, or advise on a new session format. P2P Sessions are organized by a working group chaired by Kylee Crook.

Get involved by contacting kcrook@thebass.org.

Viewfinder: Reflecting on Museum Education

Viewfinder aims to engage colleagues in ongoing dialogues about museum education today, by combining the speed and timeliness of a blog with the rigor of a peer-reviewed journal. Featuring experiments, inviting critiques, and inspiring cross-generational dialogue, Viewfinder is a resource that is not dedicated solely to best practices, but rather documents the value of rigorous reflection. Learn more

NAEA-AAMD Research Study: Impact of Art Museum Programs on K–12 Students

The NAEA Museum Education Division and its partner, the Association of Art Museum Directors, continue to make progress toward the planning and implementation of a large-scale impact study investigating the question, What are the benefits to students of engaging with original works of art within the context of object-based art museum programs that take place during the formal school day? Learn more

Staying Connected

The Museum Education Division has invaded social media. While many of us have an active social media presence and often get into great discussions via hashtag about issues surrounding museum education, the Division did not have a social media presence until 2015. Led by Western Regional Director Elect Hajnal Eppley, this team meets monthly to brainstorm topics and links, announcements and other fun prompts (sometimes involving GIFS or emoji).

You can find us on the following platforms:
Facebook: NAEA Museum Education Division
Twitter: @NAEAMusEd
Google+: NAEA Museum Education Division
YouTube: NAEA Museum Education Division

Interested in submitting something to our social media platforms? Please fill out this form and the committee will review for submission.