| Classroom Observation: Question 60: Was there an expectation
that students would touch the objects on display? |
Conclusion: Of the 46% (12) of 26 observations that demonstrated
displays at the time of my visit, 83% (10) expected the students to touch the displays.
Because many were in unsupervised shared areas this gave some cause for concern.
The positive aspect of handling displays is that more students, together with other
members of the school community, have the opportunity to see and touch objects that are
not being used in their classroom.
Summary of findings:
These results are based on observations in 26 classrooms.
- · 46% (12) of 26 observations had displays. 83% (10) of these 12 observations expected
the students to touch the objects while they were on display.
- · Because many of these displays are in shared areas and are unsupervised, this
arrangement gives cause for concern.
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| Classroom Observation: Question 60: Individual Schools |
Key: A "user" is a school that uses the loan service. A
"non-user" is a school that does not currently use the loan service.
Students could touch or manipulate the loans at 10 of the 12 schools that had
displays at the time of my visit:
7 Users; 4 Non-users; 9 Primary and 2 Secondary schools
1. School A: User: Primary
Was there an expectation that students would touch the objects on display?
Yes - except the 3 loans that were under perspex.
2. School C: User: Primary
Was there an expectation that students would touch the objects on display?
Yes - in the classroom with the Edwardian artefacts.
No - in the shared school area as the owls were under perspex.
3. School G: User: Primary
Was there an expectation that students would touch the objects on display?
Yes - in the shared space
No - in the classroom and the library
4. School H: User: Primary
Was there an expectation that students would touch the objects on display?
Yes. All the loans were under perspex.
5. School I: User: Primary
Was there an expectation that students would touch the objects on display?
Yes.
6. School K: User: Primary
Was there an expectation that students would touch the objects on display?
The teacher said that the students always look and touch these displays when lining up
or going in and out the hall.
7. School N: Non-user: Primary
Was there an expectation that students would touch the objects on display?
Yes, they were expected to touch the shells which were the only loans not under
perspex.
8. School O: Non-user: Primary
Was there an expectation that students would touch the objects on display?
Yes.
9. School P: Non-user: Primary
Was there an expectation that students would touch the objects on display?
Yes.
10. School T: User: Secondary
There an expectation that students would touch the objects on display?
Yes.
· Students could not touch or manipulate the loans on display at 2 schools:
2 Primary Non-users
11. School L: Non-user: Primary
Was there an expectation that students would touch the objects on display?
No. Even though the objects were highly accessible to very young children the teacher
did not expect the children to touch these objects. But the fact was that they did touch
the objects. The teacher found it hard to get them not to touch.
12. School M: Non-user: Primary
Was there an expectation that students would touch the objects on display?
No - because the artefacts on display were dresses.
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