Evaluation of Educational Services Offered on Museum Websites in Türkiye

Authors : Damla Arıkoğlu, Genç Osman İlhan

Pages : 1-54

Doi:10.51637/jimuseumed.1784501

View : 170 | Download : 588

Publication Date : 2025-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Museums are institutions that collect, exhibit, preserve, research, interpret, and serve the community by gathering tangible and intangible elements of cultural heritage. With their educational mission at the forefront, museums today have become institutions that transfer education and culture not only in physical spaces but also in virtual environments alongside digitalization. Museum websites are also a reflection of this change. As digital platforms that combine formal and informal learning environments, museum websites offer educational content tailored to students, teachers, and general visitors of different ages and educational levels. This study aims to examine the quality and diversity of educational services provided on museum websites, drawing on selected examples from Türkiye. A review of existing studies shows that this research contributes to the field by approaching museum websites as structured educational environments and evaluating them in terms of their educational services. Studies on this subject in the domestic and foreign literature are quite limited. Document analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in this study. The study group consists of 15 museum websites selected from Türkiye. The websites were chosen through purposive sampling, taking into account their different types and characteristics in line with the defined criteria and standards. The research focused on the educational services offered on museum websites as its primary area of investigation. In addition, categories such as interaction and communication, as well as aesthetics and design, which directly affect the effectiveness of educational content, were also included in the evaluation. These categories provided a comprehensive perspective on the research as complementary elements that enhance user interaction, accessibility, and the learning experience. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis methods. The review revealed that, with some exceptions, the majority of museum websites in Türkiye are insufficient in providing educational services. It was determined that educational content is static and limited in interactivity, largely serving a basic information-providing function and offering limited educational services.
Keywords : Müze web siteleri, dijitalleşme, interaktif öğrenme.

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