CULTURE AND CONNECTIVITY: How digital is shaping the future of museum education (with a hint of caution)

Museums have a profoundly pro-social, educational component embedded in their collections and displays. From labels, to dioramas, to digital offerings, the presence of explanatory layers is integral to the intentional programming of museums in society. In particular, digital tools have enabled significant changes in institutions and practices over the past thirty years. Changes in technology have allowed new theoretical perspectives on how we view knowledge, and how it is shared. This has seen a shift from a focus on objects to people and communities, and from knowledge as collections of facts to how knowledge around objects is created, contextualised and shared. These shifts have affected both how educators and professionals in the Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM) sector view how knowledge and artefacts are represented and understood. Digital technologies have softened the silos between different types of institutions, as well as extending their reach beyond physical location, fostering inter- and transdisciplinary approaches that make material accessible. In parallel, the challenges society at large faces have become more complex. The closure of many museum and heritage institutions during the Covid-19 pandemic between December 2019 and May 2023 raised awareness of how digital tools could be used to extend their reach. However, the pandemic did not produce deep changes overnight as many institutions did not have capacity in terms of skills, tools, or strategy to transition swiftly from on-site to remote access and engagement. The period of closures not only accelerated developments and inspired some creative responses but also highlighted the advantage enjoyed by larger institutions with more resources; a phenomenon common in many fields where digital technologies enable concentration at the expense of smaller institutions. Post-Covid, we are challenged to collect the lessons of the closures, identify those which signpost the way to future best practices, and develop strategies to implement those changes in the current social and economic contexts.