Engaging Students Through Art

What

Sheldon Museum of Art is a valuable resource for the entire university community. Looking at, discussing, and analyzing works of art helps students in all fields apply concepts they are learning in the classroom, explore multiple perspectives, and think and see critically. In addition to in-person experiences at Sheldon, the museum’s website offers an ever-expanding range of useful resources. Whatever your curricular goals or discipline, Sheldon staff are available to collaborate on designing a learning experience tailored to your needs.

Why

• To help develop students’ critical thinking and visual literacy skills.
• To explore multiple perspectives.
• To approach your course material from a different point of view.
• To introduce students to an important resource on campus.
• To get out of the classroom.
• To see and experience something new.

How

Visit Sheldon in person or explore the museum’s website (sheldonartmuseum.org) to learn more about our exhibitions, collection, events, and engagement opportunities.

Consider the following ways to use Sheldon in your teaching:

• Schedule a guided tour or discussion tailored to your curricular focus and teaching goals by submitting the Tours and Group Visits form at sheldonartmuseum.org/tours.
• Schedule a time to view objects in the collection that are not on view in the galleries by submitting the Collection Observation Lab form at sheldonartmuseum.org/COL.
• Assign your students critical thinking exercises, research projects, or creative responses that connect their engagement with art and/or the museum to your course objectives.
• Include Sheldon programs and online resources on your syllabus.
• Collaborate with museum staff to design experiential learning opportunities such as curatorial projects, presentations, performances, or Sheldon-as-client scenarios.
• Develop a new course or curricular module fusing your expertise with Sheldon’s architecture, collections, or exhibitions, or with museums more broadly.

If you are interested but don’t know where to start, or if you have specific questions, contact us.

Contact Information

Erin Hanas, PhD, erin.hanas@unl.edu, 402-472-3541, sheldonartmuseum.org

Return to Poster Presentations