Museums and parent involvement: a landscape review

Abstract

The aim of this study was to gather descriptive data about the nature of museum-designed and -implemented parent-involvement programs across the United States, investigating two research questions: (1) How many and what types of museums offer programs that target parents in support of their children's education? and (2) What do these programs look like? What are their goals and what is the nature of their activities? Questionnaires were used to investigate the above-mentioned research questions. We sampled American museums that are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Our data suggest that a sizeable number of museums are engaged in parent-involvement efforts, and we argue that these data form an important foundation for future museum programming.

Keywords:

• museum education
• parent involvement
• museum programs
• American Museums
• AAM-accredited museums

Acknowledgments

This paper presents findings from a post-doctoral research study that was conducted by Kadriye Tezcan-Akmehmet at the George Washington University Museum Studies Program, under the supervision of Jessica J. Luke, Ph.D., who is an adjunct professor at the Program, and hosted by Program Director Prof. Kym Rice. This post-doctoral research was conducted and completed with the support of the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program Grant, 2010–2011.

Notes on contributors

Kadriye Tezcan Akmehmet, PhD, is a faculty member in the Art Management Program and Museum Studies Graduate Program, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey. She received a B.A. in Art History from Istanbul University, an M.A. in Museum Studies from Yildiz Technical University (Istanbul), and a PhD in Art History from Istanbul Technical University. She completed her post-doctoral research supported by the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program in the Museum Studies Program, George Washington University. Her research interests focused on museum education, in particular related to issues of school–museum partnership, museum–community relationship and parent involvement.

Jessica J. Luke, PhD, is a faculty member in the Museology Graduate Program, University of Seattle, WA, where she teaches about and studies the ways in which museums contribute to quality of life. Jessica has a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Maryland, and spent 15 years as a learning researcher and evaluator at the Institute for Learning Innovation, a nonprofit organization based in Annapolis, MD. She has published articles and book chapters on the impacts of museums on youth, parents, and families.