Objects of Inquiry

A detailed and practical guide to creating and implementing transformative object-based learning experiences across a range of academic fieldsWith visits from more than one hundred Harvard courses each semester, the Harvard Art Museums are a leader in object-based learning. From single-class visits exploring themes through selected works to semester-long seminars based in the museums, these partnerships take many forms, fostering critical thinking and museum literacy for students in disciplines from art history to environmental science to gender studies to law. Building on these experiences as well as a rich body of theoretical scholarship, Objects of Inquiry shares the Harvard Art Museums’ evidence-based pedagogy with educators across disciplines and levels of experience with object-based learning. In engaging chapters that build on one another, Jen Thum and Laura Muir—key architects of the Harvard Art Museums’ pedagogical approach—share their thoughts about how to design unique learning experiences aligned with course-specific goals. A roundtable discussion of student and faculty perspectives highlights the lasting impact of museum visits and critical engagement with diverse artworks across time and place. As a practical resource for museum professionals and educators, Objects of Inquiry features scripts for forming partnerships and examples of how to conduct outreach to faculty across campus; a detailed guide to visit planning; a dozen active learning strategies with thorough descriptions; an exploration of the importance of teaching data; and case studies from actual Harvard courses.Distributed for Harvard Art Museums