Finders keepers? Exploring reasoning and respectful challenge in museum-based dialogue with primary students

Context: The Fitzwilliam Museum aims to foster independent, inquiry-based learning through experience of art and artefacts. The museum engages numerous school students annually, providing educational sessions designed to enhance their learning experiences within the museum context. This study involved collaboration with local primary schools to refine discussion methods that foster dialogue among young learners, emphasizing reasoning and respectful disagreement while exploring themes linked to ancient cultures. Aims: The primary aim was to develop strategies that enhance dialogue among students by promoting reasoning, comparison, and contrasting of ideas related to ancient Egyptian and Greek artefacts. The goal was to encourage students to examine complex ethical considerations concerning provenance and the ownership of cultural artefacts, fostering an environment that supports shared ownership of opinions. Methods: The study focused on Year 3 and 4 students visiting the museum for sessions centred on ancient Egypt and Greece. Educators employed the T-SEDA self-audit framework of dialogue, utilizing structured group discussions without direct intervention from facilitators. Students were provided prompts to encourage reasoning and reflection on their ideas, which facilitated deeper discussions. Discussions were documented through transcription of audio recordings and facilitator observations to analyse students' engagement and reasoning processes. Findings: Analysis revealed that students actively engaged in reasoning and respectfully challenged each other's opinions during discussions. While a lack of formal baseline data limited quantitative insights, qualitative observations indicated students increasingly expressed diverse viewpoints. The physical museum environment influenced student engagement, with more open spaces promoting richer conversations. However, some organizational challenges arose, such as dominant voices within groups and external interventions disrupting dialogue. Implications: Insights from the inquiry indicate that structured dialogue can enhance student engagement in challenging discussions about artefacts, aiding their ability to articulate differing opinions. Educators may consider adapting elements of the T-SEDA model in their own practices, reinforcing the importance of student-led dialogue while being aware of environmental influences and the dynamics of group discussions. The study highlights the value of collaborative practice and reflection among educators in fostering meaningful learning experiences.

Keywords (free text)

educational dialogue, museum education, primary students, reasoning, cultural artefacts, teaching strategies

Permanent link to cite this item

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14069/995
https://doi.org/10.71779/585

Collections

Talking Objects: high quality talk through museum collections