Open Collections

Snyder, Lindsey

University of British Columbia

This dissertation investigates the object-based pedagogical approaches employed by elementary teachers using museum kits. Museum kits, often viewed as "hidden gems" in museum-school interactions, provide teachers with accessible tools to foster 21st century skills, including critical thinking, inquiry, and collaboration. Through a phenomenographic multiple case study of eleven experienced educators, this research identifies key pedagogical approaches and teachers’ conceptual understandings of object-based learning. Results are reported through both thick description of each case and distilled into a phenomeographic outcome space with five categories of description. Both case descriptions and the phenomenographic analysis are situated within a pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) framework that includes a skills-inclusive understanding of “content.” Key pedagogical approaches identified include fostering collaborative, student-led inquiry, and deep learning through interdisciplinary units. These pedagogical approaches may also include: play-based exploration; skill development and discussion-based engagement designed to promote critical thinking and argumentation; and integrating culturally relevant and project-based activities to connect learning with students’ lived experiences. Consistent across all teachers in this study are five themes (categories of description). Object-based learning (1) acts as a playground accessible to all learners; (2) awakens curiosity and inquiry; (3) bridges connections to diverse subjects and perspectives; (4) acts as a framework for complex thinking; and (5) is an anchor for shared and future learning experiences. This study underscores the transformative potential of museum kits as tools to meet the educational demands of the 21st century through developing transferable skills and enhancing critical thinking in a way that is accessible to all learners. The insights shared provide actionable recommendations for educators, museum professionals, and teacher educators seeking to reimagine museum-school partnerships and advance innovative pedagogical practices, as well as reflections on the novel methodological process of including PCK within a phenomenographic case study.

Text

2025-07-02

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/91485

Curriculum Studies

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/