Texas Border Business
McAllen, TX – The International Museum of Art & Science is one of six museums nation-wide chosen to participate in the Cultural Competence Learning Institute (CCLI), a partnership between Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose (CDM), Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC), Association of Children’s Museums (ACM), and Garibay Group, a research and evaluation firm based in Chicago specializing in informal science learning.
Building from the document Museums, Libraries and 21st Century Skills, published by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in 2009, CCLI focuses on three 21st Century skills that are particularly relevant to helping institutions advance their cultural competency:
- Creativity and Innovation
- Communication and Collaboration
- Global Awareness
CCLI introduces a framework for thinking about these 21st Century skills within the context of cultural competence and diversity and offers accompanying tools and resources.
The primary work of the Cultural Competence Learning Institute is a strategic initiative that each museum engages in over the course of the year. The museum’s leadership team identifies and designs their work on an initiative that is locally relevant and helpful to their institution’s growth and capacity building.
“Having the opportunity to participate in CCLI lines-up perfectly with the work the IMAS Trustees, staff, and committees are doing to chart a course for the museum’s future. Ultimately, we want our community to regard IMAS as the “go to” place for family and life-long learning using art and science as a springboard for cultivating curiosity and exploration, through a museum experience that is accessible, inclusive, equitable and employs our diversity to its fullest potential,” said President & Executive Director, Ann Fortescue.
The CCLI strategic initiative involves all museum staff and is led by a three-member team. Representing IMAS at the CCLI cohort meetings are: President & Executive Director, Ann Fortescue, Director of Development & Marketing, Anastasia Perez, and Director of Education, Claudia Martinez Gray.
Acceptance to CCLI is through a competitive application process and IMAS was honored to be selected as one of this year’s cohort of six museums:
- Eric Carle Museum, Amherst, MA
- Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, Grand Rapids, MI
- International Museum of Art and Science, McAllen, TX
- Living History Farms, Urbandale, IA
- Nevada Discovery Museum, Reno, NV
- Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond, VA
Supported through grant funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, CCLI is in its seventh year and past participants include museum teams from The Exploratorium in San Francisco, The Denver Museum of Nature and Science, The Boston Children’s Museum, and The Natural History Museum of Utah.
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