By: Louise Yokoi

As a new member of the WMA Program Committee, reviewing session proposals with the committee for the upcoming conference got me thinking about the types of opportunities for professional practice support (aka professional development) for museum professionals and prompted me to reflect on my own method for learning and growth in the museum field. I like the term ‘professional practice support’ that Andrew Taylor advocates using  in place of the generic term ‘professional development’ because I think it better communicates the importance of an active and ongoing process for gaining new knowledge, developing new ideas, and adding skills to our existing expertise.

This tree from ICOM is a terrific visual for framing museum professional development opportunities:

Credit:  ICOM / Curricula Guidelines for Museum Professional Development

Having just attended the California Association of Museums 2012 conference in Berkeley where I gained new perspectives from sessions, reconnected with other museum professionals, and strengthened my bonds with colleagues outside our workplace,  I was reminded how much learning and inspiration I get from attending a conference.  Even though the traditional and structured conference model has been in use for quite a while, it continues to be an effective and valuable resource. Not only does this model offer us the opportunity to gain knowledge in the diverse areas including management, public programming, museology, and collections care, but participants benefit from networking, sharing information, and building relationships.

As you might find yourself doing, I realized that I also rely quite a bit on informal methods of learning and acquiring knowledge.  The importance of seeking out a diversity of professional practice support was highlighted when a colleague gave me a copy of the Learning Pyramid:

Credit: NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science, 300 N. Lee Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314.

The actions of the pyramid’s tiers: lecture, reading, audio visual, demonstration, discussion group, practice by doing, teaching others, is a great reminder that meaningful learning resulting in professional growth occurs in multiple ways. There is a wealth of easily accessible options out there:

• Connect with museums and museum-related organizations via social media: Facebook, LinkedIn
• Read blogs (check out Artful Manager ), articles ( NEA Journal #4, What is Innovation? ), journals, and books
• Foster casual conversations with colleagues in the hallways, outside of meetings
• Get more involved with CAM, WMA, AAM, or other conference by volunteering, proposing or moderating a session, presenting on a panel (see AAM Calendar of Events)
• Mentor an emerging professional or intern
• Gather with colleagues for lunch or drinks after work
• Meet with colleagues in your area of expertise through local or regional groups

What sources, methods, and opportunities do you seek out for professional practice support?

Louise Yokoi is the Director’s Circle Development Associate at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Louise works with museum field to utilize tools and strategies, including organizational dashboards, in innovative ways for capacity building and fiscal management. She brings her unique combination of nonprofit and for-profit experience to organizational analysis, fundraising, and strategic planning projects. Louise received her B.A. in English Literature and Art History from the University of California, Irvine and dual M.A. in Museum Studies and M.B.A from John F. Kennedy University. She has worked with California Association of Museums, Berkeley Art Center, Oakland Museum of California, and Headlands Center for the Arts.