Teaching Democracy with Museum Objects

"Teaching Democracy with Museum Objects" is an innovative and engaging course offered by SmithsonianX, designed to empower educators across all disciplines with the tools and strategies to foster active and informed democratic participation among their students. This introductory-level course leverages the rich resources of six Smithsonian collections to explore the complexities of living in a democracy and inspire civic action.

What students will learn from the course:

• How to utilize museum objects as powerful educational tools
• Techniques for exploring democratic challenges and opportunities through material culture
• Strategies to inspire civic engagement and action in students
• Methods for integrating museum resources into various disciplines
• Use of the Smithsonian Learning Lab for creating interactive learning experiences
• Approaches to support content learning across disciplines using museum resources
• Techniques for engaging students in deeper thinking through object-based learning

Pre-requisite or skills necessary to complete the course:

No specific prerequisites are required for this course. It is designed to be accessible to all educators, regardless of their background or subject area.

What the course will cover:

• Introduction to teaching with museum objects
• Exploration of six Smithsonian collections
• Democratic concepts and their representation in material culture
• Strategies for fostering civic engagement in students
• Integration of museum resources into various disciplines
• Use of the Smithsonian Learning Lab platform
• Creating interactive learning experiences with digital museum resources
• Techniques for encouraging critical thinking and deeper analysis
• Practical applications of object-based learning in the classroom

Who this course is for:

This course is ideal for all educators, particularly classroom teachers, who are interested in enhancing their teaching methods and promoting democratic engagement among their students. It is suitable for educators from various disciplines and grade levels who want to incorporate museum resources into their curriculum.

How learners can use these skills in the real world:

• Designing engaging lessons that connect students with real-world artifacts and issues
• Fostering critical thinking and analysis skills in students through object-based learning
• Encouraging students to become active and informed citizens in their communities
• Integrating cross-disciplinary approaches to teaching complex topics
• Utilizing digital resources to create interactive and immersive learning experiences
• Connecting classroom content with broader societal and historical contexts
• Inspiring students to take civic action and participate in democratic processes

Syllabus:

As no specific syllabus was provided in the course information, it is likely that the course will be structured around the exploration of the six Smithsonian collections, with each section focusing on different aspects of democracy and civic engagement as represented through museum objects. The course will also likely include practical sessions on using the Smithsonian Learning Lab and developing learning experiences using museum resources.