The Family as an Experiential Learning Unit: Digital Resources for Mediating Emotional Attachment in Museums

Abstract

Most of the museum's family digital interactive programmes are designed for children, and research regarding the family as a learning unit is lacking. Towards this end, we have been exploring how digital resources exist within the family museum experiential learning process and how it can be tailored to support adult groups participating through motivational and creative tools. Based on Kolb's experiential learning theories, this study examines the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum as a case study to explore how digital resources to mediate emotional attachments are exploited to reshape intergenerational family museum experiences. First, we identified three key limitations regarding the use of digital resources for an intergenerational project from an experiential learning perspective: lack of motivation, learning material issues, along with emotional and learning isolation. Second, the design variables were clarified in conjunction with stakeholder insights to develop the CoME museum memory system, which included components for guiding, preserving and reviewing. Next, we tested the system prototype and analysed its data. This programme showed that by introducing emotional attachment touchpoints, it can facilitate a shift from child-centred to family as a learning and co-creation unit, which consists of rich learning materials, new ways of engaging and a connectable and shareable learning network. We suggest that future family digital projects should focus on shifting the narrative perspective of exhibits from static to dynamic, integrating physical and virtual souvenirs and stimulating different motivations for learning transfer, to enhance meaningful intergenerational family interaction and create a continuous cycle of family museum knowledge.