Page 49 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 6(2) (2018)
P. 49
ia universitatis al potential of museums, fixation of new topic of a temporary or permanent exhibition
ar e wor ksheets death? wor ds in museum education 49 knowledge, and validity check of the infor- and which method of working with these mate-
mation acquired; rials is supposed. The decision to create and use
– motivational and self-educational function worksheets should always be completely within
– the worksheets with their content and ar- his/her authority.
rangement also should motivate the visitors
to further interest in the topic. The most frequent mistake is an erroneous
In general, it can be said that worksheets perception of worksheets as the true essence of
give the visitors a hint how to work with an ex- museum pedagogical work rather than a tool, a
hibition. They should contain a record and as- means of presentation of collection items and
sortment of basic and most important pieces of the exhibition topic to the audience.
knowledge, their fixation with the help of tasks
and activities, or inspiration to individual re- The form of worksheets
search or working with attitudes and opinions Worksheets can be quite varied in their form,
of users. which is given by the way of their use, their ex-
tent, design and content.
Worksheets – when yes and when no
Museum worksheets gradually turn into a popu- In principle we can follow up two basic forms
lar and widely used didactic tool, an almost com- defined by the way of working with worksheets in
mon service to visitors. However, this tool and museums (Šobáň 2007, 36–38):
service is not always functional, beneficial to the – worksheets for working with a lecturer – they
educational process in museums. An inappropri-
ately elaborated or used worksheet can even be are used actively within accompanying mu-
counterproductive for the museum educational seum programmes, serve as a foundation for
process. The museum pedagogy currently rather own observations and notes, or as exten-
abandons the general and common use of work- sion materials and a tool which, however,
sheets in all temporary and permanent exhibi- should not attract more attention than the
tions and tends to their sparse but well-found- programme itself and should not be domi-
ed use. nant or disturbing with regard to the pro-
gramme: “Since they take into account the
Worksheets should never be purposeless, commentary of a lecturer, they need not to
that is, they should not be elaborated only be- contain formulated tasks. They are rath-
cause it is expected. One of the main precon- er used for presentation of complementary
ditions of well-functioning worksheets is their photographic and information materials or
purposefulness with regard to the topic of a tem- offer space for written or visual artistic ac-
porary or permanent exhibition, its design, char- tivities of the attendants...” (Šobáň 2007,
acter of collection items and the information 37);
communicated, as well as to the real need and – self-service worksheets – they place increased
space for using this material. demands on the methodical aspect of this
material, it is necessary that the tasks and ac-
Worksheets in exhibitions which are, for ex- tivities are supplemented with instructions
ample, rich in information are used as a logical and additional comments, etc.: “Working
instruction on how to understand the problem; with them does not require any additional
exhibitions full of experiences and emotions, on explanation by the lecturer, because all the
the other hand, sometimes do not really require necessary information and instructions to
elaboration of accompanying didactic materials. the tasks are included in the text. This type
It also depends on the conception of a museum of worksheets should of course be equipped
pedagogue, how he/she intends to conceive the with a key to solution of individual tasks...”
(Šobáň 2007, 38).
ar e wor ksheets death? wor ds in museum education 49 knowledge, and validity check of the infor- and which method of working with these mate-
mation acquired; rials is supposed. The decision to create and use
– motivational and self-educational function worksheets should always be completely within
– the worksheets with their content and ar- his/her authority.
rangement also should motivate the visitors
to further interest in the topic. The most frequent mistake is an erroneous
In general, it can be said that worksheets perception of worksheets as the true essence of
give the visitors a hint how to work with an ex- museum pedagogical work rather than a tool, a
hibition. They should contain a record and as- means of presentation of collection items and
sortment of basic and most important pieces of the exhibition topic to the audience.
knowledge, their fixation with the help of tasks
and activities, or inspiration to individual re- The form of worksheets
search or working with attitudes and opinions Worksheets can be quite varied in their form,
of users. which is given by the way of their use, their ex-
tent, design and content.
Worksheets – when yes and when no
Museum worksheets gradually turn into a popu- In principle we can follow up two basic forms
lar and widely used didactic tool, an almost com- defined by the way of working with worksheets in
mon service to visitors. However, this tool and museums (Šobáň 2007, 36–38):
service is not always functional, beneficial to the – worksheets for working with a lecturer – they
educational process in museums. An inappropri-
ately elaborated or used worksheet can even be are used actively within accompanying mu-
counterproductive for the museum educational seum programmes, serve as a foundation for
process. The museum pedagogy currently rather own observations and notes, or as exten-
abandons the general and common use of work- sion materials and a tool which, however,
sheets in all temporary and permanent exhibi- should not attract more attention than the
tions and tends to their sparse but well-found- programme itself and should not be domi-
ed use. nant or disturbing with regard to the pro-
gramme: “Since they take into account the
Worksheets should never be purposeless, commentary of a lecturer, they need not to
that is, they should not be elaborated only be- contain formulated tasks. They are rath-
cause it is expected. One of the main precon- er used for presentation of complementary
ditions of well-functioning worksheets is their photographic and information materials or
purposefulness with regard to the topic of a tem- offer space for written or visual artistic ac-
porary or permanent exhibition, its design, char- tivities of the attendants...” (Šobáň 2007,
acter of collection items and the information 37);
communicated, as well as to the real need and – self-service worksheets – they place increased
space for using this material. demands on the methodical aspect of this
material, it is necessary that the tasks and ac-
Worksheets in exhibitions which are, for ex- tivities are supplemented with instructions
ample, rich in information are used as a logical and additional comments, etc.: “Working
instruction on how to understand the problem; with them does not require any additional
exhibitions full of experiences and emotions, on explanation by the lecturer, because all the
the other hand, sometimes do not really require necessary information and instructions to
elaboration of accompanying didactic materials. the tasks are included in the text. This type
It also depends on the conception of a museum of worksheets should of course be equipped
pedagogue, how he/she intends to conceive the with a key to solution of individual tasks...”
(Šobáň 2007, 38).
