Title: The challenge of professionalism and institutional self-understanding: a short communication

Authors: Anna Hansen; Henrik Zipsane

Addresses: The Nordic Centre of Heritage Learning and Creativity, 709 831 28, Ostersund, Sweden ' Jamtli Museum, 709 83128 Ostersund, Sweden

Abstract: Museum educators are often key staff at museums in the sense that they are the ones the public, school groups and other visitors often meet. However, a study of the Nordic and Baltic countries shows that many museum educators lack formal education within the fields of pedagogical theory or learning. Their role as professional educators can therefore be questioned - in particular by other educators, such as teachers. This article discusses what the implications are of this lack of formal education, for museums as institutions as well as for the museum educators.

Keywords: professionalism; learning; museums; museum educators; formal education; pedagogical theory; cultural policy; culture; institutional self-understanding; professional educators.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKBD.2017.082425

International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development, 2017 Vol.8 No.1, pp.89 - 100

Received: 10 Dec 2015
Accepted: 02 Aug 2016

Published online: 24 Feb 2017 *

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