The Role of Museums in Education ReformWendy NgManager of LearningRoyal Ontario Museum

Royal Ontario Museum

Toronto

2011 National Household Survey of Toronto population

• 2.6 million people• 49% were immigrants• 51% were born outside of Canada• 49% identified as a “visible minority”• Top three “visible minority” groups: 12% South Asian, 11%

Chinese, and 9% Black• 0.8% identified as Indigenous: 67% First Nations, 25%

Metis, 2% Inuk (Inuit), and 1% multiple Indigenous identities• From 2006-2011, fastest growing age groups:60‐64 and

85+; declining age groups: 5‐14 and 35‐44• 28.2% are between 0‐24 years old

Cultural Attractions in Toronto

• Royal Ontario Museum• Ontario Science Centre• Art Gallery of Ontario• Toronto Zoo• CN Tower• Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art• Bata Shoe Museum• Ripley’s Aquarium• Aga Khan Museum

Ontario

Ontario is big!

Canada

World Cultures and Natural History

Happy 100th Birthday!

Guided Tours led by Staff

Hands-on Labs – Touch “real” objects!

Self-Guided Visits – Support materials

Virtual Visits – Geography is not a barrier!

Travelling Programs – Bring the ROM to you!

Educational Reform by Provincial Government

Full-day Early Learning and Kindergarten Programs

Increase Literacy and Numeracy Rates

Increase high school graduation rates

Digital Technology in Schools

Teacher Professional Learning

Curriculum Revisions

Historical Response to Reform• Revised programs based on curriculum revisions• High school co-operative education placements at

the ROM• Built Digital Gallery and created Virtual Visits to

incorporate digital technology• Formed a Teacher Advisory Committee• Delivered professional learning workshops for

teachers and student teachers• Attended annual conferences of subject

associations• Seconded teachers from school boards to work at

the ROM

Principles Guiding Our Current Response

“Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time.” – Rabindranath Tagore

•Relevant and Responsive: 21st century learning, educational reform, Museum collections & research•Student-Centred: Pedagogical approach (constructivism) and teaching methodologies (inquiry-based, anti-oppressive)•Object-Based: What are the strengths of our collection? Leverage our unique curatorial assets•Accountable: Gather input and measure the impact of our programs on students, teachers, staff

Current Response to Reform• Invest in staff professional learning focused

on student-centred pedagogical approaches and teaching methodologies

• Develop new programs focused on key goals of reform (early learners, literacy and numeracy, high school graduation rates) in addition to curriculum revisions

• Incorporate digital technology as a teaching tool in school visits and plan for on-going investment in digital learning (equipment, staffing, virtual visits, online experiences)

Current Response (cont’d)• Develop deeper relationships with

educational stakeholders:

– Re-establish Teacher Advisory Circle to address barriers to visiting, advise on programming and marketing, teacher professional learning

– Work in partnership with teacher unions and subject associations to increase professional capacity of teachers to use museum as a teaching and learning resource

Wendy NgManager of Learning

Royal Ontario Museum

wendyn@rom.on.cawww.rom.on.ca/schools

www.facebook.com/royalontariomuseum @ROMtoronto@twin_muses

Tak! Thank you!

Credits• ROM Images• http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/before-after/toronto-condos/images/toronto-skyline-muise-after2012rb.jpg• http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/social_development_finance__administration/files/pdf/nhs_backgrounder.pdf• http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/social_development_finance__administration/files/pdf/

censusbackgrounder_ageandsex_2011.pdf• http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/fight-against-discrimination/coalition-of-cities/good-

practices/toronto/• http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wtXOLGvWacQ/T5IpWhokGrI/AAAAAAAABRA/6d9o5zSTUyQ/s1600/ontario-regions-map.png• http://www.rainbowtourism.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/map-of-canada-by-Regions_travelgaycanada.jpg• http://www.rom.on.ca/collections/• http://www.rom.on.ca/en/rom-recollects/stories/grade-5-at-the-rom• https://shawglobalnews.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/vote-here.jpg?w=720• http://www.canadianbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/kindergarten-class-cc-by-woodleywonderworks.jpg• http://www.eqao.com/categories/home.aspx?Lang=E• http://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/life/parent/2009/03/09/ontarios_high_school_graduation_rate_grows/

graduation.jpeg• http://learningforwardontario.ca/images/img2.jpg• http://i2.wp.com/vipmedia.globalnews.ca/2014/01/math-class-file.jpg?crop=0px%2C10px%2C720px

%2C480px&resize=720%2C480• http://www.boldinternet.com/images/content/work/education_3.png