Nina Jensen

Mutual trust and respect form the foundation of my work with graduate students and their work with children and visitors to museums.  Respect for diversity of ideas, values, and ways of being in the world allows us to empathize with the perspectives of others.  Because museums open windows to diverse cultures and natural wonders of the world past, present, and future, they allow us to understand our own way of being as one possibility among many and to question our unexplored assumptions.  Creativity and imagination are essential qualities that stretch us to re-envision the world as more just, equitable, and environmentally sound.  I hope to inspire my students, through their work in museums, schools, and the arts, to contribute to the lives of individuals and communities and to the sustainability of the world.

I worked in the education department of the Montclair Art Museum where I designed portable exhibitions for classrooms; and  at the Brooklyn Museum where I taught children, adults, and teachers, developed curriculum materials, developed interpretive media for permanent collections and special exhibitions, and organized public programs for families and adult visitors.

• Conducted professional development helping teachers in Yonkers, Long Island, and Queens make effective use of museum resources and incorporate museum teaching practices into classrooms to enrich curriculum.
• Conducted docent training at numerous museums.
• Co-instructor for a three-day seminar on new directions in museums for museum professionals throughout Colombia.

Selected Publications and Presentations

• Jensen, N. (2002). Museum visits and programs: What are the perspectives of teachers, museum educators, and children? New England Museum Association Newsletter, 25(3), 1-8.

• Jensen, N. (2000). Reconceptualizing museums. Museum Computer Network, Spectra, 27(1), 45.

• Jensen, N. (1997). Educating educators and learning through visitors: A constructivist approach. Interpreter, NYC Museum Educators Roundtable, 4-6.

• Jensen, N. (1994). Children's perceptions of their museum experiences: A contextual perspective. Children's Environments, 11(4), 300-324.

• Jensen, N. (1994). Children, teenagers, and adults in museums: A developmental perspective. In E. Hooper-Greenhill (Ed.), The educational role of the museum (pp. 110-117). London, England: Routledge.

• Jensen, N., Ulzheimer, R., & Wolins, I. (1992). Children’s memories of museum field trips: A qualitative study. Journal of Museum Education, 17(2), 17-27.

• Jensen, N., & Munley, M. E. (1992). The training of museum education professionals: Report from Detroit. In Patterns in practice (pp. 361-365). Washington, DC: Museum Education Roundtable.