Young children visiting museums: exhibits, children and teachers co-author the journey

Abstract

Research in New Zealand on museum visits from two culturally different early years education sites has analysed the ways in which a co-authoring by children/tamariki, teachers/kaiako and artefacts/taonga constructs an understanding of the museum as a ‘forum’ for debate rather than as primarily a ‘temple’ in which the aim is for children to accumulate new understandings and facts. The authors argue that the co-authoring can weave together two processes: an ecological synergy spiral or a going-on, whereby artefacts and things are animated and brought to life; and a storying where heritage stories are restored and improvisation is encouraged. The paper concludes that a co-authoring can construct a museum visit as a forum of inquiry and critique. Key theoretical guidance comes from Mason Durie (a Māori philosopher and educationalist) and Tim Ingold (a Scottish anthropologist who also writes about education).