Page 48 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 6(2) (2018)
P. 48
dia universitatis her editati, letnik 6 (2018), številk a 2 48helping hand to pedagogues2, lecturers and oth-eral general rules which can simplify the creation
er workers in museum institutions who are en- process of worksheets and increase therewith the
hereditatigaged in the work with audience. didactic effectiveness of this tool.
Characteristics of museum worksheets Worksheets can be elaborated for any types
It is not easy to characterise the content of the of visitors (the adults also like to test their intel-
commonly used terms like worksheet, work- ligence and skills...), but the most frequent recip-
sheets, workbook, etc. Under the term ‘muse- ients of these materials remain children, mainly
um worksheets’ we generally understand print- those in school groups. The second most appre-
ed materials elaborated by museum workers, ciated category comprises the so-called family
which are available to museum visitors. They are worksheets that is worksheets intended for par-
intended to complement and enliven the exhibi- ents with children, or grandparents with chil-
tions and make them easier to understand. dren, children accompanied by adults, etc.
The museum worksheets differ from the The role of museum worksheets
worksheets and workbooks used in schools The primary purpose of worksheets is to support
mainly in their interconnection with a tempo- the perception of exhibits by visitors. This pur-
rary or permanent exhibition, a close relation- pose involves several functions, which the muse-
ship to the exhibits and the focus laid primarily ums worksheets should fulfil to various extent.
on boosting the perception and examination of With the help of general didactics (Skalková
these exhibits. Herewith it is a tool rather than 2007, 104–105; similarly, e.g. Veverková 2002,
the actual purpose of museum education. 143; Průcha 1998, etc.) we can, for example, study
the following functions:
The purpose and main function of the mu-
seum worksheets is to make the visitors observe – orientational and coordinative function –
the exhibits more thoroughly. The worksheets the worksheets simplify the orientation in
should show the visitors a possible way of how an exhibition and show herewith one of the
to regard these exhibits and offer them place for possible ways of how to work with the ex-
their own records, reflections and notes. To put hibition; they should deliberately follow up
it simply, the worksheets should help the visitors the collection items exhibited and the orig-
discover the collection items, so that the visitors inal exhibition plan, and at the same time
rather keep an eye on the objects than on the they should offer another new perspectives
worksheets. This is at the same time the most dif- and interlinks between the information ob-
ficult aspect of the elaboration of museum work- tained;
sheets. Some help can arise from appropriate
impulses, instructions and tasks, which are tar- – cognitive and systemising function – the
geted at drawing attention to the objects them- worksheets usually contain basic knowl-
selves, not only to easily available information in edge, tasks and subjects linked with the top-
legends and complementary texts on the exhibi- ic of a temporary or permanent exhibition,
tion panels. their order also gives the visitors instruc-
tions, how to perceive and sort this new in-
The ideal functional form of worksheets formation;
is always derived from particular permanent or
temporary exhibition, pedagogical plans of in- – developmental, educational, fixative and
dividual museum pedagogues and their educa- controlling function – the worksheets with
tional goals. Despite this, we can follow up sev- their appropriately chosen working meth-
ods in a temporary or permanent exhibition
2 For the sake of simplification, the term ‘museum pedagogue’ in help the visitors develop their personal in-
the following text simply refers to all museum workers who are en- terest in the topic, support the education-
gaged in working with audience, creation of accompanying pro-
grammes and elaboration of worksheets.
er workers in museum institutions who are en- process of worksheets and increase therewith the
hereditatigaged in the work with audience. didactic effectiveness of this tool.
Characteristics of museum worksheets Worksheets can be elaborated for any types
It is not easy to characterise the content of the of visitors (the adults also like to test their intel-
commonly used terms like worksheet, work- ligence and skills...), but the most frequent recip-
sheets, workbook, etc. Under the term ‘muse- ients of these materials remain children, mainly
um worksheets’ we generally understand print- those in school groups. The second most appre-
ed materials elaborated by museum workers, ciated category comprises the so-called family
which are available to museum visitors. They are worksheets that is worksheets intended for par-
intended to complement and enliven the exhibi- ents with children, or grandparents with chil-
tions and make them easier to understand. dren, children accompanied by adults, etc.
The museum worksheets differ from the The role of museum worksheets
worksheets and workbooks used in schools The primary purpose of worksheets is to support
mainly in their interconnection with a tempo- the perception of exhibits by visitors. This pur-
rary or permanent exhibition, a close relation- pose involves several functions, which the muse-
ship to the exhibits and the focus laid primarily ums worksheets should fulfil to various extent.
on boosting the perception and examination of With the help of general didactics (Skalková
these exhibits. Herewith it is a tool rather than 2007, 104–105; similarly, e.g. Veverková 2002,
the actual purpose of museum education. 143; Průcha 1998, etc.) we can, for example, study
the following functions:
The purpose and main function of the mu-
seum worksheets is to make the visitors observe – orientational and coordinative function –
the exhibits more thoroughly. The worksheets the worksheets simplify the orientation in
should show the visitors a possible way of how an exhibition and show herewith one of the
to regard these exhibits and offer them place for possible ways of how to work with the ex-
their own records, reflections and notes. To put hibition; they should deliberately follow up
it simply, the worksheets should help the visitors the collection items exhibited and the orig-
discover the collection items, so that the visitors inal exhibition plan, and at the same time
rather keep an eye on the objects than on the they should offer another new perspectives
worksheets. This is at the same time the most dif- and interlinks between the information ob-
ficult aspect of the elaboration of museum work- tained;
sheets. Some help can arise from appropriate
impulses, instructions and tasks, which are tar- – cognitive and systemising function – the
geted at drawing attention to the objects them- worksheets usually contain basic knowl-
selves, not only to easily available information in edge, tasks and subjects linked with the top-
legends and complementary texts on the exhibi- ic of a temporary or permanent exhibition,
tion panels. their order also gives the visitors instruc-
tions, how to perceive and sort this new in-
The ideal functional form of worksheets formation;
is always derived from particular permanent or
temporary exhibition, pedagogical plans of in- – developmental, educational, fixative and
dividual museum pedagogues and their educa- controlling function – the worksheets with
tional goals. Despite this, we can follow up sev- their appropriately chosen working meth-
ods in a temporary or permanent exhibition
2 For the sake of simplification, the term ‘museum pedagogue’ in help the visitors develop their personal in-
the following text simply refers to all museum workers who are en- terest in the topic, support the education-
gaged in working with audience, creation of accompanying pro-
grammes and elaboration of worksheets.
