This blog is part of a series of posts documenting my experience on Essential Digital Skills for Museum Professionals, a Mu.SA (Museum Sector Alliance) course. Mu.SA is an EU network of museums and cultural organisations. Over the next eight weeks, I will be taking part in Mu.SA’s programme to develop new/improve my digital skills, particularly within interactive storytelling telling of the arts. Many thanks to the Erasmus, the European Union and Mu.SA for providing the funding for this opportunity.
Further information regarding Mu.SA can be found here: http://www.project-musa.eu/about/
This week is the eighth and final week for the pilot course. It has been an intensive programme of reading papers, watching videos and weekly assessments. Although it is a flexible programme, it still required dedicated time commitment.
There was much more to the course than just brushing up on the latest digital skills and used in museums. The course explored digital technologies from organisational (big picture) to the individual perspective.
It was a massive collaborative and ambitious undertaking. The course has a real international and global feel to it. It was in way, a journey through some of the best museums around the globe.
This blog is the second in a series of posts documenting my experience on Essential Digital Skills for Museum Professionals, a Mu.SA (Museum Sector Alliance) course.
So far we have covered:
- Terminology + methods for sourcing and managing data + information
- Digital tools for museum business strategies.
- How to match needs to technological responses
- Technology trends in museums
- Communication ‘Netiquette’
- Innovation + Leadership
- Creative use of technologies (source: Mu.Sa)
The online teaching format uses a combination of video lectures and written material, followed by short assessments. Each topic is covered by a different expert, so the delivery style varies. There are forums where you can talk to other participants (as well as the tutors) but it’s not mandatory.
The great advantage of the course has been its flexibility. I have had the freedom to fit study around my own schedule. In order to get into the right frame of mind, I find it easier attempt several units at a time. The tutors recommend you block out 10 hours per week to study this course.
