Tells of a Gold Coast initiative that connected teachers with their local museums, to learn about possibilities for history excursions that align with the Australian National History Curriculum.
On National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan Fellows
Educators bus tour: connecting schools and small museums
1. Educators Bus Tour:
Attracting teachers (and schools) to local
museums
A presentation delivered at the Museums Australia National Conference May 17, 2013
Regional Remote & Community Museum Day
Janis Hanley B.Com, GCPA
Principal Consultant, VisionDesign Pty Ltd
2. Janis Hanley ◆ Educators Bus Tour ◆ 2
About this presentation
• This presentation describes ‘The Educators Bus Tour’
- an innovative approach taken, on behalf of Gold
Coast City Council, to consult heritage stakeholders.
• The consultation succeeded in bringing together
teachers and local museums to collaborate on how
local museums can meet the needs of the new
national curriculum.
• The author makes no apologies for the gratuitous
use of images of Gold Coast heritage throughout this
presentation!
• This project was the conceived and implemented for Gold Coast City
Council by Janis Hanley, Principal Consultant. VisionDesign Pty Ltd, a
consultancy company specialising in Policy, Strategy and Heritage
Programs
9. Janis Hanley ◆ Educators Bus Tour ◆ 9
The Educators Bus Tour Day
Literally started with a bang with flag raising ceremony and firing party.
Over 150 kilometers were travelled during the day
Teachers generously filled out survey forms and gave feedback
Prizes along the way - guessing the ‘Mystery Object’ at each museum
Statement most often heard: ‘We had no idea these places were here’
Griffith Uni Education Lecturer: ‘Council should run this every year’
Flag raising and firing party,
Mudgeeraba Light Horse Museum Inc houses an excellent collection of Light Horse and World War 1 artefacts,
World War 2 maps and Objects of National Servicemen.
14. Janis Hanley ◆ Educators Bus Tour ◆ 14
Data was collected at each
museum on how well the
collection relates to the
curriculum themes for each year
level
Survey collected suggestions for
excursion activities specific to
each museums
A report was given to each
museum detailing comments
made
What the surveys told us
Individual Museums
Graph is indicative of the type of data
collected
16. Janis Hanley ◆ Educators Bus Tour ◆ 16
• Finally, some of the comments from the day:
• ‘The tour was great: a brief 'taste' of what is available
to enhance local history curricular Inquiries. So much
to follow-up, to create activities for students to do
whilst at the various museums - I'm already planning! ‘
• ‘We need to keep the momentum going and expand
our awareness - and inform our staff members to take
full advantage of the opportunities offered here’
What the surveys told us
Quotes
Not bad from a starting point of ‘we had no idea these places were here’!
19. Janis Hanley ◆ Educators Bus Tour ◆ 19
Mar 2013: Mudgeeraba - Year 2 - The Past In the Present
‘William Duncan and the Timber Getting Story’
• Excursion Plan Included:
Visit to the Mudgeeraba Hinterland Heritage
Museum - focusing on life and times of
William Duncan and the timber story ... and
Hot damper!)
Visit to Mudgeeraba Village
Welcome by the Councillor
Looking at photo kits at the
Mudgeeraba Library (Former Council
Chamber built in 1914)
Treasure hunt through Mudgeeraba
village
Pre and post excursion resources for the
school including:
William Duncan narrative
Timeline of Mudgeeraba history
Powerpoint of the historic buildings of
Mudgeeraba
Students on the treasure huntStudents on the treasure hunt
20. Janis Hanley ◆ Educators Bus Tour ◆ 20
Mudgeeraba Light Horse Museum - Year 3 -
‘Commemorations’
• Visit to the Light Horse Museum
Included:
“Where’s Woody’ a search for
symbols of the ANZACs”
Hands on Group Activities
How to raise the flag
Care of a war horse
World War 1 Weapons
Honouring War heroes with poppies
Flag raising ceremony with firing party
Horseback tent pegging
demonstration
• Pre and post excursion resources for
the school including:
Woody the Waler narrative
Light Horse hero e-book
The Cook’s Story
Symbols of the Light Horse
ANZACS e-book
21. Janis Hanley ◆ Educators Bus Tour ◆ 21
Mudgeeraba Light Horse Museum - Year 3 -
‘Commemorations’
22. Janis Hanley ◆ Educators Bus Tour ◆ 22
Recognition
National Trust Qld Governor’s Silver Award 2012:
‘Educators Bus Tour’ to Gold Coast City Council and
VisionDesign Pty Ltd
Media Coverage of Light Horse Museum Pilot - two key
elements:
Karen Andrews MP press release (She attended the
pilot run)
It was a week before ANZAC Day
Coverage included:
Channel nine local news
Channel nine Today show Saturday (nationally)
Cover of the Sun Newspaper
Two page spread Gold Coast Bulletin Newspaper
Recognition is always helpful. The Educators Bus Tour itself
was recognised by Queensland’s National Trust, then there
was excellent media coverage of the first pilot program - that’s
good for everyone!
23. Janis Hanley ◆ Educators Bus Tour ◆ 23
Gold Coast Bulletin Education Section Tuesday 23rd April 2013
The Mudgeeraba Light Horse Museum inc. was
very grateful for the coverage given by local
media.
24. Janis Hanley ◆ Educators Bus Tour ◆ 24
And this is just the start of this work ....
More projects are in the pipeline.
Thank-you for listening/reading
• Further information:
web:
http://visiond.com.au/australianhistory
• Janis’s contact details:
email: janis@visiond.com.au
twitter: @just2write