Talking Objects: High quality talk through museum collections

Talking Objects investigates the unique features of facilitated conversations about museum artefacts and how they can empower children and young people to challenge, debate and make sense of their world.

This action research project is a partnership between Camtree (Cambridge teacher Research Exchange, CEDiR (Cambridge Educational Dialogue Research), teachers, senior leaders from the Staploe Trust and museum educators from across the University of Cambridge Museums consortium.

Related publications

Blog post on Moving IT On project pages

Project team

Phase 3 (Summer Term 2024)

Sara Hennessey, Alison Twiner, Benjamin Merrick and Zixuan Tang (CEDiR and Camtree), Kate Noble, Rosanna Evans, Jacqui Strawbridge, Holly Morrison and Nicola Wallis (The Fitzwilliam Museum), Alison Giles (The Whipple Museum), Nic Skipper (Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences), Roz Wade (The Museum of Zoology), Scott Horsley (Kennett Primary School), Duncan Powser (Weatheralls) and Charlie McGuire (The Shade)

Phase 1 and 2 (2022-23)

Kate Noble, Rosanna Evans, Jacqui Strawbridge, Jennie Thornber and Nicola Wallis (The Fitzwilliam Museum), Alison Giles (The Whipple Museum), Nic Skipper (Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences), Roz Wade (The Museum of Zoology), Carin Taylor (Staploe MAT), Scott Horsley (Kennett Primary School), Fiona Owen (Kennett Primary School), Peter Hedges (Soham Village College), Erin Munelly (Weatheralls Primary School), John Bungay (The Shade Primary School), Jane Segust (The Shade Primary School), Vic Cook, Oracy researcher and consultant

Phase 1 and 2 received funding from The Festival Bridge MovingIT On Project

Outcomes of the project

Co-produced research which values, recognises and supports the important contribution of educators’ practice within knowledge creation.
New empirical research identifying distinctive features of collections- inspired dialogue in the classroom and museum.
Opportunties for students to develop confidence, oracy skills and knowledge about university collections.