Registrations to the ICOM MOOC “Creating Meaningful and Inclusive Museum Practices” are open again from March 28th: join over 5,000 students from all over the world on the Future Learn platform.
After a successful first run in November 2021, the ICOM’s first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is now accessible again and available to all on the Future Learn platform. The course “Creating Meaningful and Inclusive Museum Practices” encourages museum professionals to explore a series of methodologies and strategies for social inclusion and community building that can be implemented to support wider cultural participation.
The course is coordinated by the Department of Capacity Building / Museums and Society of the ICOM Secretariat, and the content was developed by Armando Perla (El Salvador/Canada) and Deirdre Prins-Solani (South Africa), heritage and museum practitioners with strong experience on the subject.
Using representative case studies and discussions with practitioners, academics and community members, this course presents methodologies and strategies, such as co-curation, oral history, community collecting, inclusive design and conflict resolution. It illustrates a vibrant and evolving museum practice taking place in different corners around the globe.
The 4-week MOOC proposes practices for museums to ensure the inclusion of people who, for whatever reason, have been denied involvement in mainstream economic, political, cultural, and social activities, such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, migrants, minorities, Indigenous peoples, members from the LGBTQI+ and ethno-cultural communities.
At the same time, the instructors will lead the students to participate in self-assessment and peer-reviewed assignments to encourage self-reflection and social learning.
The course will also encourage a reflection on the challenges faced by institutions and practitioners, so that participants can broaden their perspective on the role of contemporary museums in community engagement and equip themselves with the skills to develop meaningful and inclusive museum projects.
Instructors
Armando Perla (El Salvador/Canada)
Armando Perla is a scholar, consultant, activist, and curator. He collaborates with museums, cultural organizations, and communities on issues of human rights and social inclusion in Canada and abroad.
Deirdre Prins-Solani (South Africa)
Deirdre Prins-Solani is a heritage activist. She investigates the relationships between living heritage and the everyday so as to create through action research, viable and sustainable living practice.
