Journal 2: Museums in the Classroom (NETS-T 5)

Reissman, Rose (2009). Museums in the Classroom. Learning and Leading in Technology, 38, Retrieved February 6, 2009, from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/200902/

This article was about resources that can be used in the classroom to visit cybermuseums. Cybermuseums are virtual museums that can be visited by students through websites. The article provides links to museum search engines, museum glossaries, cybermuseum tours, and resources for educators.

The museum resources included a comprehensive search engine that provides links to hundreds of museum websites. The museum glossary is a website that provides a list of museum vocabulary terms. Cybermuseum tours help students design their own museum tours and get ideas for exhibits in the classroom. The resources for educators is a website that contains guides and planners as a tool for student centered learning.

These resources seem like a great way to integrate technology into the classroom. Teachers can challenge students to use these resources creatively to supplement their studies. Cybermuseums can also be a great way to supplement the curricula without having to pack up the whole classroom and take a field trip. Cybermuseums also have the added bonus of being free and available at any time. These resources are also great because many students don’t have the available time or money to access real museums for the purpose of research and other academics. The cybermuseum makes information more readily available for a greater amount of students. These resources can be utilized to bring unique and imaginative activities to any classroom.

Question 1: Do you think that you will be able to implement virtual museums into your curriculum?

I most definitely think that I will be able to implement virtual museums into my curriculum. I think that this will be a great way to incorporate core curriculum with different aspects of technology. I would much rather take a field trip to a museum, but doing a virtual tour would be a great way to get the students prepared for what to expect, especially for those students who have never been to a museum. I think that these resources will definitely be helpful for me as an educator.

Question 2: Do you see any negative aspects of using cybermuseums?

Yes, I could see cybermuseums being such a great, easy to use resource that students might utilize it so much that they would begin to underutilize actual museums. If virtual museums provide the same services and resources in a cheaper and more convenient way, students might not feel the need to actually visit a real museum. This is not good because actual museums provide more information that is also probably from a way different perspective.