New Frontiers in Object-Based Teaching: Exploring the resources available at NEHMA

In an increasingly digital age, higher education can feel abstract and distanced from the "real" world. Studies have shown that many students derive cognitive and socio-emotional benefits by connecting to physical objects. Utah State University's Nora Eccles Museum of Art is home to a collection of almost 6,000 art objects that can be used to support teaching across all subjects. Museum-based teaching enhances learning across the disciplines and introduces opportunities for community-based, hands-on, and experiential learning. This presentation will summarize the scholarly findings on object-based teaching methods, showcase the resources available at the Logan and statewide campuses for connecting to NEHMA's collection, and explore some methods for teaching with objects. The techniques discussed will include both discipline-specific and more generalizable approaches to objects--participants from all fields are welcome!