Your turn - assessment
You have just worked through three case studies.
The first case study highlighted the importance of understanding:
- the provenance of an object
- the collection management policy to determine levels of significance; high, limited, no significance.
The second case study highlighted the process you should adopt when writing a statement of significance.
- The 8 steps with examples
The third case study gave you an in-depth understanding of step 7 in your 8 step process
- You used the research provided regarding the criteria to analyse and draw conclusions
- You practised writing a statement of significance.
At all times you are encouraged to work with others and to work through all the Resource material to gain greater insights. Read the section entitled Statement of significance.
Before you start your final assessment check your understanding of significance assessment with that of the authors of Significance 2.0: a guide to assessing the significance of collections, which was written by Roslyn Russell and Kylie Winkworth for the Collections Council of Australia Ltd. You will find their responses on the Open forum (link below). Feel free to add your thoughts.
http://www.collectionscouncil.com.au/open+forums.aspx?view=topics&forumid=9
- What happens when there are conflicting opinions about significance?
- Are all collecting organisations expected to adopt significance?
- Is significance assessment the same as cataloguing?
- Where do levels of national, state, regional and local significance fit in?
- What if there is no time to assess the significance of every item?
- Is significance a value judgement?
- Can significance change?
- How can families and private owners use significance?
- How does significance relate to the financial value of an object?
- How long does significance assessment take to do?
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Final Assessment
Now you need to work on your own for your final assessment.
Choose an item from your local museum, research it and write a statement of significance.
You must follow the 8 step process. Use this checklist.
Your statement of significance must be no longer than one A4 sheet. It can be shorter. Length is not the determiner of quality.
We need to see your research. Please send your object folder in with the statement of significance.
[Instructions on how to submit this will be provided by the training provider]