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To what extent can inquiry-based education in museums help children learn
about national identities?
KATHERINE BIGGS
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA in
Cultural Heritage Studies of University College London in 2011
UCL INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY
Note: this Dissertation is an unrevised examination copy for consultation only and it
should not be quoted or cited without the permission of the director of the Institute
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Abstract
Since its introduction to schools in the 1960s, inquiry-based learning has primarily been
used in the teaching of scientific disciplines. Little research has been undertaken as to its
value within arts-based subjects, and so this research project considers the benefits of
using inquiry-based education with an historical museum environment, by analysing a
case study based at the British Museum. The Museum utilised an inquiry-based
educational session to enable a group of children to learn about national identities. My
findings show that inquiry-based education can work successfully within an arts
environment. Due to its examination of the effectiveness of this type of learning style in
an actual museum setting, this study can provide a case for inquiry-based learning to be
used more widely in the teaching of arts-based subjects.
Acknowledgements
This dissertation would not have been possible without the support and help that I
received from the Cultures in Contact team at the British Museum: Rosie Fuller, Kate
Kelland, Laura Service, Nick Badcott and Alia Alzougbi. Special thanks to Sarah Longair
and Shelley Mannion, without whom there would have been no dissertation. Thank you
also to my supervisor at UCL, Dr Theano Moussouri, for all her support and advice, and
also to Dr Beverley Butler for her essential cultural heritage input.
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List of contents
Page
Introduction 3
Theoretical framework 5
Methodology 12
Case Study: the Cultures in Contact project at the British Museum 16
Findings 24
Conclusion 32
Recommendations and Proposed further work 35
References 38
Appendices 43
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Introduction
“As we look towards the future, we must acknowledge the past”
So spoke UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on 9th
July 2011, the day that South Sudan
celebrated its independence, urging the country to look to its roots in the formation of its
new identity as an independent state (UN News Centre 2011). I wanted to open my
dissertation with this quote because this research project will consider the importance of
national identities post-independence, and specifically how the formation of these
identities can be taught to children through an inquiry-based educational session in a
museum environment. The case of South Sudan is therefore evidence for the relevance of
an educational session in 2011 which looks at the formation of national identity.
South Sudan must now show itself to be a nation in its own right, outside of the political
and cultural framework of Sudan. Why does a new country need to create a national
identity for itself? And how can these identities be taught to school groups in a museum
environment? I aimed to answer these questions by considering theoretical literature
alongside a case study methodology, which focussed on a group of Year 9 pupils
attending a session at the British Museum in July 2011. These children interpreted objects
from the Museum‟s collection to create new national identities.
My research goal for this dissertation is to find out the extent to which inquiry-based
education in museums can help children learn about national identities. To answer this I
look at what inquiry-based learning is, the ways in which it is used within this case study
at the British Museum, and why it is relevant for museums to teach school groups about
national identities. I then bring these elements together to see whether inquiry-based
learning can be a suitable method for educating children about national identities in a
museum environment. I will consider these questions both theoretically and through
empirical findings from my case study. The case study centres around object
interpretation, supported by the use of technology, and so I will also specifically consider
how object interpretation works within an inquiry-based framework, and whether the use
of technology within the project impacts the learning outcomes.
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I will now introduce the theoretical background which underlines my empirical research.
I will then lay-out my methodology. Within this, I have included a detailed account of my
case study, outlining its participants, the activity itself and its development. I will
conclude by drawing on my findings to answer my research goal, before giving
recommendations for future study.
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Theoretical framework
This dissertation looks at the extent to which inquiry-based education can help children
learn about national identities, through the analysis of a project undertaken in a museum
environment. More specifically, helping children to understand why countries need
national identities and the ways in which these can be created. In this section I will
outline the theories which form the framework for my research project. These are
twofold. Firstly, I will contextualise the educational methods used in my case study by
referring to education theory. Secondly, I will look in more depth at the theory behind
national identities in order to show the relevance of such a museum project in 2011.
Education theory
First of all, I would like to consider how the museum space can be used for school
education. If a museum is primarily a place of learning (Hein and Alexander 1998), it is
worth considering its role as an educational setting (Falk and Dierking 1992). Any
educational programme centred in a museum should focus on the collections housed
there, as the “raison d‟être” of any museum is its objects (Paris and Hapgood 2002, 43).
The objects themselves are a “very important aspect of learning” (Piscitelli and Weier
2002, 128), rousing curiosity and imagination in children (Morrissey 2002, 285), and can
“stimulate thought and reflection” (Paris and Hapgood 2002, 44). The National
Curriculum for Keystage 3 encourages children to look at the role of museums in the
preservation and presentation of the past as part of the history syllabus, confirming that
schools themselves see the need to use museums‟ collections for educational purposes
(National Curriculum Website 2011). It is therefore important that any museum with such
a collection focuses on this as part of its educational programme, both because this is its
key asset as a space, and also because these objects can inspire children to learn.
There has been a move towards a more learner-centred form of education within the
museum environment (Hooper-Greenhill 1991), and by placing objects within an
investigation the learner can use these objects as pieces of evidence, or sources, rather
than learning the details of the object alone (Bain and Ellenbogen 2002, 166). For
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example, a vase could be considered not solely based on its construction, usage or
ownership but rather as a symbol of trade in the 18th
century. Roberts argued that the 20th
century brought a “growing awareness about the fundamentally interpretive nature of
knowledge” (1997, 48), indicating that a more learner-led form of education might be
suitable within the museum environment. Friere agrees that the best way of working is by
liberating the student to allow them to take control of their learning (1970). If the pupil is
simply memorising information, they will not see that they too have valid points to make
about the world, based on their own understanding and experience (Friere 1970).
Certainly Roberts agrees that the worst form of teaching is “spoon-feeding” (1997, 30)
and Hein too has argued that learning is more than just facts (1998). Also, if we take
learning to be an active process (Hein 1991, 90; Falk and Dierking 1995, 11), then a more
student-lead form of gaining knowledge may be more suited for gaining new skills:
“learning is an active process of collecting information, a process of utilising this
information to build complex, internal knowledge structures” (Falk and Dierking 1995,
11).
Furthermore, educational sessions created for a secondary school audience should be
aware that “teenagers want and need opportunities to learn in ways that support their self-
esteem and growing independence” (Jensen 1996, 271). An education session that allows
a teenage audience to interact with the objects in a more open way would therefore meet
this learning agenda and could inspire the students to learn through doing.
Inquiry-based education fits within this more independent form of learning. Inquiry-based
learning is, in its broadest terms, “any process of learning through inquiry [enquiry]”
(Hutchings 2007, 11). More specifically, it is about letting students “acquire their
knowledge by a process of active learning” (ibid., 12). As a teaching method, it allows
the students to engage in “practical examples” (ibid.) and furthermore allows them to
“conduct their own research” (Reason 1994). In opposition to didactic learning, the
process is student-centred (Hutchings 2007) and allows the learner to make their own
conclusions by undertaking their own research. The emphasis lies on the process of
investigation, rather than the results (Hepworth and Walton 2009). It allows the learner to
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be at the heart of the situation, and for this reason Hepworth and Walton have argued that
the learner becomes more engaged, because they are actively involved (2009, 82). As
well an engaging the learner, inquiry-based learning can help them to gain new skills,
such as team work, argumentation, research and communication (ibid., 3). Furthermore,
discovering answers for ourselves can enable us to retain knowledge more readily than
those facts that we are taught (Hutchings 2007, 12).
Hein did however warn that prior knowledge is often needed to fully comprehend this
more open or inquiry form of learning (1998, 32). Roschelle takes this argument further
by saying that learning is primarily based on prior knowledge and that learners construct
their ideas based on this knowledge (1995), while Hutchings argues that students bring
their own knowledge to inquiry-based learning (2007, 13). Dierking stresses that this
prior knowledge is a “fundamental” factor in learning (2002, 8). Some of this information
can be provided to children before embarking on an investigatory learning session, but
each individual will still bring their unique knowledge to the activity. I must therefore try
to be aware of the influence of prior knowledge on the children when analysing my case
study.
Technology plays a key part in this case study, as it is used both to facilitate the
interpretation of objects and to capture the final outputs through film. One way of
providing guidance during an inquiry-based session is through technology, such as this.
Technology can help to support the analysis of objects, or as Bain and Ellenbogen call it a
way to “scaffold learners‟ object-centred experiences” (2002, 166). The use of
information technology as a way to interpret history is cited as a key skill for Keystage 3
students (National Curriculum Website 2011), and so a session that can harness these
new technologies as a way of making the museum more interactive might well prove
successful.
Hooper-Greenhill noted that “the days when „museum education‟ meant parties of
schoolchildren being dragged round display cases are long gone” (1996, 252). Museums
in 2011 need to engage their school visitors, and an inquiry-based session which uses
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technology to support the interpretation of objects could therefore provide a suitable
environment to inspire learning.
The manipulation of the past to create national identities
Why would museums want to teach children about national identities through the
interpretation of objects in their collection? To answer this question, I must break this
into two parts: understanding firstly why national identity is a key theme for museums to
teach children, and secondly why object interpretation is a suitable method for such an
educational session.
Before considering national identities themselves, I would first like to look at what a
nation is. One way is to see it as a community with shared laws, boundaries and culture
(Smith 1991, 11). The people living within this community are “united by common
historical memories, myths, symbols and traditions” (ibid.), which can create social bonds
and a feeling of belonging, which ultimately benefits the nation itself. These elements are
what makes a nation, and therefore form part of its identity. Gellner argued that any state
undergoing modernisation needs homogenisation, through a “single language and a single
culture” imposed from above (cited in Woodward 2000, 126). It is this shared experience
that marks a nation out, and helps to define it against its neighbours, thus becoming its
identity. Woodward argues that identity is an active decision; it is what is made of the
sum of the characteristics and history available (2000). This applies to both personal and
collective identity, and as in both cases, this identity can change over time, reacting to
external influences. In Britain, for example, Hall has noted an increasing sense of
“selective amnesia” when it comes to looking back to the British Empire (2000, 7), in
contrast to its celebration through memorials in Victorian England (Mace 2005).
Why is national identity important? Why has South Sudan already designed a new flag,
national anthem and currency for itself (Westcott 2011)? I have mentioned the
importance of a national identity to strengthen relationships within the community, but a
strong identity is also needed externally, to compete on the global stage politically,
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territorially and culturally (Smith 1991). The creation of national identities is a hugely
important piece of global history and politics, and is still ongoing in 2011 through South
Sudan. It is therefore relevant that school groups be educated on this as part of their
understanding of the dissolution of empire (National Curriculum Website 2011), and for
gaining knowledge about the importance of identity.
The quote from Ban Ki-Moon, with which I opened my dissertation, implies that looking
back is a key way of creating a national identity (UN News Centre 2011). The South
Sudanese people called for the country‟s new currency to feature “historical and cultural
symbols”, showing that they too see the power of looking to the past to create a new
future (Westcott 2011). In the Heritage Crusade, Lowenthal makes frequent reference to
the use of heritage for present day means, heritage which can undermine “historical truth
with twisted myth” (1997, xiv). So can heritage be used to create a modern day identity
for liberated states? Fanon certainly believes so, arguing that “the artist who decides to
illustrate the truths of the nation turns paradoxically toward the past and away from actual
events” (2001, 225). Stuart Hall further advocates the importance of heritage in the
creation of identity, citing it as a key means for a nation to create a “collective special
memory” (2000, 5), while Anderson suggests that a country needs a census, a map and a
museum to illustrate its identity (2006, 163 - 185). The museum aspect of this is to create
legitimacy as a nation, as a race, through the strengths of their forefathers. So if we are to
believe these contemporary theorists, heritage can be, and is, a key element in the
creation of a national identity.
Another example of considering the past as we move forward is the 15th
anniversary
celebrations of Cambodia‟s independence, where a papier-mâché replica of the Bayon
temple from Angkor was produced to illustrate the country‟s long history (Anderson
2006, 183). Heritage can be a crucial element in a nation‟s identity. Hall questions what
Britain would be without its cathedrals, writers and artists, all key elements of its heritage
(2000, 10). Objects and artefacts form a central part of this heritage. Consider this: why
does Tushar Gandhi request the Kohinoor diamond be returned? For the symbolic
atonement of what India suffered under the British Empire (BBC Website 2010). Why is
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the Greek government seeking the repatriation of the Parthenon Marbles? Because they
are the “supreme symbol of the Greek cultural heritage” (Greek Minister of Culture Mr
Theodoros Pangalos cited by Hellenic Electronic Centre 2011). So, if heritage can be
used to create identities, a museum housing this heritage would be an ideal space to
educate visitors about national identities. Museums can inspire children by showing them
“the real thing” and furthermore their collections can be “linked to many of the questions
that arise in the pursuit of making sense of the world we live in” (Hooper-Greenhill 1996,
1).
My case study takes place in the British Museum, which houses a wealth of artefacts
from around the world. Some of these artefacts have been used by nations as symbols of
identity, for example through currency. Running an education session that looks at these
„real‟ objects could therefore engage the children to learn.
Ghana has been minting a series of coins since 1967, which show their traditional talking
drums with the country‟s principles „freedom and justice‟ written alongside (appendix i).
These drums are a traditional part of Ghanaian community, played in pairs at funerals to
tell the story of the deceased‟s life through music. Their presence on Ghana‟s coinage
highlights their pre-colonial heritage and the links with their ancestors. A pair of these
talking drums is on display in the British Museum. The Republic of Congo issued a one
thousand franc bank note in 1961, a year after they gained independence from Belgium.
The note shows a collage of some of their pre-colonial objects, many of which are on
display in the British Museum (see appendix i): the juxtaposition of traditional fabrics,
shells and a wooden statue emphasise the traditions and strong background of the Congo
before it was colonised.
Finally, I will mention two bank notes that Iran issued in 1951, which both look back to
the Persian Empire. The fifty rial note featured the seal of Darius on its reverse, while the
ten rial note showed Persepolis itself, Darius‟ palace (appendix i). Here is an example of
a nation legitimising its vast cultural history by illustrating their Persian legacy. The
British Museum holds many pieces from the Persian Empire, including copies of the
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friezes from Persepolis, and so the space could bring these banknotes to life. South Sudan
have now released their new currency, and while one face depicts John Garang, a leader
in the struggle for independence, the other reflects their “wealth, culture, and climatic
conditions” (Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of the Government of Southern
Sudan, H.E Deng Athorbe in Wudu 2011).
An historical museum would therefore be a suitable setting for an educational session
looking at national identities, as its collections form the basis of much of the heritage that
shapes national identities today. When children see the very objects used as symbols of a
country‟s identity, it may transform the museum into a “powerful instrument of
education” (Olofsson 1979, 10).
This chapter has looked at the education theory which supports the use of inquiry-based
learning for interpreting objects in a museum environment. Furthermore, it has looked at
the importance of national identities, and how heritage can be manipulated in the creation
of new identities. I have shown that a museum setting can be a viable space for a session
teaching children about the formation of national identities if its collections reflect this
national heritage.
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Methodology
The primary research goal for this dissertation is to understand the extent to which
inquiry-based education in museums can help children learn about national identities. To
help answer this question I have used a case study of Year 9 students who attended an
education session at the British Museum in July 2011. I used a qualitative case study
methodology for this research project because this is a unique case within two wider
topics: the teaching of national identities and the benefit of inquiry-based learning in
museums. The information I have collected may help to improve future activities akin to
this, based on the successes and failures of this activity (Patton 1987). Stake further
agrees, arguing that case studies are of value for “refining theory” and “suggesting
complexities for further investigation” (2005, 460).
As I have used a case study methodology, I needed to collect a large quantity of
information to contextualise this single example. As Patton wrote “qualitative case study
seeks to describe a unit in depth, in detail, in context, and holistically” (1987, 19). I
therefore created three research questions which are detailed in Table 1. These focus on
the importance of objects, prior knowledge and technology as part of the activity. The
interpretation of objects, supported by the use of technology, sits at the heart of my case
study. I also wished to look at the impact of prior knowledge during the activity based on
my theoretical findings. Through the information I gather, I aim to answer these
questions, and ultimately my research goal.
Mixed qualitative methods were the most appropriate for this type of research project.
The methods required to analyse a single case study can be changeable, as long as they
are suited to the case in question (Stake 2005). Patton takes this argument further, writing
that “multiple sources of information” must be used to gain a full understanding of the
case (1987). I have therefore used a number of methods to gain an insight into this case
study.
I initially collected information through participant observation, observing fifty-four
children over two days, which allowed me to see how individuals and groups interacted
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with one another. This form of observation can allow an insider‟s view of the activity.
Patton wrote that “the participant observer can discover things no one else has really paid
attention to” (1987, 263), while Whyte confirmed that it can offer “learning opportunities
that cannot be duplicated by any other method” (1984, 23). I was a participant observer in
the activity because my role in its development gave me an insider‟s view, allowing me
to work in the galleries alongside the students. This form of observation can be an
advantage in collecting information, as it uses this insider perspective to make more
informed analysis of the findings (Diamond 1999, 79). Patton agrees that observation can
cut through some of the observer‟s anticipated answers, in a way that interviews cannot
(1987, 73). During interviews people are more likely to be led by the interviewer‟s
questions, and may act more naturally during observation. I observed how the students
interacted with one another to interpret the task, noting discussions and conversations
within teams, with the intention of identifying whether their understanding of national
identities changed during the activity, and whether the use of inquiry-based learning was
effective in teaching these ideas. I further wanted to observe how the children used the
technology in the activity, and whether they drew on any prior knowledge in order to add
context to my findings. I moved between different gallery spaces, observing each group
that entered that gallery, and took notes in between my observations so as not to draw
attention to my presence.
As well as undertaking observations throughout the day, I wanted to qualify my
observational data through interviews. Patton argues that interviews are a key part of
participant observation (1987, 265) and Fontana and Frey go even further in their
argument that “interviewing is one of the most common and powerful ways in which we
try to understand our fellow humans” (2005, 697). My intention in undertaking
interviews was to try to understand the background and previous knowledge of the
children, which might otherwise have distorted my findings. I wanted to gain a clearer
idea as to why groups made certain decisions, to try and qualify what I had already
observed. As Patton agrees, we interview people to discover “those things we cannot
directly observe” (1987, 340). I interviewed fifteen students in total.
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My observations and unstructured interviews with the children formed the crux of my
findings. I then further contextualised this by interviewing three of the children‟s teachers
who attended the sessions. I hoped that they could provide further information around
how the children had built on their previous knowledge throughout the day, and which
aspects of the project they felt were a success. I also informally interviewed staff from the
British Museum at the end of each day to record their recollections and observations from
the activity: “what details of life the researchers are unable to see for themselves is
obtained by interviewing people who did see them” (Stake 2005, 453).
Although my case study looks at a single school attending a programme at the British
Museum, I have contextualised this with information collected from other schools who
attended the same activity. While I was not present when these sessions were run at the
museum, other staff members carried out observations and interviews with pupils. Their
research was specifically about the use of technology in the activity, but the evaluators
observed the level of cooperation and interpretation within groups, so I was keen to use
this information as a supplement to provide validity and reliability for my own
observations. Furthermore, I had access to evaluation forms completed by each
participant from the activity.
I have here outlined the ways in which I collected data from my case study, and will now
provide details of the case study itself, looking in particular at the activity in the museum,
the participants and how the session was developed.
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Research Goal Research Questions Methods Methodology
To what extent can inquiry-based
learning help children to understand the
key issues around postcolonial
identities?
How does object interpretation help
children to understand these key issues?
Participant observation; unstructured
interviews (with students); semi-structured
interview (with teachers)
Case study
Participant observation Case study
Participant observation; unstructured
interviews (with students); semi-structured
interview (with teachers)
Case study
Participant observation; unstructured
interviews (with students); semi-structured
interview (with teachers)
Case study
Participant observation; unstructured
interviews (with students); semi-structured
interview (with teachers)
Case study
How do children use prior knowledge to
understand or build on their
understanding of these issues?
Participant observation; unstructured
interviews (with students); semi-structured
interview (with teachers); structured
interviews (with BM facilitators who taught
pre-sessions in schools)
Case study
What is the role of technology in
children's understanding of postcolonial
identities?
Participant observation; semi-structured
interviews (with teachers) Case study
Table 1
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Case Study: the Cultures in Contact project at the British Museum
To understand the extent to which inquiry-based education could help children learn about
national identities, I have used a case study, consisting of one hundred and thirty Year 9
children (both genders) from Northumberland Park Community School, who attended an
educational day at the British Museum in July 2011. The students were split into two groups
and attended the activity on different days.
The activity aimed to educate children about the creation of national identities post-
independence, and forms the end of a three year project at the Museum. Before I lay-out my
findings, I would first like to contextualise the project based on my own experience of
working on its development, and from interviews I undertook with British Museum staff
members. Through this I hope to explain the project‟s background, and so introduce some of
the defining aspects of this example.
The project
Cultures in Contact is a Deutsche Bank sponsored three year programme at the British
Museum, which aims to teach a group of children how relationships between different cultures
and countries have changed from the 1600s to today: “the Cultures in Contact programme
aims to bring to life the context and history that has built the multicultural world we inhabit”
(Deutsche Bank website 2011). The project started in 2009 when the students were in Year 7,
and introduced themes of trade and exploration. In the second year, the same students (now in
Year 8) visited the museum to understand issues of colonisation and the global situations that
resulted in empires. In this, the third and final year of the project, the students learnt about
liberation and independence, and about the struggle to create a new national identity after
gaining independence. I observed the final year of this project, to find-out the extent to which
an inquiry-based educational session can help children learn about national identities.
The final year of the project was split into three sections. A pre-session was held in each
school in May 2011, reminding students about the reasons for the creation of empires. This
then looked more specifically at the struggle for independence between 1920 and 1960, and
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the dissolution of empires. The students then attended a day at the British Museum, where
they were to learn about the creation of new national identities post-independence. Finally, a
post-session was held back at school which linked these elements together and asked the
children to look at migration as a result of empires, and at their own identities as a result of
this migration. My research project is predominantly focussed on the activity in the museum
itself, but I will detail all three sessions to provide context for the case study.
The pre-session
The pre-session in schools looked at the struggle for independence from empire, particularly
focussing on India, and Gandhi‟s use of symbolism. I interviewed Laura Service, who
developed and ran this session for the Museum, and asked why she had chosen India as the
focus of the session. She admitted that originally she had wanted to focus on Ghana, as
previous work with these schools had highlighted a high proportion of African backgrounds
amongst the students, and so many students engaged strongly with work on Africa. However
the objects in the Africa gallery did not strongly show Ghana‟s struggle for independence in
the way that India did.
Laura continued to explain that as the pre-session was to focus around symbolism, Gandhi
provided a great example of how objects and images can be manipulated into symbols.
Furthermore, Gandhi provided an example of how independence could be brought about
through peaceful means. The children were shown a series of images and videos, and worked
through them to pull out symbols and their meanings. For example, the role of Gandhi‟s
spinning wheel and his preference for simple clothing. Laura said that the children
successfully “grasped the symbolic messages” presented to them, which provided a base for
the students when they came to the museum workshop. It is important to note this, as it is
possible that students who did not have a basis in analysing objects and images for their
symbolic value might well react differently to the museum activity.
The museum day
The remit for the museum day was that the children attending the session would be
responsible for researching and interpreting a series of objects from the British Museum‟s
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collection to create an identity for a postcolonial country (Sarah Longair, Developer of
Cultures in Contact 2011).
The activity would require the participants to research and create their own conclusions,
without there being a defined „correct‟ answer. This form of education fits within the model of
inquiry-based learning where the emphasis lies on the experience rather than the answers
(Hepworth and Walton 2009). Instead, children were encouraged to use the evidence provided
by the museum to research and build their own conclusions. Why was an inquiry-based
session developed for the third year of the Cultures in Contact project? In the first year of the
project the session was narrative, centring around story-telling with costumed characters,
which fitted the skills of a Year 7 group. In the second year, a level of independent learning
was introduced through a trading game and role-play activity, but the students were still
predominantly informed by the museum staff. With the students now in Year 9, their teachers
asked that they be given greater freedom to work, and with this in mind an inquiry-based
learning project was created for the final session (Sarah Longair).
The museum activity opened with an introduction and a reminder about the importance of the
symbols they had learnt about in school. Students were shown the Indian flag (see appendix
ii), and were asked questions about the role of the spinning wheel at its centre. This opened the
doorway for more symbols to be introduced, including the South African coat of arms (see
appendix ii). Although this was a mainly inquiry-based session, the organisers wanted a more
narrative introduction to ensure that the use of objects in the creation of identity was ingrained
in the minds of the pupils before they researched their own answers (Sarah Longair).
Following the introduction, the pupils were split into groups of between three and five
children by their school teachers. Each group was given a worksheet and a handheld digital
tablet (see appendix iii) for use in the museum‟s galleries. Armed with a museum map, the
groups chose a country from a list of three (as specified on their worksheet) and made their
way to the gallery they had selected. The tablets contained questions which encouraged the
students to look closely at five objects in each gallery (appendix iv), and which corresponded
to questions based on the worksheets (see appendix v). Once these questions were complete,
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the students had to rate the objects from a list of qualities, selected by the museum staff. This
rating process was designed to encourage the pupils to make links between objects and
identities, and to start thinking about how individual objects can symbolise a country‟s
strengths. There were no correct answers for these ratings, although suggested ratings were
given for guidance once they had submitted their answers (appendix iv). The children were
then able to analyse their ratings to help them create a new identity for their chosen country.
Worksheets, questions and ratings were all created by the same British Museum staff, myself
included.
After lunch the groups were separated into three classrooms. A museum teacher recapped
some of the themes that had been covered in the morning‟s introduction, for example the
children were again shown the Indian flag and again asked to consider the importance of the
spinning wheel. It was then their task to create a new identity for one of the countries they had
analysed in the morning‟s activity. They were guided through this process using prompting
worksheets asking them to choose qualities which best represented their country, and objects
from the gallery which best showed these qualities.
The children could then make films about their chosen country (see appendix vi). They were
informed that these films would be submitted to the International Cultural Elite (a modern day
fabricated version of the League of Nations) for consideration. The countries with the
strongest argument for their identity would be welcomed into the organisation, and indeed
staff judged the videos and later awarded prizes.
The post-session
The post-session was developed by Alia Alzougbi and was delivered back in schools in the
weeks following the museum session. Alia‟s key aim in developing this session was to make
Cultures in Contact relevant to students today, by showing how empire and its dissolution has
resulted in migration and hybrid identities. This session also recapped many of the ideas seen
in the museum session around symbolism and the use of objects. This session was delivered in
an interrogative way, asking the students to feed-back on what they had learnt in the museum.
21
There were also games introduced to strengthen their knowledge of the themes as well as
engaging them, such as „identity bingo‟.
The participants
Four London-based schools participated in the Cultures in Contact programme: Stoke
Newington School, George Mitchell School, Dunraven School and Northumberland Park
Community School. These schools were chosen because they fitted the template of schools
Deutsche Bank wanted to work with: they are all located in difficult areas of London, with
some challenging students (Sarah Longair). Other schools were asked to participate but were
unable to attend.
My case study looks specifically at Northumberland Park. The school‟s Head of History
specified that the students who participated came from a range of learning abilities, although
they were not the most challenging pupils from the school. The school itself is based in a
deprived area of London, where around half the pupils have English as their second language,
but it has recently received a „good‟ status from Ofsted. It is a good representative school to
use as my case study because of the four schools taking part in Cultures in Contact, it is
neither the weakest nor the strongest academically (Sarah Longair).
The development of the museum activity
I have so far explained the activity that schools undertook in the British Museum, and who
these schools were. I now wish to detail some of the reasoning behind the development of the
activity, and specifically why certain decisions were made. I have gathered this information
from my own work on the development of the project, and from interviews with British
Museum staff.
Why did the session look at the creation of identities for postcolonial countries?
Much of the overall design of the programme came from Deutsche Bank, who early on tasked
the Museum with creating a session that used the museum‟s collection to look at cultures in
contact from the 17th
Century to present day (Sarah Longair). As the second year of the project
22
focussed on empire, it was chronologically logical to begin the third year with the struggle for
independence and lead this onto present day issues of migration and hybrid nations (ibid.). The
dissolution of empire could be taught in many ways, but the museum‟s collections provided an
opportunity for this heritage to be manipulated to create 20th
century identities.
Why was technology used in the museum session?
In my theoretical chapter, I outlined some of the reasons that technology can be used in
museum education sessions. Laura Service agreed that one reason to use technology this year
was because the students were “teenagers, who need to be engaged”. Also, in line with the
National Curriculum‟s emphasis on ICT being used in the understanding of history, Deutsche
Bank specifically wanted to utilise technology in the final year of the project (Sarah Longair).
Which countries did the students analyse in the museum?
A number of countries were cited as possible for inclusion in the museum session. We initially
looked at countries which had, to some extent, been divided or ruled by a colonising force, so
as to follow-on from the pre-session‟s work on independence. I was involved in the selection
of countries for the activity. We needed at least seven galleries for use during the activity, to
space out the students throughout the museum. When we started considering the objects
available in each country‟s collection, some countries were removed from the list, such as
Mexico, because of a lack of objects which told a cohesive story about the country‟s rich
heritage. In contrast to this, previously unconsidered countries were introduced to the list, such
as Iraq, based on the strength of the objects in the Mesopotamia gallery. Benin had to be
removed as a possible country because our technology could not function in its gallery space.
The final list of countries that the students could work with was Iraq, India, Iran, China,
Ghana, New Zealand and Korea. Although our initial aim was to consider postcolonial
countries, China and Iran were included in the list as an example of countries throwing off
external influence, even if they were never truly colonies.
Which objects could the children interpret?
Within my section on education theory I made reference to the importance of museums using
their collections during educational sessions. This session was no exception, and Nick
23
Badcott, one of the key developers of the initial two years of the project agreed with this
standpoint, citing that all sessions were “object-led”, rather than led by a single point of view.
Rosie Fuller, one of the key facilitators in the final year of the project also stressed that she
wanted the students to look closely at objects during the activity.
While the children were encouraged to look at objects in each gallery, it is important to note
that only five objects were selected for interpretation from each country, thus narrowing the
level of interpretation the students would be able to make. The intention here was that, as this
was an introduction for most students into the creation of a national identity through objects, it
was better to use fewer examples and work through them in depth. Furthermore, there were
time restrictions in place as the students had limited time before they had to return to school. If
a larger group of objects had been selected, the students may well have had a broader
understanding of the country‟s values but this activity was aimed as an introduction to
identities, rather than an in-depth study. One student from Stoke Newington School agreed
with this, which hopefully other students could relate to: “It was a really nice way of focussing
us. If I‟d come with family we would have been rushing around seeing lots of galleries and not
learning anything” (from an evaluation form).
I supported in the choosing of these objects, which were selected both for their appearance and
for their ability to represent a series of values for its country of origin (I have included these
objects in appendix vii). For example, a porcelain vase from China could display artistic and
technological strength as well as trade links with other countries. We concluded that the
appearance of the objects was important to attract the interest of the students, as they would
need to be impressed and wowed by what was on offer. The analysis of objects was a key
element of the activity, to allow the children time to see the „real‟ objects up close, which can
hopefully, as Paris and Hapgood argue, “stimulate thought and reflection” (2002, 44).
What were the qualities and why were these chosen?
We selected a series of qualities that the children could use to define their countries by (see
appendix iv for these qualities in use). These were created using research into each country‟s
24
history, our own prior knowledge and what we could learn from the objects themselves. These
qualities were:
Great leaders
Inventiveness
Military strength
Trade and communication
Raw materials and land
Art, music and dance
Community
Religion and respect
Even though this was an open, inquiry-based activity, we wanted to provide some options for
the pupils to choose from rather than being left completely free, which might have caused
confusion.
In this chapter I have outlined my case study, and I will now lay-out my findings from my
observations and interviews, to determine the extent to which inquiry-based education in
museums can help children learn about national identities.
25
Findings
My research goal was to understand the extent to which inquiry-based education could help
children learn about national identities. I have used a case study of Year 9 students attending a
workshop on postcolonial identities in the British Museum to answer this question. To answer
this question I undertook participant observation and interviews with teachers and students
from the school, as well as interviewing organisers to gain a greater understanding of the
project. I have also read through anonymous evaluation forms completed by students from all
four schools that took part in the project, and consulted evaluators who had been present on
each day about their observations. This chapter contains my findings. These are based on my
own observations and interviews unless otherwise stated. I have removed children‟s names for
privacy and have replaced with letters.
Learning about national identities
The children participating in the activity seemed to understand the concept of national
identities. This is based on unstructured interviews I conducted with the students throughout
the day. I asked six groups of students why they thought countries might need an identity. One
student answered “to show that they are a strong country” (Child A) and another “to make
them different from everyone else” (Child B). However, when I asked the students about the
postcolonial element of the activity, the majority of them did not realise that they were looking
at liberated nations. I asked some students why they thought this activity was linked to their
pre-session work on India and they made the link between objects as symbols in both activity,
but not the link between the struggle for independence and being independent:
Child C: “Well in India they used Gandhi‟s spinning wheel on the flag, so we‟re looking in
China to see objects like that for their flag.”
[Me: “Like what?]
Child C: “Like that bamboo pot. If you put that on the Chinese flag it will remind everyone
that China invented writing and they‟ll be impressed.”
26
Furthermore, I saw no individual make reference to the fact that the countries they were
analysing had all been under the control of another country. A teacher from Northumberland
Park agreed that the postcolonial element of the activity was lost on them. She suggested that
this should have been developed in a second pre-visit session to schools, to discuss more
clearly in a classroom-based session the need for colonies to display their independence.
Did children understand the importance of objects in the creation of a national identity? From
their ability to answer questions in the introductory session and the classroom, it was clear that
students did understand this. They were able to logically interpret the use of objects on two
coats of arms they were shown. Arguing, for example, that “the shield and weapon show they
are warriors” (Child B). They were also confident about answering questions about the
spinning wheel‟s symbolism on the Indian flag in the same sessions:
Child D: “They made their own clothes instead of getting it from Britain.”
Child E: “It‟s [the spinning wheel] a symbol of independence because Gandhi used it.”
Child F: “It‟s on their flag to show their freedom.”
The students grasped the importance of objects in the creation of identity, noting the spinning
wheel as an emblem of Indian independence as well as seeing that the crossed arms on the
South African coat of arms could symbolise peace. When I asked some students to clarify their
thought process about why the country they were looking at was strong, I received some
creative answers, although again nobody mentioned the need for an identity after gaining
freedom:
Child G: “They [China] invented loads of stuff, like writing.”
Child H: “The straw, jewellery and stone basin show that Iraq has good raw materials and
land”
27
I also had access to the films that each group made to display the new national identity they
had created for their chosen country. There were one hundred and twenty of these films
available for my assessment. However, the caveat here is that as I did not personally observe
all of these videos being made, I do not know to what extent there was adult influence in the
video. I also do not know if some groups who made poor films did in fact clearly grasp the
concept of creating a new identity through objects, but were unable to translate this into film
form. The slogans that groups were tasked with creating for their films are, however, an
indication that a large proportion of the children understood the role of heritage in the creation
of a national identity:
„Ghana has a diverse culture for everyone to enjoy‟
„Our home, Korea: our land of beauty, tradition, culture and more…‟
„We take pride in our fine art and our community spirit. We make very good use of our raw
materials and land‟ (about New Zealand)
„Iran – rich in ancient culture‟
Learning through inquiry in groups
I was keen to see whether children worked together to create their own answers, working
within the framework of an inquiry-based learning activity, and whether this was a successful
part of the activity. The students I observed did work together in teams to answer the
prompting questions. Most of the groups that I observed used a form of argumentation when
working together in the galleries, speaking aloud to create a logical answer to questions posed
by the worksheets and tablets. I observed one group in the Iran gallery space out around an
object case, sharing information about what each of them could see from their own viewpoint.
One student from Dunraven School recorded the strength of working in teams in their
evaluation form: “I thought that the project helped me work in groups and understand how
much the past has affected the present”, while one from George Mitchell wrote that “it helped
28
develop our independent learning”. The children particularly worked aloud together when
rating the objects, for example this group I observed in the Iraq gallery:
Child C: “Yeah, it shows community” (talking about the drinking straw in Iraq)
Child I: “Does it?”
Child C: “Yeah because they used it at parties which everyone went to‟”
Child J: “It‟s more raw material.”
Child I: “Yeah definitely because of the gold.”
There were, however, some groups who did not work together as a team, with factions caused
by dominant leaders or some students unwilling to participate.
I saw that those teams who did work together often shared their knowledge with one another,
be it prior knowledge or information they had picked up from the gallery:
Child K: “What do you think that is?”
Child A: “It‟s a camel carrying stuff.”
Child K: “How do you know that?”
Child A: “Because it says so here” [points to the label on the case]
There were cases where the knowledge shared within the group was incorrect. For example,
one student I observed misinterpreted a text panel and thought that „tomb‟ was a place in
China, information that was then passed on to the rest of the group. However I saw no
incorrect information delivered in the students‟ films.
Evaluation forms across all four schools in the project predominantly praised the inquiry-
based aspect of the session, for example: “This year it was fun because we can explore for
ourselves” (student from Stoke Newington School) and “I enjoyed this year the most because
we got to be more independent” (student from George Mitchell School). However there were
some examples of students complaining that the session was “unstructured” (student from
Stoke Newington School).
29
Learning from objects
All of the groups that I observed thoroughly analysed each object selected, and so I am
confident that object interpretation did form an important part of this activity.
In the galleries, the tablets and worksheets acted as aids to the inquiry-learning and
encouraged the children to look closely at the objects and to analyse them based on the
information available. Some of the observations I made show that they were intrigued and
engaged by the objects:
Child G: “Wow, that‟s really old” (talking about writing in China)
Child M: “Could they trade all this gold to make more money?” (talking about a pair of gold
bracelets in Iran)
Child I: “Would one person have worn all that jewellery?” (talking about the headdress in
Iraq)
Furthermore, the four groups that I asked about specific objects were all able to tell me what
the object was, and why the object might be important to its country of origin:
Me: “What do you think this is?”
Child M: “It‟s a pot to put brushes in.”
Child N: “It‟s made of wood and has a man on the side of it.”
Me: “Do you think this is important for China‟s identity?”
Child N: “Yeah because it‟s beautiful and well-made, and the Chinese were really good at
art.”
Child G: “And it shows that they were writing a really long time ago.”
Looking at the objects was also an enjoyable aspect for the students, who recorded that they
liked “seeing amazing and beautiful things” and “getting info on different objects” (evaluation
forms from Stoke Newington pupils).
30
Learning using prior knowledge
The students referred back to Gandhi and his spinning wheel on a number of occasions when
creating their films, in addition to the museum teachers using this example to link together the
session. Prior knowledge of Gandhi therefore seemed to have been important in the basic
understanding of national identities and the manipulation of objects to create an identity.
Prior knowledge was not needed, and was rarely used, in the interpretation of objects in the
gallery. None of the children that I observed knew anything about the objects presented to
them, and as such they were led by the questions posed by the tablet and worksheet. Those
children who had prior knowledge of a country sometimes misused it. For example, one group
focussing on India wanted to make their film about Shiva, rather than about what the statue of
Shiva could say about India‟s identity. A number of groups also chose to look at Iran and Iraq
because they believed their history would revolve around warfare. However, with the
exception of India, the children that I observed seemed to have little or no prior knowledge
about the countries.
A student from Stoke Newington School highlighted a problem with the need for prior
knowledge for aspects of the museum activity: “I didn‟t really understand because I didn‟t
come to the museum in the first and second year.” Although they did refer to Gandhi, I did not
observe any children overtly referring to what they had learnt in previous years of the activity.
Learning from technology
The tablets were good at engaging the students at the start of the activity, exemplified by an
evaluation form from a Dunraven student: “The galaxy tablets were a good idea to make the
museum trip more fun”. However, in some cases the students focussed their attention strongly
on to the questions posed by the tablets rather than linking the objects to the strength of the
country. A teacher from Northumberland Park described it as „the guidebook phenomenon‟
where the students were so engrossed in the questions on the tablet and worksheet that they
sometimes attempted to answer questions while looking at the wrong object. I observed one
group attempting this in the China gallery.
31
The technology acted as an alternative to using paper resources and some students were so
absorbed by the digital tablets that they were loath to leave the galleries for lunch: “Miss
we‟ve just got to finish answering about the sword” (Child M). The school‟s Head of History
affirmed this engaging aspect of the technology: “It‟s an activity I would love to bring some of
my other students to.” The students themselves were enthused by the digital tablets, with
different pupils from Stoke Newington school observed by British Museum staff, saying
(about the tablet): “This is so cool, so amazing” and “if we had this at school I might actually
learn something.” However, there was a negative aspect to using technology in the activity. At
least two students from Northumberland Park were recorded as „being scared‟ of using the
tablets, in case they broke them. Others were observed playing games or making telephone
calls on the tablets, which thus distracted them from the activity: “I didn't think the Galaxy
tablets were essential as some groups weren't using them properly” (student evaluation form
from Dunraven School).
In the afternoon session, when the video was being made, some individuals who had struggled
in the morning session “came alive” when it came to making a film (Sarah Longair). All of the
groups that I observed understood that they were making a film explaining a country‟s
strengths based on the objects they analysed in the galleries.
It must also be noted that one key aim of the overall Cultures in Contact project was to engage
a group of children with the museum, and to give them the opportunity to enjoy themselves in
the museum space. This was certainly accomplished during the activity, as all the groups that I
observed told me how much they had enjoyed the day: “It has been a good way to learn” and
“it has got me interested in visiting museums” (evaluation forms from Northumberland Park
and Stoke Newington schools).
In this section I have laid-out a selection of my findings from my case study of Year 9 students
who attended the final year of the Cultures in Contact workshop at the British Museum. I will
now analyse these findings to see whether inquiry-based education can help children learn
32
about national identities, and if so, the extent to which it is a successful way of teaching this
theme.
33
Conclusion
My research goal for this dissertation was to see the extent to which inquiry-based education
could help children learn about national identities. From my findings I can say that inquiry-
based learning was effective in teaching of group of Year 9 children about national identities,
and how objects are used in the creation of these identities. It is important for me to note that
the students I observed were all aged between thirteen and fourteen years of age, and that the
programme at the British Museum was developed with this age group in mind. The activity
may not have been so successful with children from different year groups. In this section I will
analyse the findings from my case study and detail what this example can show us about the
use of inquiry-based learning in teaching children about national identities.
Learning through inquiry
The students worked together to research and create their own conclusions, and as such
worked within an inquiry-based learning framework. The students found this an interesting
way to work and were engaged by the activity. Although there was scope for the students to
create their own answers, none of their final outputs contained factually incorrect information.
This is testament to the activity, which narrowed the options that the students could choose
from, while the digital tablets and worksheets guided them in the right direction. For a Year 9
age group, this more free style of learning was successful, firstly in giving them independence,
and secondly as the students did learn more about national identities during the activity.
Learning about national identities
My findings show that students participating in the activity did learn why countries would
need a national identity, and how identities can be created through the manipulation of the
past.
Learning from objects
All of the students I observed looked closely at objects in the galleries, and showed an
understanding of how objects could be used in the creation of a national identity. Furthermore,
they found this an enjoyable and engaging aspect of the activity. Object interpretation can
therefore help children to learn about national identity by acting as symbols of a country‟s
34
strength, as well as engaging children with the museum‟s collection in a fun and interactive
way.
Learning from prior knowledge
The project focussed on the same group of pupils over a three year period. I am therefore
conscious that when analysing the findings from the third year, the prior knowledge these
students have obtained from the previous two years may well impact their understanding in a
way that a student who has not attended the programme might.
The students used their knowledge from the pre-session throughout the activity, referring back
to Gandhi and India. This knowledge was important in understanding the need for a national
identity, and how objects can be manipulated to create these identities. If this project were to
be run again, this session on Gandhi would therefore need to be included.
Although I saw no students make reference to the previous two years of the activity, a student
taking part in this activity would need some background knowledge of empire to comprehend
the need for national identities post-independence. The children did not outwardly use any
other background knowledge, and seemed to have little knowledge of the countries and the
objects that they were analysing. Despite this, the final outputs show that, by the end of the
activity, the children understood the key cultural values of each country presented to them.
The role of technology in the activity
This activity was created for Year 9 students, and as such we were eager to engage them with
the project. A key issue in this third year was that the students were teenagers and thus less
malleable than in previous years. One way of engaging them was through technology, using
digital tablets in conjunction with a film-making activity. The intention of using technology
within the activity was therefore to act as an aid to engage the students.
The technology proved highly popular with the majority of the students, and did engage them
with the activity, although some groups were distracted and misused the technology. Overall
technology was a successful medium to interest the students in the activity, and I would
35
recommend that future projects have some element of technology included to engage the
students in this way.
So to what extent can inquiry-based education help children learn about national identities?
From my findings I can say that inquiry-based learning in museums can greatly aid children in
their understanding of national identities, as it is both an enjoyable and educational way for
children to learn. The activity allowed them to explore existing national identities and to create
their own examples without any restrictions on whether their outcomes were „correct‟, thus
empowering and engaging the students in their understanding of national identities.
36
Recommendations
One purpose in using a case study methodology for this project was to be able to see this
session as a unique study, or even a pilot session. The British Museum have yet to decide
whether or not this activity will be run again, and staff I have spoken to are leaning towards
repeating the third year as a stand-alone session. This study can therefore provide a useful case
to improve and hone future sessions.
As I mentioned in my conclusion, the activity was successful in strengthening children‟s
understanding of how objects can be used as symbols in the creation of identity. All the
participating students had prior knowledge of this through the pre-session on Gandhi‟s use of
symbolism, and so I am unable to say for certain whether this museum activity would work as
successfully without some prior knowledge of objects as symbols. I would therefore
recommend that schools deliver this session on Gandhi prior to the museum activity as
preparation for the workshop. I will refer in more depth about my plans for future work, but
testing the session with students who had not attended any previous sessions in the museum
would be one of my aims, to really understand the extent to which prior knowledge from
previous Cultures in Contact sessions influenced their understanding.
The workshop focussed on the use of objects to create identities, but there was less focus on
why a nation would need a strong identity. Some children did make the connection between
the values of a country and how other countries would react to them, but these themes could
be made more overt in future sessions. I would recommend an introduction to the themes of
„why‟ in the didactic introduction, and also questions in the students‟ worksheets which will
help them to find the answers for themselves. I would suggest that such a question be phrased
as „can you think of any reasons a country would want to show that it has this quality?‟ This
open-ended question would fit within the framework of an inquiry-based session, by allowing
the students to create their own answers. There is not one correct answer to this question, and
it would be interesting to see the range of answers that the students create.
Another area of weakness for the session was in explaining why postcolonial nations seek a
new identity after gaining independence. Although a link was created by the pre-session work
37
on Gandhi, the museum activity did not focus on the postcolonial nature of the countries being
analysed. How could the project have been improved to focus more on this element? By
providing the children with a greater basis of understanding about the countries they were
going to be analysing, either through the introduction to the activity or through the worksheets.
I believe that an addition to the introduction, introducing postcolonial states and the varying
reasons for why a new identity was needed, would have strengthened this session. As it is, I
feel that there is a disparity between the pre-session work on independence and countries
creating national identities.
Finally, there were time restrictions during the activity, and as such there was no opportunity
for the museum facilitators to work with the students to understand why they had created their
arguments. I think this would have been useful to ensure that no students left the activity with
an incorrect argument in mind, one of the dangers of inquiry-based learning.
Proposed further work
If time had allowed, I would have liked to follow-up my research by going into school and
talking to the students who had attended the sessions. From this I would like to gain an idea of
whether, once outside the museum environment, their learnings about national identities are
retained. Also, there is a chance that within the museum environment some children felt
restricted and therefore any questions I asked them might have been answered in such a way
that they felt pleased me. I think that in their comfort zone they might answer differently, and
this is something I would like to have seen. Unfortunately, the museum activity occurred at the
end of the summer term and so I would not have been able to go into school until mid-
September.
I would have liked to observe all four schools, and thus create four comparative case studies.
Although Northumberland Park was representative of the whole, I would have liked to see
whether the project worked better with more and less able children. Once again, there were
time restrictions which limited my ability to do this. However, I was able to gain a view of
38
these other schools from British Museum staff feedback, and their outputs from each study
day.
In order to look at the impact of prior knowledge in more depth, I would like to contrast this
case study with another group of students of the same age range from a comparable school,
who had not attended the previous two years of the programme. My aim here would be to see
whether the prior knowledge these children brought with them skewed my results, or whether
this activity could work successfully with a different group. Furthermore, it would be
interesting to see the behaviour of a different group towards the museum. The students that I
observed have been visiting the museum for three years now, and as such they understand the
space and are not intimidated by it. However, would this be the case for a group of students
who had never visited the British Museum before? Would this influence their ability to learn?
Overall, this dissertation has provided a useful case for understanding how a museum space
can use inquiry-based education to teach children about national identities. Although there is
scope for improvement and further work, as a single case it does show that this form of
learning is successful for children‟s understanding of national identities.
39
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Appendix i
Examples of currency and their links with the British Museum‟s collection
Ten rial banknote, Iran, 1951 Frieze from Persepolis (British Museum,
Room 52)
1000 franc banknote, Republic of Congo,
1964
Wooden carving of King Shyaam aMbul
aNgoong (left, British Museum, Room
25) and cowrie shells (British Museum,
Room 68)
Talking Drums (British Museum, Room 24)
Ghanaian coin, 1967
45
Appendix ii
Emblems of national identity shown to the participants
The Indian flag
The South African Coat of Arms
46
Appendix iii
Images of students working with the digital tablets and worksheets in the galleries
47
Appendix iv
Digital tablet activity
48
49
50
51
Appendix v
Example worksheets from the activity
52
53
Appendix vi
Images of students creating their films
54
Appendix vii
Objects analysed during the museum activity
Iraq
Standard of Ur
Drinking tube
Reconstruction of Queen Pu Abi-Headdress
Silver Lyre
Copper Axe
Iran
Silver Plate
Guardsman from frieze
Glass vase
Armlets
Crucible steel sword
55
Korea
Punchong ware
Horse mask
Horse tally
Iron Buddha
Sarangbang
China
Doucai vase
Tomb figures
Ritual food vessel
Bamboo brushpot
Official seal
56
India
Gold dinara coin of Kumaragupta I
Shiva Nataraja
Elephant goad
Dancing Ganesha
War knife
New Zealand
Fighting staff
Hand club
Tiki neck ornament
Interior central post figure
Food bowl
57
Ghana
Mourning cloth
King‟s stool
King‟s sword
Talking drum
Ga eagle coffin