[can-talk] Building Knowledge - Museums and Research - a learning opportunity at UVic!

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The Cultural Resource Management Program at the University of Victoria is pleased to offer the following 6-day immersion opportunity for professionals and volunteers working in museums, heritage sites, cultural centres and galleries and supporting arts or cultural groups. Please note:  The registration deadline is January 26, so sign up today!

Building Knowledge: Museums and Research

HA 488H (1.5 units); on-campus offering

Museums and other cultural heritage organizations face significant challenges in fulfilling commitments to research, despite their stewardship role for diverse primary sources of knowledge, their capacity to link collections, ideas and people in a knowledge society and their need for evidence-based management, curatorial, and programming strategies.
This course explores the central roles of disciplinary, community, and organizational research within museums, along with the challenges encountered in generating and sharing knowledge.
This course strengthens your ability to:
*

Debate the definitions, roles, benefits and challenges associated with museum research
*       Appreciate the organizational frameworks, attitudes and skills required for effective research while balancing conflicting interests with the public, scholars, and management
*       Identify the diverse kinds of knowledge that are central to object, management, and audience research functions
*       Understand the research methods and needs for resources and application; create research partnerships with agencies, institutions, organizations, museums and communities; recognize sources of support
*       Identify the means to disseminate knowledge through exhibits, programs, publications, databases
*       Represent cases for increased investments in research within the museum and across the sector

Dates: February 25 - March 1, 2008
Please register by: January 26 (late registrations accepted if space permits)
To register in this course please visit https://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/forms/crm/online_reg.aspx.
Fee: CDN$620, including a CDN$60 materials fee (Canadian funds, credit and non-credit participation options) A CDN$160 registration deposit is required with each registration form.
Instructors
Dr. Mark Graham is Director of Research at the Canadian Museum of Nature and was actively involved in the recent Museum Research Summit (Ottawa, 2005) that recommended a more prominent role for research in the museum sector. Dr. Graham has training for a unique combination of skills, as a research scientist in experimental biology and as a museum executive.
He has been a museum professional for the past 18 years, initially at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre and currently at the Canadian Museum of Nature<http://www.nature.ca>. Much of his time is spent strategizing and planning for better conservation of biological diversity and for improved museum operations.
Dr. Debra Graham has been a museum professional for the past 10 years and her background includes executive skills, extensive curatorial and art publication experience, and scholarly expertise in Western art from the nineteenth century to the present. Initially at the Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of Missouri-Columbia, and then at the Frye Art Museum, Seattle, she has organized more than 50 exhibitions, many with catalogues. She currently teaches at Carleton University, Ottawa.
Draft Course Outline (Please note this outline may change.)
Day 1 - Definitions, Roles, Benefits & Challenges
This introductory day will engage you in debate about issues associated with museum-based research, including the kinds of research undertaken by different types of museums, the roles of research in supporting institutional goals and objectives, the ways in which research can benefit the museum, and the challenges that museums face in undertaking different kinds of research activities.
Day 2 - Frameworks for Research Practice
Institutional attitudes, frameworks, and skills required for effective research are explored, in order to build your understanding of:
*

the attitudes and frameworks of your organization toward research...
o

is research recognizable in the organizational chart?
o       is research part of the performance measurement and what are some useful measures?
o       is research reported on a regular basis?
o       is research visible in the annual budget and what is the proportion of the assets that fund research?
o       is research time included in the work plan for research experts?
o       are research results integrated into other functions of the museum?
o       is research identifiable in the mission statement?
o       is there are research policy?
o       are there short- and long-range strategic plans for research?
*

the institutional and individual skills associated with research...
o

is there a list of competencies for your museum's research needs?
o       is there a strategy to fulfill these needs by internal or external sources?
*

the conflicts between different museum functions and research
o

internal resources: space, time, funds
o       the use and perception of research results in marketing, exhibits and educational programs
*

strategies to balance conflicting interests between the publics, scholars, and management
o

methods to appreciate each programming unit of your museum
o       processes to integrate research into programming functions
o       processes to make research better known to museum stakeholders

Day 3 - Building Diverse Knowledge
The diverse kinds of knowledge that are central to object, management and audience research functions are examined, in order to develop your understanding of:
*

knowledge systems for object-based research: academic/discovery work; conservation, provenance, legal and other applied work
*       knowledge systems for management research; leadership; governance; strategic planning; change; financial systems; performance; ethical issues
*       knowledge systems for audience research: educational; media and technology (web interfaces, interactives, print, etc.); marketing; demographics; visitor studies; facilities; participatory action research

Day 4 - Research Methods
A range of research methods and needs are discussed, in order to enhance your ability to:
*

distinguish major research methods and applications: art, science, archeology, history, participatory, management, marketing, education, facilities and design
*       select and apply appropriate resources
o

intellectual components: staff time and partner input
o       facilities, equipment, services, literature, travel
o       in-kind versus cash: funding sources and partnerships
*

create research partnerships
o

definition and understanding of partnerships: foundations; government agencies; private companies; non-governmental organization; museums; universities; community-based organizations; professional organizations; individuals
*

recognize sources of funding
o

identify types and amount of funding; in-kind versus cash
o       partners
o       foundations
o       universities
o       government funding agencies
o       private companies
o       professional organizations
o       museums
o       non-governmental organizations
o       individuals

Day 5 - Sharing Knowledge
A range of strategies to disseminate research knowledge are discussed in order to develop your appreciation for:
*

exhibitions: labels; didactic panels; auditory technology; computer interactives; multi-media; exhibit design
*       programs: schools; special interest groups; general public; outreach; lectures; forums; tours; professional conference lectures
*       publications: primary literature (professional journals); catalogues and field guides; popular books; World Wide Web; newsletters; institutional documents (quarterly, annual reports, publications); marketing materials; popular media (newspaper, radio, magazines, etc.); conference posters and abstracts
*       databases: collection's data: in-house  and World Wide Web; expert information

Day - 6 Making the Case for Research
This day focuses on presentation of specific case projects to enhance your understanding of ways to increase investments in research within the museum and across the sector.
Enrollment options allow you to choose to take courses either to enhance professional development or to build academic credit. Individual course descriptions and registration forms are available by contacting us at crmp at uvcs.uvic.ca or by visiting our web site at http://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/crmp.

For more information, please contact:

Anissa Paulsen, Program Coordinator
Cultural Resource Management Program
Continuing Studies, University of Victoria
PO Box 3030 STN CSC Victoria BC Canada V8W 3N6
Tel: 250 721-8462 Fax: 250 721-8774
Email: apaulsen at uvcs.uvic.ca<mailto:apaulsen at uvcs.uvic.ca>

Visit our Web site! http://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/crmp

To receive monthly email updates, contact crmp at uvcs.uvic.ca
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