Aims

The aim of this module is to provide students with the opportunity to explore both theoretical ideas and practice related to working with collections and archival material in museums,and engaging with communities as part of museum work. Students in this module will work with objects from the Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums in collaboration with the Great North Museum: Hancock.

Outline Of Syllabus

This module will enable students to critically engage through theory and practice with the key questions of perspective taking and care in museum work. Students will have the opportunity to work with selected objects from the Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums collections to explore questions such as: Where do museum stories come from? Who speaks or is enabled to speak in museums? How do we care for collections? What can we learn from museum objects? Does the documentation of objects affect their capacity to reveal/hide different narratives? How do we approach archives (physical/digital) in museum work? Why and how we engage with communities in museum practice? What are the ethics of working with communities?

In this module students will also develop practical skills on how to care for museum collections and interact with community groups in museums.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures: Delivered on campus (or online as necessary) in order to develop students' knowledge on key issues and achieve knowledge learning outcomes.
Module talk: This teaching method will be used to introduce the module and brief students about assessment.

Small-group teaching: This teaching method is intended to allow students to consolidate knowledge learning outcomes and to meet the skills outcomes through critically applying their new knowledge. It also allows students to practice all of the skillsets within the Graduate Skills Framework.

Structured Guided Learning: This method allows students to engage with online lecture materials and skills activities.

Structured research and reading activities: This teaching method enables students to independently deepen knowledge outcomes and to practise all skills outcomes, as well as applying cognitive/intellectual, self-management and interaction skills in particular.
Workshops & Practicals: This teaching method allows students to put into practice concepts and ideas introduced on the module. Some of these sessions will take place in cultural organisations.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The summative assessment for this module will be divided into two assignments: an annotated object biography (50%) will require students to research, in depth, an allocated object from the TWAM collection and present the findings of the research in the form of an annotated object biography that will combine text and images (and other media if appropriate). Each student will research a different object. An annotated oral history (50%) will require students to carry out a life-story interview with an individual of their choice (help and advice will be provided) and present and analyse the material in the form of an annotated oral history, with text, images (and other media if appropriate). Both assignments will require students to apply their theoretical knowledge to an empirical activity.