COURTESY OF IDEO
chm has a critical role to play in ongoing dialogues about these contemporary “disruptions.” As a museum, we also have an important opportunity free of the typical constraints of “formal” education, we can take risks that most schools cannot—bridging disciplinary boundaries, for example, and experimenting with new modes of teaching and learning
without worrying about standardized test results or hewing to externally imposed curriculum requirements. With these advantages, however, come certain responsibilities. Museum learning is inherently social, open-ended, and intrinsically motivated; often termed “freechoice” learning, it demands that we stay relevant, aware of current events and issues,
and able to address the needs of all learners, regardless of age, ability, cultural background, or interest. To contextualize history effectively, we must also step back a bit and approach the sweeping changes we are all living through with a somewhat critical eye. We must contextualize and interpret these transformations from the
This early Education Center model by IDEO includes arena seating and modular workstations.
C O M P U T E R H I S TO R Y M U S E U M
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