Bringing History to Life: An Evaluation of the Penn Museum's Unpacking the Past Program
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| Title: | Bringing History to Life: An Evaluation of the Penn Museum's Unpacking the Past Program |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Tracey Hartmann, Taylor Stenley, Research for Action (RFA) |
| Source: | Research for Action. 2025. |
| Availability: | Research for Action. 100 South Broad Street Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Tel: 215-823-2500; Fax: 215-823-2510; e-mail: info@researchforaction.org; Web site: http://www.researchforaction.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 60 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research-practitioner Partnerships Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education Grade 6 Intermediate Grades Middle Schools Grade 7 Junior High Schools Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Museums, History Instruction, Nonschool Educational Programs, Informal Education, Grade 6, Grade 7, Urban Schools, Program Effectiveness, Middle School Students, Middle School Teachers, Field Trips, Experiential Learning |
| Geographic Terms: | Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) |
| Abstract: | The City of Philadelphia boasts a rich array of world class cultural institutions that offer educational programming for children and youth. Research suggests that these informal learning opportunities can be a resource for schools to support student learning and develop student interest and engagement (DeWitt & Storksdieck, 2008; Erickson et al., 2022). The Penn Museum commissioned Research for Action (RFA) to conduct an evaluation of its Unpacking the Past (UtP) program, an educational program that introduces sixth and seventh grade students in the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) to the Museum's world-renowned archeology and anthropology collection. The initiative is an expression of the Museum's commitment to engage its Philadelphia community and to the overarching goal of the program to "inspire students and teachers to feel welcome and included at the Penn Museum and museums in general" (Penn Museum 2023). More specifically, the program seeks to increase students' understanding of and connection to human history through themes of color, trade, power, language, and innovation, and aligns with SDP's English Language Arts (ELA) and social studies curricula. The UtP program consists of a pre-lesson at school, a guided museum tour, an opportunity for self-guided exploration at the Museum, and a hands-on workshop at the Museum. Students also receive free museum passes that enable them to return to the Museum with their families in the future. Additionally, UtP arranges and pays for bus transportation to the Museum. The evaluation offers an opportunity to understand the benefits of the museum field trip for student learning and engagement. It also provides an opportunity to identify lessons for other field trip experiences serving adolescents in Philadelphia and ways in which these experiences can be fully leveraged by Philadelphia's principals and teachers. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED679329 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The City of Philadelphia boasts a rich array of world class cultural institutions that offer educational programming for children and youth. Research suggests that these informal learning opportunities can be a resource for schools to support student learning and develop student interest and engagement (DeWitt & Storksdieck, 2008; Erickson et al., 2022). The Penn Museum commissioned Research for Action (RFA) to conduct an evaluation of its Unpacking the Past (UtP) program, an educational program that introduces sixth and seventh grade students in the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) to the Museum's world-renowned archeology and anthropology collection. The initiative is an expression of the Museum's commitment to engage its Philadelphia community and to the overarching goal of the program to "inspire students and teachers to feel welcome and included at the Penn Museum and museums in general" (Penn Museum 2023). More specifically, the program seeks to increase students' understanding of and connection to human history through themes of color, trade, power, language, and innovation, and aligns with SDP's English Language Arts (ELA) and social studies curricula. The UtP program consists of a pre-lesson at school, a guided museum tour, an opportunity for self-guided exploration at the Museum, and a hands-on workshop at the Museum. Students also receive free museum passes that enable them to return to the Museum with their families in the future. Additionally, UtP arranges and pays for bus transportation to the Museum. The evaluation offers an opportunity to understand the benefits of the museum field trip for student learning and engagement. It also provides an opportunity to identify lessons for other field trip experiences serving adolescents in Philadelphia and ways in which these experiences can be fully leveraged by Philadelphia's principals and teachers. |
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