Mark Osterman has a Doctor of Education with a research focus in arts, literacy and technology. Mr. Osterman has taught at Miami Dade College, facilitated specialized workshops in art educational theory and practice for the University of Miami, The Lowe Art Museum and The Wolfsonian-FIU. He has presented nationally on technology in museums and art educational theory and research studies and has published work in the Journal of Museum Education and the Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia among others. Mr. Osterman has worked for The Brooklyn Museum of Art, The Museum of Art and Design, The Wolfsonian-FIU, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens and currently at the Lowe Art Museum University of Miami. His museum work has focused on strategic thinking, interpretive technology initiatives, curriculum development, and developing evaluation and assessment tools related to museum practice.
Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 2012
Museums are competing with a vast variety of Internet-based information delivery sites to keep th... more Museums are competing with a vast variety of Internet-based information delivery sites to keep the public interested in their institutions. To keep pace Museums are increasingly turning to the use of Web 2.0 tools to draw in the public and maintain a standing as cultural and educational leaders. Several museums have started using Twitter. This research paper explores the different ways that the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum use Twitter to develop and engage audiences. In this six-month qualitative study, tweets used for audience development and engagement were codified. Analyzing Twitter data suggests that the two institutions use Twitter in a consistent manner concentrating on: linking resources, creatively engaging the public to utilize new social media tools, and attempting to create an active two-way form of communication. As social media becomes more pervasive and museums adopt it for audience development and engagement, careful understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of this media need to be considered.
This paper makes a case for a direct relationship between digital literacy and nonlinear thinking... more This paper makes a case for a direct relationship between digital literacy and nonlinear thinking styles, articulates a demand for nonlinear thinking styles in education and the workplace, and states implications for a connection between nonlinear thinking styles visual literacy, and intuitive artistic practice. In July of 1945, Dr. Vannevar Bush wrote an article for The Atlantic Monthly titled “As We May Think.” In this article, Bush discusses the huge amounts of information and knowledge being obtained and stored by humanity. He argued that the process society promoted of obtaining information was set to a linear manner or what he called “the artificiality of systems of indexing” (p.11). This system was defined as artificial because it went against the natural associative/nonlinear process of the human mind for accessing information (Bush, 1945). The Internet, a construct that is designed to be accessed and comprehended in an associative/nonlinear manner, provides the system Bush ...
Museological Review, Issue 22: Museums of the Future, 2018
Technology is innovating and expanding at an exponential rate. This continuous explosion of innov... more Technology is innovating and expanding at an exponential rate. This continuous explosion of innovation has many implications for museums. New technologies have the potential to improve interpretation, increase access to resources and support accessibility, integration and equality. As part of the effort to participate and inform the museum field of the ways some organizations develop digital strategies and integrate accessible technology into their collections and programmatic interpretation, this paper provides a rationale for developing a digital strategy with an accessibility component, offers a brief survey of some of the latest accessibility technologies used by museums, gives an overview of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens’ development and implementation of its Virtual Access Tour and lastly, offers recommendations for how museums can embrace strategies and technologies that will have an impact on the future of accessibility and visitor experience in the museum context.
An Alliance of Spirit: Museum and School Partnerships, American Alliance of Museums, Edited by Kim Fortney and Beverly Sheppard , 2010
Chapter One establishes the fundamental requirements at the heart of strong and enduring museum a... more Chapter One establishes the fundamental requirements at the heart of strong and enduring museum and school partnerships, stressing the need for clear expectations, mutual respect, and a meaningful level of shared values. The necessity for deep collaboration, carefully and thoughtfully developed, is at the core of each succeeding chapter. Museums and schools are natural partners and have, for years, demonstrated the essence of meaningful collaboration. When museums and schools partner, students learn through multiple formats—reading and writing, looking and examining. They use the power of observation to fuel new questions and apply thinking skills to the act of discovery. They learn in a social setting in the museum and in a more solitary process in their classroom studies. These are complementary experiences, providing multiple ways for students to learn. Museums provide the magic of encounter, complementing the more abstract ideas discussed in the classroom. Teachers in both are committed to the same educational goals, and the results of their working together can lead to deep levels of student understanding. No wonder these partnerships have lasted so long!
Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 2012
Museums are competing with a vast variety of Internet-based information delivery sites to keep th... more Museums are competing with a vast variety of Internet-based information delivery sites to keep the public interested in their institutions. To keep pace Museums are increasingly turning to the use of Web 2.0 tools to draw in the public and maintain a standing as cultural and educational leaders. Several museums have started using Twitter. This research paper explores the different ways that the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum use Twitter to develop and engage audiences. In this six-month qualitative study, tweets used for audience development and engagement were codified. Analyzing Twitter data suggests that the two institutions use Twitter in a consistent manner concentrating on: linking resources, creatively engaging the public to utilize new social media tools, and attempting to create an active two-way form of communication. As social media becomes more pervasive and museums adopt it for audience development and engagement, careful understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of this media need to be considered.
This article addresses an arts-integrated social studies curriculum for grades three through five... more This article addresses an arts-integrated social studies curriculum for grades three through five entitled Artful Citizenship, designed by The Wolfsonian–Florida International University. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination Grant program, the development and implementation of the program was conducted concurrently with a three-year evaluation of the curriculum's impact on visual literacy and critical thinking skills conducted by Curva and Associates. The research was conducted in low-performing urban schools in Miami-Dade County and targeted students at risk for failing Florida's standardized achievement tests in reading and math. Artful Citizenship was created by a museum with a collection specializing in art and design—mass-produced objects that reveal how design reflects and shapes social, political, and technological change. Because of the collection's nature, the aim of Artful Citizenship was to use inquiry-based strategies that focused on the critical understanding of objects as agents of social change (as opposed to understanding their aesthetic or art-historical significance). The longitudinal study provides a framework for a definition of critical thinking that relates to a school-based intervention targeting social studies skills. The study also documents the effectiveness of Visual Thinking Strategies as a foundational strategy for developing critical thinking skills upon which a multi-modal teaching approach that integrates visual material and promotes artistic response can be built. In this article, we share findings from the study that have major implications for designing museum-school partnerships and help illuminate the interconnection between visual literacy and critical thinking when related to complex social issues.
Dissertation - Florida International University, 2016
With evidence that arts engagement and nonlinear thinking style both utilize insight, intuition, ... more With evidence that arts engagement and nonlinear thinking style both utilize insight, intuition, and emotion in the decision making process, the literature has driven an investigation of the relationship between levels of arts engagement and thinking style preference. This nonexperimental correlational study (N = 101) explored (a) the prevalence of linear, nonlinear, or balanced linear/nonlinear thinking style of professionals working in museums. (b) Whether thinking style has a relationship with (i) age; (ii) sex; (iii) academic major; (iv) occupation; (v) levels of arts engagement. Two theoretical frameworks underpinned this study: (a) new literacies and (b) cognitive styles.
A Web-based self-report survey instrument was used to investigate the relation among the variables of interest. Existing literature was used to provide a foundation for the study and guide the research. Correlational, means, and hierarchical regression analysis were used to test the hypothesized model and examine the hypotheses. The means analyses at the descriptive level revealed that females, those in the 60 or older age group, Humanities majors, and those who worked in education demonstrated more balanced linear/nonlinear thinking styles. The correlations results indicated that there was a statistically significant relationship between thinking style and sex and thinking styles and academic major. The hierarchical regression results suggested that after controlling for select demographic variables, only being a Humanities major uniquely predicted significant variance in thinking style. The lack of significant findings of a relationship between thinking style and age did not correspond to existing research that supports a correlation. Additionally, a significant relationship between thinking style and levels of arts engagement was not found during correlational and hierarchical regression analysis.
A limitation of this research study was that the Web-based self-report survey version of the Linear/Nonlinear Thinking Style Profile (LNTSP) instrument did not transfer well to online use because the participants had some problem understanding how to score their answers properly. This issue could be handled readily and recommendations are made to revise the Web-base self-report version of the survey for future research use.
Museum Education for Today's Audiences Meeting Expectations with New Models, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic and recent nationwide protests against police violence have exacerbated wha... more The COVID-19 pandemic and recent nationwide protests against police violence have exacerbated what were already important issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (“DEIA”) facing our communities. This has resulted in a demand for the cultural sector and its leaders to act with greater urgency than they have to date to address these matters directly. In addition, the field has experienced enormous disruption from the pandemic including layoffs, furloughs, financial distress, and public closures. As a result, people's relationship with technology has deepened as we rely more on digital connections for work, cultural experiences, education, health care, and social interactions. To handle this disruption, many museums are attempting to increase their capacity for digital experiences. An investment in digital capacity can help with the challenges organizations face to reach new and expanded audiences while addressing relevancy, social impact, and DEAI. This chapter explores how arts institutions can use technology to evolve, change, and adapt to proactively address these challenges.
Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 2012
Museums are competing with a vast variety of Internet-based information delivery sites to keep th... more Museums are competing with a vast variety of Internet-based information delivery sites to keep the public interested in their institutions. To keep pace Museums are increasingly turning to the use of Web 2.0 tools to draw in the public and maintain a standing as cultural and educational leaders. Several museums have started using Twitter. This research paper explores the different ways that the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum use Twitter to develop and engage audiences. In this six-month qualitative study, tweets used for audience development and engagement were codified. Analyzing Twitter data suggests that the two institutions use Twitter in a consistent manner concentrating on: linking resources, creatively engaging the public to utilize new social media tools, and attempting to create an active two-way form of communication. As social media becomes more pervasive and museums adopt it for audience development and engagement, careful understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of this media need to be considered.
This paper makes a case for a direct relationship between digital literacy and nonlinear thinking... more This paper makes a case for a direct relationship between digital literacy and nonlinear thinking styles, articulates a demand for nonlinear thinking styles in education and the workplace, and states implications for a connection between nonlinear thinking styles visual literacy, and intuitive artistic practice. In July of 1945, Dr. Vannevar Bush wrote an article for The Atlantic Monthly titled “As We May Think.” In this article, Bush discusses the huge amounts of information and knowledge being obtained and stored by humanity. He argued that the process society promoted of obtaining information was set to a linear manner or what he called “the artificiality of systems of indexing” (p.11). This system was defined as artificial because it went against the natural associative/nonlinear process of the human mind for accessing information (Bush, 1945). The Internet, a construct that is designed to be accessed and comprehended in an associative/nonlinear manner, provides the system Bush ...
Museological Review, Issue 22: Museums of the Future, 2018
Technology is innovating and expanding at an exponential rate. This continuous explosion of innov... more Technology is innovating and expanding at an exponential rate. This continuous explosion of innovation has many implications for museums. New technologies have the potential to improve interpretation, increase access to resources and support accessibility, integration and equality. As part of the effort to participate and inform the museum field of the ways some organizations develop digital strategies and integrate accessible technology into their collections and programmatic interpretation, this paper provides a rationale for developing a digital strategy with an accessibility component, offers a brief survey of some of the latest accessibility technologies used by museums, gives an overview of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens’ development and implementation of its Virtual Access Tour and lastly, offers recommendations for how museums can embrace strategies and technologies that will have an impact on the future of accessibility and visitor experience in the museum context.
An Alliance of Spirit: Museum and School Partnerships, American Alliance of Museums, Edited by Kim Fortney and Beverly Sheppard , 2010
Chapter One establishes the fundamental requirements at the heart of strong and enduring museum a... more Chapter One establishes the fundamental requirements at the heart of strong and enduring museum and school partnerships, stressing the need for clear expectations, mutual respect, and a meaningful level of shared values. The necessity for deep collaboration, carefully and thoughtfully developed, is at the core of each succeeding chapter. Museums and schools are natural partners and have, for years, demonstrated the essence of meaningful collaboration. When museums and schools partner, students learn through multiple formats—reading and writing, looking and examining. They use the power of observation to fuel new questions and apply thinking skills to the act of discovery. They learn in a social setting in the museum and in a more solitary process in their classroom studies. These are complementary experiences, providing multiple ways for students to learn. Museums provide the magic of encounter, complementing the more abstract ideas discussed in the classroom. Teachers in both are committed to the same educational goals, and the results of their working together can lead to deep levels of student understanding. No wonder these partnerships have lasted so long!
Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 2012
Museums are competing with a vast variety of Internet-based information delivery sites to keep th... more Museums are competing with a vast variety of Internet-based information delivery sites to keep the public interested in their institutions. To keep pace Museums are increasingly turning to the use of Web 2.0 tools to draw in the public and maintain a standing as cultural and educational leaders. Several museums have started using Twitter. This research paper explores the different ways that the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum use Twitter to develop and engage audiences. In this six-month qualitative study, tweets used for audience development and engagement were codified. Analyzing Twitter data suggests that the two institutions use Twitter in a consistent manner concentrating on: linking resources, creatively engaging the public to utilize new social media tools, and attempting to create an active two-way form of communication. As social media becomes more pervasive and museums adopt it for audience development and engagement, careful understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of this media need to be considered.
This article addresses an arts-integrated social studies curriculum for grades three through five... more This article addresses an arts-integrated social studies curriculum for grades three through five entitled Artful Citizenship, designed by The Wolfsonian–Florida International University. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination Grant program, the development and implementation of the program was conducted concurrently with a three-year evaluation of the curriculum's impact on visual literacy and critical thinking skills conducted by Curva and Associates. The research was conducted in low-performing urban schools in Miami-Dade County and targeted students at risk for failing Florida's standardized achievement tests in reading and math. Artful Citizenship was created by a museum with a collection specializing in art and design—mass-produced objects that reveal how design reflects and shapes social, political, and technological change. Because of the collection's nature, the aim of Artful Citizenship was to use inquiry-based strategies that focused on the critical understanding of objects as agents of social change (as opposed to understanding their aesthetic or art-historical significance). The longitudinal study provides a framework for a definition of critical thinking that relates to a school-based intervention targeting social studies skills. The study also documents the effectiveness of Visual Thinking Strategies as a foundational strategy for developing critical thinking skills upon which a multi-modal teaching approach that integrates visual material and promotes artistic response can be built. In this article, we share findings from the study that have major implications for designing museum-school partnerships and help illuminate the interconnection between visual literacy and critical thinking when related to complex social issues.
Dissertation - Florida International University, 2016
With evidence that arts engagement and nonlinear thinking style both utilize insight, intuition, ... more With evidence that arts engagement and nonlinear thinking style both utilize insight, intuition, and emotion in the decision making process, the literature has driven an investigation of the relationship between levels of arts engagement and thinking style preference. This nonexperimental correlational study (N = 101) explored (a) the prevalence of linear, nonlinear, or balanced linear/nonlinear thinking style of professionals working in museums. (b) Whether thinking style has a relationship with (i) age; (ii) sex; (iii) academic major; (iv) occupation; (v) levels of arts engagement. Two theoretical frameworks underpinned this study: (a) new literacies and (b) cognitive styles.
A Web-based self-report survey instrument was used to investigate the relation among the variables of interest. Existing literature was used to provide a foundation for the study and guide the research. Correlational, means, and hierarchical regression analysis were used to test the hypothesized model and examine the hypotheses. The means analyses at the descriptive level revealed that females, those in the 60 or older age group, Humanities majors, and those who worked in education demonstrated more balanced linear/nonlinear thinking styles. The correlations results indicated that there was a statistically significant relationship between thinking style and sex and thinking styles and academic major. The hierarchical regression results suggested that after controlling for select demographic variables, only being a Humanities major uniquely predicted significant variance in thinking style. The lack of significant findings of a relationship between thinking style and age did not correspond to existing research that supports a correlation. Additionally, a significant relationship between thinking style and levels of arts engagement was not found during correlational and hierarchical regression analysis.
A limitation of this research study was that the Web-based self-report survey version of the Linear/Nonlinear Thinking Style Profile (LNTSP) instrument did not transfer well to online use because the participants had some problem understanding how to score their answers properly. This issue could be handled readily and recommendations are made to revise the Web-base self-report version of the survey for future research use.
Museum Education for Today's Audiences Meeting Expectations with New Models, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic and recent nationwide protests against police violence have exacerbated wha... more The COVID-19 pandemic and recent nationwide protests against police violence have exacerbated what were already important issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (“DEIA”) facing our communities. This has resulted in a demand for the cultural sector and its leaders to act with greater urgency than they have to date to address these matters directly. In addition, the field has experienced enormous disruption from the pandemic including layoffs, furloughs, financial distress, and public closures. As a result, people's relationship with technology has deepened as we rely more on digital connections for work, cultural experiences, education, health care, and social interactions. To handle this disruption, many museums are attempting to increase their capacity for digital experiences. An investment in digital capacity can help with the challenges organizations face to reach new and expanded audiences while addressing relevancy, social impact, and DEAI. This chapter explores how arts institutions can use technology to evolve, change, and adapt to proactively address these challenges.
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strategy with an accessibility component, offers a brief survey of some of the latest accessibility technologies used by museums, gives an overview of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens’ development and implementation of its Virtual Access Tour and lastly, offers recommendations for how museums can embrace strategies and
technologies that will have an impact on the future of accessibility and visitor experience in the museum
context.
A Web-based self-report survey instrument was used to investigate the relation among the variables of interest. Existing literature was used to provide a foundation for the study and guide the research. Correlational, means, and hierarchical regression analysis were used to test the hypothesized model and examine the hypotheses. The means analyses at the descriptive level revealed that females, those in the 60 or older age group, Humanities majors, and those who worked in education demonstrated more balanced linear/nonlinear thinking styles. The correlations results indicated that there was a statistically significant relationship between thinking style and sex and thinking styles and academic major. The hierarchical regression results suggested that after controlling for select demographic variables, only being a Humanities major uniquely predicted significant variance in thinking style. The lack of significant findings of a relationship between thinking style and age did not correspond to existing research that supports a correlation. Additionally, a significant relationship between thinking style and levels of arts engagement was not found during correlational and hierarchical regression analysis.
A limitation of this research study was that the Web-based self-report survey version of the Linear/Nonlinear Thinking Style Profile (LNTSP) instrument did not transfer well to online use because the participants had some problem understanding how to score their answers properly. This issue could be handled readily and recommendations are made to revise the Web-base self-report version of the survey for future research use.
strategy with an accessibility component, offers a brief survey of some of the latest accessibility technologies used by museums, gives an overview of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens’ development and implementation of its Virtual Access Tour and lastly, offers recommendations for how museums can embrace strategies and
technologies that will have an impact on the future of accessibility and visitor experience in the museum
context.
A Web-based self-report survey instrument was used to investigate the relation among the variables of interest. Existing literature was used to provide a foundation for the study and guide the research. Correlational, means, and hierarchical regression analysis were used to test the hypothesized model and examine the hypotheses. The means analyses at the descriptive level revealed that females, those in the 60 or older age group, Humanities majors, and those who worked in education demonstrated more balanced linear/nonlinear thinking styles. The correlations results indicated that there was a statistically significant relationship between thinking style and sex and thinking styles and academic major. The hierarchical regression results suggested that after controlling for select demographic variables, only being a Humanities major uniquely predicted significant variance in thinking style. The lack of significant findings of a relationship between thinking style and age did not correspond to existing research that supports a correlation. Additionally, a significant relationship between thinking style and levels of arts engagement was not found during correlational and hierarchical regression analysis.
A limitation of this research study was that the Web-based self-report survey version of the Linear/Nonlinear Thinking Style Profile (LNTSP) instrument did not transfer well to online use because the participants had some problem understanding how to score their answers properly. This issue could be handled readily and recommendations are made to revise the Web-base self-report version of the survey for future research use.