Museum professional development and training in Australia Dr Lynda Kelly, Australian Museum Dr Jennifer Barrett, University of Sydney

Around 1300 museums across Australia: large, national institutions small regional museums / historical societies Indigenous Keeping Places 49% no paid employees: over 9,000 volunteers 676 museums have paid employees: over 7,500 staff – 4,000 full-time; 3,000 part-time over 11,000 volunteers 13% curatorial staff The museum sector in Australia

Around 1300 museums across Australia:

large, national institutions

small regional museums / historical societies

Indigenous Keeping Places

49% no paid employees:

over 9,000 volunteers

676 museums have paid employees:

over 7,500 staff – 4,000 full-time; 3,000 part-time

over 11,000 volunteers

13% curatorial staff

ICOM definition includes: “ All the personnel of the museum or institutions qualifying as museums … having received specialist training, or possessing equivalent practical experience, in any field relevant to the management and operations of a museum, and independent persons respecting the ICOM Code of Professional Ethics and working for museums as defined above, either in a professional or advisory capacity, but not promoting or dealing with any commercial products and equipment, required for museums and services” What is a museum worker?

ICOM definition includes:

“ All the personnel of the museum or institutions qualifying as museums … having received specialist training, or possessing equivalent practical experience, in any field relevant to the management and operations of a museum, and independent persons respecting the ICOM Code of Professional Ethics and working for museums as defined above, either in a professional or advisory capacity, but not promoting or dealing with any commercial products and equipment, required for museums and services”

Committee on Museum Professional Training (COMPT/AAM): the “… education of museum professionals must enable them to meet current challenges and anticipate future needs of very complex organisations subject to ongoing, rapid change” International Committee of ICOM for the Training of Personnel (ICTOP): ICOM Curricula Guidelines for Museum Professional Development Selected Resources for Developing Museology Curricula define five broad areas of competencies, in areas of knowledge, skills and abilities, needed to work effectively in today's museums Standards

Committee on Museum Professional Training (COMPT/AAM):

the “… education of museum professionals must enable them to meet current challenges and anticipate future needs of very complex organisations subject to ongoing, rapid change”

International Committee of ICOM for the Training of Personnel (ICTOP):

ICOM Curricula Guidelines for Museum Professional Development

Selected Resources for Developing Museology Curricula

define five broad areas of competencies, in areas of knowledge, skills and abilities, needed to work effectively in today's museums

Majority of museum staff with ‘responsible positions’ never had formal training in museology Acknowledged the diversity of sector New types of museums need new types of skills and experience Changing role of curator – no longer the single ‘authoritative’ voice Weil (1990)

Majority of museum staff with ‘responsible positions’ never had formal training in museology

Acknowledged the diversity of sector

New types of museums need new types of skills and experience

Changing role of curator – no longer the single ‘authoritative’ voice

MacLeod (2001) MUSEUMS PRACTITIONERS UNIVERSITIES COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

Professional development: on-the-job experience short, intensive training courses conferences Role of professional associations / government agencies: Museums Australia mgNSW Museum and Gallery Services Queensland Western Australian Museum Assistance Program Collections Australia Network (CAN) Formal university museum studies programs The Australian scene

Professional development:

on-the-job experience

short, intensive training courses

conferences

Role of professional associations / government agencies:

Museums Australia

mgNSW

Museum and Gallery Services Queensland

Western Australian Museum Assistance Program

Collections Australia Network (CAN)

Formal university museum studies programs

Funding and sustainability Collection acquisition and maintenance Change in role and authority of museums: due mostly to rise of Web 2.0 user-generated content Globalisation Competition Staffing: attracting younger people as employees ageing workforce – capturing their knowledge and skills Training and professional development Climate change Challenges facing museums

Funding and sustainability

Collection acquisition and maintenance

Change in role and authority of museums:

due mostly to rise of Web 2.0

user-generated content

Globalisation

Competition

Staffing:

attracting younger people as employees

ageing workforce – capturing their knowledge and skills

Training and professional development

Climate change

Vergo (1989) developed new methods to study: a museums’ history and underlying philosophies the unspoken aims and policies their educational and social roles Overall aim to demystify museums to reveal how museum constructs knowledge while acknowledging the important role the visitor plays The “new museology”

Vergo (1989) developed new methods to study:

a museums’ history and underlying philosophies

the unspoken aims and policies

their educational and social roles

Overall aim to demystify museums to reveal how museum constructs knowledge while acknowledging the important role the visitor plays

“ 36% of online Americans consult Wikipedia ... [it is] is far more popular among the well-educated than among those with lower levels of education ... 50% of those with at least a college degree consult the site, compared to 22% of those with high school diploma.” Pew Internet Report Wikipedia Users , April 2007

“ Web 2.0 puts users and not the organisation at the centre of the equation. This is threatening, but also exciting in that it has the potential to lead to richer content, a more personal experience.” Mike Ellis and Brian Kelly, Web 2.0: How to Stop Thinking and Start Doing: Addressing Organisational Barriers, April 2007

Australian data (n=2,006) 15% use a wiki 10% publish own web page 12% upload video/audio you created 8% publish/maintain a blog 16% listen to podcasts 8% use RSS feeds 19% tag web pages 13% comment on blogs 15% post ratings/reviews 34% use social networking site 32% participate in discussion board/forum 27% read blogs Museum/gallery visitors (n=829) 20% use a wiki 13% publish own web pages 15% upload video/audio you created 9% publish/maintain a blog 23% listen to podcasts 11% use RSS feeds 27% tag web pages 18% comment on blogs 21% post ratings/reviews 36% use social networking site 39% participate in discussion board/forum 34% read blogs

Australian data (n=2,006)

15% use a wiki

10% publish own web page

12% upload video/audio you created

8% publish/maintain a blog

16% listen to podcasts

8% use RSS feeds

19% tag web pages

13% comment on blogs

15% post ratings/reviews

34% use social networking site

32% participate in discussion board/forum

27% read blogs

Museum/gallery visitors (n=829)

20% use a wiki

13% publish own web pages

15% upload video/audio you created

9% publish/maintain a blog

23% listen to podcasts

11% use RSS feeds

27% tag web pages

18% comment on blogs

21% post ratings/reviews

36% use social networking site

39% participate in discussion board/forum

34% read blogs

How might we be working in the future??

Think about the business museums are in: communicating knowledge & information in a variety of ways (physical sites, online, publications) two-way interaction with range of stakeholders Workers increasingly want to believe in what they are doing New models of organisations based on the information economy: Fleas – small teams of generalists & specialists brought together to work on projects Elephants – bring fleas together Theatre as an example Ageing, yet healthy, workforce Handy (2001): The Elephant and the Flea

Think about the business museums are in:

communicating knowledge & information in a variety of ways (physical sites, online, publications)

two-way interaction with range of stakeholders

Workers increasingly want to believe in what they are doing

New models of organisations based on the information economy:

Fleas – small teams of generalists & specialists brought together to work on projects

Elephants – bring fleas together

Theatre as an example

Ageing, yet healthy, workforce

connect people with people connect people with ideas are good networkers do not follow the rules have strong communication skills like people feel good about themselves motivate others are catalysts ask for help demonstrate integrity are self reliant open to share are not afraid are goal oriented are able to identify critical knowledge add value to the organisation have strong subject expertise in a specific area network for results trustworthy - can be trusted and trusts others Gurteen (2006): Knowledge Workers

connect people with people

connect people with ideas

are good networkers

do not follow the rules

have strong communication skills

like people

feel good about themselves

motivate others

are catalysts

ask for help

demonstrate integrity

are self reliant

open to share

are not afraid

are goal oriented

are able to identify critical knowledge

add value to the organisation

have strong subject expertise in a specific area

network for results

trustworthy - can be trusted and trusts others

make decisions are not insular do not conform push the boundaries assume authority - ask for forgiveness, not permission strong belief in the value of knowledge sharing are informal active leaders take a holistic view are catalysts, facilitators and triggers good listeners - they listen first do not need praise see the wider picture work well with others do not have a 'knowledge is power' attitude walk the talk prepared to experiment with technology playful take calculated risks

make decisions

are not insular

do not conform

push the boundaries

assume authority - ask for forgiveness, not permission

strong belief in the value of knowledge sharing

are informal active leaders

take a holistic view

are catalysts, facilitators and triggers

good listeners - they listen first

do not need praise

see the wider picture

work well with others

do not have a 'knowledge is power' attitude

walk the talk

prepared to experiment with technology

playful

take calculated risks

What does this mean for future professional development??

Museology 2.0

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