Nineteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

Mi Museo is the first arts education of its kind in Mexico, serving teachers and young children with limited access to art. Three questions continue to guide Mi Museo: 1. How can an early arts education museum program connect with public schools in the community? 2. How can a museum support national standards in an early arts program? 3. How does an early arts education in a museum support teachers of young children planning activities for developmentally-centered curriculum? These three questions are used to foster the audience’s engagement related to the overall question, How Can Participatory Action Research Support Sustenance in Early Arts Education? Specifically, participatory research includes the views of everyone involved: their reality, their challenges, and understanding of actions and outcomes. Thus, for the success of Mi Museo, the participatory research project continues to include the director, teachers and the early arts educator/director of the museum. Participatory methods include a range of activities with a common thread: enabling an inclusionary force for all who play an active and influential part in decisions which affect the program. This means that individuals are heard, with their voices shaping both program content and outcomes. Our participatory research implies the use of an iterative plan of action and reflection with community-focused strategies that strive for best practices. Focusing on the use of participatory action research, discussion of the evolvement of Mi Museo is presented.