This space was created by the Museum Education Roundtable to expand upon the most recent Journal of Museum Education (JME) issue, reflect on member events, and address timely issues that we face in the field of museum work. Read about how to write for our blog here.
Knowledge in Action ™
MER Talks: AAM’s Museum Education Mentoring Program
The American Alliance of Museum’s professional network for museum educators (EdCom) is currently recruiting mentors and mentees for the committee’s Museum Education Mentoring Program (EdMEM). Currently in its fifth year, EdMEM continues to support the next generation of museum educators by connecting them with established professionals. Applications for the program are now open and will close on Sunday, February 21st. … Read More
MER Talks – Mongolian Museum Educators: Challenges and Opportunities
First of all, I’d like to thank the Museum Education Roundtable for giving me the opportunity to write for their blog about Mongolian museums educators. I am hoping to share how museum educators in Mongolia are working to build community and professionalism, especially in a time of global upheaval. 2020 was a challenging year for the world community as we … Read More
Open Call for BIPOC/Historically Underrepresented Museum Voices
Do you identify as an LGBTQIA+BIPOC individual? If so, consider submitting a blog post proposal to the Museum Education Roundtable’s blog, Museum Visions, in order to continue pushing the field toward greater equity for museum professionals. Tied to the current issue of the Journal of Museum Education, this open call’s theme is “Queering the Museum.” This invitation is intended to … Read More
From the Membership: Results of MER Survey 2020
Last spring, amidst the unfolding and intersecting pandemics—COVID-19, anti-Black racism and structural inequity, climate change—the future of museums, and museum educators was anything but clear. In a “normal spring” (please excuse the incredible understatement here), the MER Board of Directors would have been planning our annual, in-person forum; recruiting and welcoming new Directors; connecting ideas for JME topics with authors … Read More
Banned Books: Museums and Libraries Respond
In October, author Kelly Yang received notification that a parent had filed a complaint about the use of her book, Front Desk, in a school’s curriculum. The parent deemed the book propaganda, and believed the school was teaching racism by including the book in an anti-racism curriculum. Front Desk, an award-winning middle-grade novel, follows 10-year-old Mia Tang and her parents … Read More
MER Responds: November 3, 2020
The Museum Education Roundtable (MER) Board of Directors believes in the importance of democracy, the ongoing work of building a healthy and equitable society, and the responsibility of all cultural organizations–including museums–to strengthen civic participation and public engagement. While international in scope, many MER members, contributors, and Board Members live and work in the United States, and are actively engaged … Read More
Museum Book Clubs
The latest Journal of Museum Education, Beyond the Cult of the Author: The Literary Museum Today, focuses on museums that are connected to literature and authors. Articles in the journal examine the ways in which these types of museums are using innovative programming to engage audiences in deep discussions. In conjunction with JME 45.3, we have created a list of … Read More
MER’S THIRD ANNUAL EXCELLENCE IN WRITING AWARDS
The Museum Education Roundtable (MER) is proud to announce the 2019 recipients of the annual Awards for Writing Excellence for the Journal of Museum Education: Carissa DiCindio, Bryan L. Davis, Ariel Goldberg, Jessica J. Luke, Eileen D. Tomczuk, Susan Foutz, Nicole Rivera, Lisa Brahms, Kari Ross Nelson, Barbara Hahn, Melissa Swank and Kimberly McKenney. Authors Jessica J. Luke, Eileen D. … Read More