ABSTRACT
Best practices, while varied, can be situated within a theoretical framework that defines our thinking about teaching and learning. Jerome Bruner's profound belief in learning as a process offers that framework, which shapes our thinking about educational practice today. Museums developed public programs for preschoolers from the school sector and the family sector; established museum-based schools outside of the museum offered models for study by educators in the field. A recent literature review commissioned by the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (SEEC) engaged Mary Ellen Munley to identify and summarize research findings related to young children in museums. Museums take great pride in their thoughtful approach to shaping the visual environment. Volunteers, or docents, are critical to many education departments and play an important role in gallery tours and student programs. More and more museums are investing in professional development to educate staff members and volunteers to ensure high-quality programs.
