MEST 2022: I ASK Training Programme

This spring and summer, MEST offers an extensive hybrid training course of the I ASK pedagogical method. I ASK is a practical, step-by-step method for guided tours and educational programmes in museums developed by the Jewish Cultural Quarter and TACT Advisors (NL). Its aim is to increase openness for new knowledge and ideas so that visitors leave your museum with enriched experiences and more nuanced thinking about the themes addressed. I ASK invites museums to clearly articulate the impact they desire to have on their audiences and offers museum professionals tools to achieve that.

To be inclusive of the diversity of points of view that visitors bring into the museum, museums themselves also need an open mind to apply I ASK, even when these points of view seem to be contrary or not so much nuanced. I ASK offers practical tools to engage with these points of view effectively.

The I ASK training course is designed to:

Discuss the premises/fundamental ideas underlying the method, in order to stimulate reflection on the why and the how of I ASK
Teach the building blocks of the method: preconditions, steps and tools
Provide practical training in the usage of the method
Teach the participants how to design an educational programme that is I ASK based and support them in the application of the method to their own museums and educational programmes
Stimulate museum-to-museum learning, allowing for the common themes and challenges of Jewish museums across Europe to receive special attention

The hybrid course consists of three stages. The first step is a 90-minute online group meeting that serves as kick-off of the training programme wherein a working relationship between tutors and participants and a mutual understanding amongst participants will be established. The second step is a 3.5-day training at the Jewish Cultural Quarter in Amsterdam. Participants will experience the method on location. They will receive training in its main principles and will apply the method by practice and learning sessions. In the two 3-hour online sessions of the third and final step, participants will focus on designing I ASK based educational programmes. In between the different steps, participants are expected to complete assignments.

Course Dates

Step 1: Creating Fertile Ground
1.5h online session
On Monday 30 May, 14:00-15:30 CET (via Zoom)
Step 2: Training live session in Amsterdam
3.5-days on location
From Monday 13 June (morning) until Thu 16 June (afternoon)
Step 3: Training online sessions
3h online sessions x 2
On Thursday 1 Sep, 10:00-13:00 CET (via Zoom)
On Monday 19 Sep, 10:00-13:00 CET (via Zoom)

Registration
This training course has a limited number of participants. It is primarily open to staff members of AEJM member institutions (full or institutional associate members) that are involved in the creation and development of educational programmes and secondly to those that within their institution are responsible for museum guides. Participants are required to attend the full programme and complete the assignments – registrations from delegates who can only partially participate will not be accepted.

Registration is closed.

Please motivate your registration by briefly describing how I ASK could make a difference for your museum’s audiences (max. 250 words).

Selected participants will receive a confirmation before the end of April.

Click here to register for the I ASK training programme.

Travel Support
Travel support is available for AEJM member institutions with limited financial means that would like to send a staff member to MEST professional development activities.
Upon registration, please motivate your application for travel support and give an estimation of the ticket costs to/from the event.

The MEST is curated and produced by Eva Koppen. For more information please contact eva.koppen@aejm.org

MEST is part of the Jewish Cultural Heritage Project supported by the EEA Grants from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, and by the state budget of Poland.