Thanks to Aasiya for the update on the Collecting Stories project which I know has proved both interesting and useful to those museums involved. 
 
I just wanted to mention that the project has been developed in the South East region through the Science Links in Museum Education (SLIME) Network. 
 
If any museums in the South East region would like to know more about the SLIME Network please do get in touch.
 
Best wishes
Sharon
 
Sharon Bristow
 
Learning Manager
Renaissance South East 
 
c/o Hampshire County Council Museum and Archives Service
Chilcomb House
Chilcomb Lane
Winchester 
SO23 8RD
 
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
07843367142
www.museumse.org.uk <http://www.museumse.org.uk/> 

________________________________

From: List for discussion of issues in museum education in the UK. on behalf of Aasiya Hassan
Sent: Mon 21/12/2009 14:31
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Science Museum Collecting Stories



Science Museum: Collecting Stories Project


What is the project about?

As part of the Collecting Stories project, the Science Museum is working in
partnership with four museums in the South East and four museums in the
North to help them engage KS3 groups in the science, technology, engineering
and maths (STEM) behind their collections. The project will run from 2009 to
2011, throughout the project the Science Museum will work with 16 museums
nationally including its sister museum, the National Railway Museum as an
internal partner and regional partners in the South and North East. 
The project aims to engage and inspire secondary school students in science
by highlighting aspect of STEM in museum collections and relating these to
skills and content to the national curriculum.  The museums and local
secondary school students will collaborate to develop a resource aimed at
KS3.  It will give students opportunities to take science outside of the
classroom and to become content creators, for example curate a display case,
develop and deliver performances to their peers, or produce podcasts or
animations.


Phase 1

Currently, the Collecting Stories team have successfully delivered four
sessions in the South East and North at the host museums, involving local
secondary schools and consulting scientists.  

The museums involved in phase 1 of the project are:
*       Royal Marines Museum, Hampshire (host)
*       Chatham Dockyards, Kent
*       Brooklands Museum, Surrey
*       URE Museum of Archaeology, Reading
*       The National Railway Museum, York (host)
*       Thackray Medical Museum, Leeds
*       Ryedale Folk Museum
*       Captain Cook's Birthplace museum, Middlesbrough

The sessions have included workshops on Presentation Skills, Engaging with
KS3 audiences, Podcasting, engaging students from a local secondary school
with the museum collections and many more. 

At the last session each museum worked with a group of local secondary
school students to create the content for a resource to be developed for their
own museum.  Consulting scientists were invited and interviewed by the
students to check science content and understand scientific concepts. 
Examples of the resources to be created are an introductory film that the
museum would send out to schools and make accessible on their website to
encourage teachers to book the workshop being promoted.  Another museum
will be working with the students to create an interactive computer game to
help explore the collection. 

Phase 1 of the project will be concluded by a showcase event with students
presenting their work to the education teams from the museums, their peers
and those that have expressed an interest in the project.

Evaluation

The events and activities thorughout the project are being evaluated through
a variety of means and museum education officers, teachers, students and
consulting scientists are participating in this process.  

Legacy

It is hoped that the resources, skills and relationships developed during the
project will continue beyond the life of the project, leaving a legacy to aid any
museum to engage with KS3 audiences.

Links:

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/
http://www.nrm.org.uk <http://www.nrm.org.uk/> 
http://www.captcook-ne.co.uk/ccbm/index.htm
http://www.ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk/
http://www.thackraymuseum.org/
http://www.royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk/
http://www.chdt.org.uk/
http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/
http://www.rdg.ac.uk/Ure/


For more information about the project please contact
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