The Museum as a Shared Space: Developing Contextual and Cross-Disciplinary Approaches to Arts-Based Education

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Kain Kim, Emory University; Elizabeth Hornor, Emory University; Ali Zarrabi, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2024-08-13
• Publisher: Dovepress
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2024 Kim et al.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): https://doi.org/10.2147%2FAMEP.S464634
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Advances in Medical Education and Practice
• Volume: 15
• Start Page: 761
• End Page: 769
• Grant/Funding Information: Research reported in this publication was supported in part by Imagine, Innovate and Impact (I3) from the Emory School of Medicine, a gift from Woodruff Fund Inc., and through the Georgia CTSA NIH award (UL1-TR002378).
• Keywords: medical humanities; visual arts; pedagogy; undergraduate medical education; curriculum evaluation
• Research Categories: Education, Higher; Health Sciences, Education

Abstract

Introduction Despite the growing evidence favoring use of context-based interdisciplinary pedagogies in medical education, museum learning remains underutilized as a low-cost, replicable tool for introducing such constructs. We describe a novel approach to museum-based education building off the existing pedagogy of Visual Thinking Strategies that heightens the role of context. Methods Outside the Frame, an optional elective at Emory University School of Medicine, was piloted in two iterations for a total of 7 second-year medical students who voluntarily enrolled in the course for the fall 2022 and 2023 semesters. Participating students were transitioning from the preclinical classroom environment to clinical clerkships, a period associated with feelings of personal and professional instability that may particularly benefit from critical reflection. The course included didactic components, hands-on crafting activities, presentations, and discussion groups. Student feedback was collected through anonymous pre- and post-course surveys, as well as written narrative reflections. Results All post-course responses ranked their experience of the course as being “valuable” or “very valuable”. Narrative reflections were overall positive and highlighted the role of context and cross-disciplinary input in shaping metacognitive awareness and cultivating comfort with uncertainty. Discussion This pilot innovation demonstrates that a methodical framework to arts-based learning can elevate the role of context in a standardized museum education curriculum. Future visual arts and medicine courses may incorporate this framework to chart more active collaborations with museum educators and humanities faculty, as well as engage a broader range of communities and professional disciplines beyond medicine.