“Now This Is What I Call Learning!” A Case Study of Museum-Initiated Professional Development for Teachers

This case study sought to understand why educators participate in museum summer institutes and how participation transferred to personal development and professional practice. The study found participation was affected by an interest in and need for learning about a particular time in history, ability to transfer institute content to curricula, the chance to share their experiences with peers, and factors such as museum reputation, design and facilitation of the institute, and institutes’ speakers and presenters. Participants were able to transfer institute experiences into their professional practice as well as to their personal interests by applying learning to what and how they teach, their ability to critically reflect on history and culture, and their personal development. This study suggests further investigations in the area of museum-initiated professional development may increase our understanding of how educators are drawn to such offerings and how the experiences contribute to adult learning and education. Implications for adult education research and museum educator practice are offered.