Dear List-Servers,


I am putting together a session for the 2011 SMA Conference:

 Session Title:

Small Museums and Community Service Learning: Lessons Learned in Collaboration

 

In the age of academic achievement gaps and standardized testing, it is no surprise that educators value community service projects that incorporate real life experience within the academic curriculum.  Since the inception of community service learning in the early twentieth century, a variety of different community service groups have collaborated with educators and students to create unique opportunities to promote civic responsibility, stewardship, and strengthen community relationships.  Small museums are a great venue for which museum professionals, local students, and members of the community can partner on projects that benefit the visiting public, educational curriculum, and the overall mission of the museum.  This session defines community service learning within a small museum context, and provides examples of how such museums have developed programs in either K-12 or higher education settings.  This session will include a discussion of the benefits, as well as pitfalls, when working collaboratively with schools and communities.

Participants can range from educators to museum professionals, to volunteers, to anyone who is new and interested in the topic.  Can be as formal or informal as you like (mixed audience of professionals/new to the field/avocational)

 Info about the SMA Conference:

The SMA conference attracts more than 200 museum professionals every year from a wide variety of small museums. Attendees go to sessions on topics ranging from collections and education to staffing and board issues. We offer a large Museum Resource Hall and plenty of informal networking opportunities for you to talk with (and get ideas from!) small museum professionals and volunteers.

 

If you are interested in submitting a paper, please contact Kelly Cooper at [log in to unmask], or [log in to unmask] with a brief description of your topic no later than November 15th!  Thank you very much!!

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).