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Training courses for the museum of the future

The Museum Education and Methodology Centre, Hungarian Open Air Museum (Skanzen) established in 2006 as one of the directorates of the Hungarian Open Air Museum, organizes practice oriented professional training courses based on research and methodological development. The aim of our courses is to reinforce the relationship between museums and educational institutions to support competence based education. More than 2260 museum- and cultural professionals have participated in our training courses up to 2019 ever since the educational centre was established.

The Hungarian Open Air Museum became an accredited adult education institution first among museums. Our training courses planned for museum professionals are accredited in accordance with 1/2000 (I.4.) NKÖM decree, and also since 2018 in accordance with the decree about training cultural professionals 378/2017. (XII. 11.). Our courses for teachers are accredited by the Teacher Training Accrediting Commission (PAT). On successful completion, the course can be credited for the further training system of teachers. The availability of our training courses developed within “Museum and library development for everyone” project will be extended for the sustain period of the project. Please keep monitoring our mokk.skanzen.hu website for current information.

WHAT DO WE BELIEVE IN?

We believe that museums play a priority role in preserving and transmitting universal and national culture. Hungarian museums represent a significant national asset through their exhibitions and scientific activities; they have a decisive importance in the enrichment of knowledge and culture of the society. Our aim is to share the results of our development with museum professionals of other countries, too.

We do not merely believe in the active relationship between museums and educational institutions, and in the continuous renewal of museums so as they are able to realize their mission, but we also actively work for it by organizing professional training courses in view of that purpose.

 

WHO ARE OUR COURSES FOR?

FOR WHOM?

  • teachers
  • museum professionals
  • other cultural professionals

We basically offer niche training courses to two main target groups: teachers and museum professionals, but professionals from other fields of culture (libraries and archives) are also welcome to some of our courses.

mind the participants’ needs in-class-, blended- and e-learning courses are organized.

Most of our courses are based in Szentendre in our Educational Centre in the Hungarian Open Air Museum, but external venues are also used when good practices of our cooperating partners (primarily museums in Budapest and Szentendre) are also presented.

“The training I lead is about managing stress and burn-out. … I really appreciate the locations of the training courses, they are beautiful places, it’s a pleasure to be in a museum as other than a visitor. E.g. I was welcomed at a breath-taking environment in the Gödöllő Royal Place by a very friendly group. They were open, raised many questions and had lots of ideas. Stress was out of the question in that relaxed ambience.” (Melinda Katona, trainer)

On demand, in-house training courses are also carried out; so far at more than ten locations from Sopron to Nyíregyháza, and from Miskolc to Szeged.

 

WHAT TOPICS ARE DEALT WITH IN OUR COURSES?

TOPICS:

  • museum management competences
  • museum education
  • use of museums
  • front office staff

Professionals of museums and other cultural fields, as well as teachers can choose from several types of courses.

We regularly offer courses on museum management competence development, early-stage museum workers’ integration, methodology courses for museum educators and how-to-use-museums courses for teachers.

The new management course for museum leaders is comprised of optional training modules including creating strategy, collection management, building networks and quality management.

The most successful courses include the ones on front office staff, museum marketing and communication. Our courses also support school convergence and talent management, as well as lifelong learning.

 

“It was a great experience that together with the participants we found the synapses between our professions. While discussing the questions of quality management, with examples from other fields I managed to give an AHA experience to the museum professionals, and it was a pleasure to see how the confused, strange image was becoming clear. “ (Tibor Gregász, associate professor)

“It is a pleasure to remember all of my lectures, the participants and I were mutually eager to hear each other’s ideas. It is key to discuss everything from designing exhibitions to the incident when a sweating cyclist or a breastfeeding mother or a visitor living with physical disabilities comes in the museum. The most enjoyable part for me was when the participants by sharing their doubts with me, showed how important the museum experience, the museum visitor is for them, which we were able to put into an open, psychologically valid inclusive/receptive system of aspects.” (Dr. Andrea Dúll, environmental psychologist)

“I was a participant and instructor at one of the sessions, which I enjoyed very much. I obtained important knew knowledge, which I’ll try to incorporate into my professional work. (Dr. Annamária Vígh, deputy director general, Museum of Fine Arts Budapest)

 

HOW ARE THE COURSES IMPLEMENTED?

Our pool of teachers has about 170 renowned professionals, university lecturers and trainers who apply varied methodology.

From our educators’ feedback:

“What does it mean to me to teach at MOKK’s training courses? On one hand welcoming homeliness: I am among colleagues (this is also true for museum loving teachers), I can meet friends, or participants who I can see again later in the museum world.  On the other hand, it’s a challenge to do the best I can for the sake of the museum society. Thirdly the feeling of an urgency that I have to improve as the colleagues come with their up-to date knowledge. Fourthly. I have to restrain myself so as to give room to colleagues to share their knowledge of their own with each other. Last but not least, it also means a relaxed atmosphere, kind organizers of MOKK staff.” (Dr. Tamás Vásárhelyi, science communicator, retired chief museologist)

It is always an honour to teach at MOKK courses, as one can transfer knowledge to museum leaders, and other professional staff not only of Hungary, (but in fact the Carpathian Basin). You are selected to be paid attention to, you can make your name and as well as connections, and it is always good. And well, you get an ongoing picture of where your profession is in terms of opportunities and solutions. The best feeling is when my former students turn to me for help with their development of their own museum, or mention how useful my sessions were in their museum development. (Imre Kaján, museum director)

As a teacher/trainer/instructor I always need to have an up-to-the-minute knowledge, therefore I’m constantly learning, getting informed, and re-checking and redesigning my educational materials, tools and methodology. I primarily build on and connect to what (lack of) knowledge, (different) experience and perspectives my student bring to the lessons. (Emese Joó, museologist at Metropolitan Circus of Budapest)

 

HOW DO WE ORGANIZE OUR TRAINING COURSES?

The high level of our training courses is ensured by applying a strict quality management system. Satisfaction and needs of participants are continuously monitored and evaluated in order to be able to develop our range of training courses, training materials by incorporating new expectations, methodological development and trends.

 

Participants regularly point out that the courses are usefully applicable in practice, a great opportunity for networking, and the organisers are well-prepared and helpful.

“I had already looked into this special field earlier, though the picture was complemented with details and current issues during the course. Almost every lecture had information and examples easily applicable in practice, which helped understand the talks, and indicated the possibilities of using the museum institution. “

“The course is awareness-raising: as a teacher, I felt that the students found it magical to hold replicas of rare objects. This is a motivation for them to use museum programmes more often.”

"During the training, some lectures highlighted the problems of small museums, and during the breaks we offered each other such good recommendations for solutions."

“The organizers were very helpful and capable! We cannot expect better conditions and opportunities; they are exemplary in Hungarian conditions.”

(The quotations are from participants’ anonymously filled satisfaction questionnaires.)

 

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURSES:

MOKK Educational Team

+ 36 30 272 0890

kepzes.mokk@skanzen.hu

http://mokk.skanzen.hu/kepzesek.html

http://amimuzeumunk.hu/kepzesek/