Language learning has been a widely researched topic for many years. Most research that has been done on language learning focuses on the impact of external factors on language proficiency. However...Show moreLanguage learning has been a widely researched topic for many years. Most research that has been done on language learning focuses on the impact of external factors on language proficiency. However, no research has been done on the personal experiences of language learners and how these learners perceived these influences during this process. Therefore, this thesis researched the perceived impact of external influences on learners of English in the Netherlands, focusing on the perceived influences of education, engagement with media and participants’ own added perceived influences. This information can be helpful for educators and learners alike. The perceived impact of external influences was investigated with a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews using deductive and inductive coding. This study recruited recently graduated participants (1-4 years post-graduation) with different educational tracks. The interviews showed that Dutch participants with English as their second language (L2) perceived primary education to be of no influence because the participants received so little training during their primary education. Secondary education was perceived as incredibly helpful; additionally, it was perceived as rather boring. The influence of tertiary education depended on the subject of the degree rather than the participants' education level. Media engagement was perceived as a helpful tool that could add extra context and input to the training received during education. Negative influences of engaging with media pertained to content being generally addictive and desensitising to the real world. Media was also perceived as untrustworthy concerning the correctness of the language that is produced online. The oral proficiency of the 3 participants was also investigated by deductive coding of the transcripts using Communication Strategies (CS. These results were compared with the self-reports on their speaking abilities. This revealed that participants had a surprisingly accurate view of their speaking skills.Show less
In 2014 the Victoria and Albert Museum unveiled a new branch of curation – the Rapid Response Collection. Intended to exhibit modern art and design, it offers a far cry from the initial collection...Show moreIn 2014 the Victoria and Albert Museum unveiled a new branch of curation – the Rapid Response Collection. Intended to exhibit modern art and design, it offers a far cry from the initial collection of the museum, comprised largely from the 1851 Great Exhibition. The Rapid Response Collection prides itself on two key aspects – the first, the extent to which it offers a reflection of contemporary art and design. The second – the transparency of curation, with each and every artefact acquired also put on display. This research is based on Pratt’s concept of the Contact Zone, a theory which suggests that the donor and exhibitor of an object occupy different parts of a power structure, applying the theory to the exhibition as a whole, the objects independently, and the online profile of the exhibition. The next focal point is Appadurai’s Social Life of Things, which suggests that objects have biographies independent to human entities. This is substantiated using a range of objects from the collection. Further to this, the impact of the curator is considered with regards to how an exhibition is curated through analysis of the work of O’Neill. This is supported with reference to my interview with Corinna Gardner, curator of the Rapid Response Collection from Sandell’s perspective on the space of Social Justice in Museums. The final chapters focus on the status of the audience, considering first the way in which different groups who are often excluded from the narrative find a space in the Rapid Response Collection. The final chapter looks to the Social Media Profile of the collection, utilising Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to support this. Overall, I note various successes of the collection, especially the representation of groups who are often excluded from the narrative, and the promising Social Media profile of the collection. I consider the way in which various changes, such as a renewed Social Media campaign, may increase the overall access and reputation of the collection.Show less
This master’s thesis focusses on fake objects within a museum context. Theoretical and practical methods are combined to create a complete overview of both proposed views on fake objects as well as...Show moreThis master’s thesis focusses on fake objects within a museum context. Theoretical and practical methods are combined to create a complete overview of both proposed views on fake objects as well as the practical ways fake objects are handled within museums in order to compare theory and practice. Theoretical research focusses on the way authenticity can be determined in archaeological objects, display methods of fake objects, and views on how fake objects should be handled. Practical research took place in the National Museum of Antiquities in the Netherlands, here curators and the director of the museum were interviewed about their stance on fake objects. Would a known inauthentic object be displayed in exhibitions? What prerequisites would a fake object have to meet to be displayed? What ways of determining authenticity take priority? Are fake objects handled in any way different from authentic objects? The museum database has been thoroughly searched for fake objects and whether or not they are mentioned to be fake at all, and in the case that they are, in which category of the database they are indicated to be fake. During research, it was discovered that the use of the database is mostly unstructured which means that the term fake might be in any category. As a result, it was possible to deduce where the employees of the museum thought it was best to mention the object was fake. Comparison between the database within the museum and the one open to the public from the website of the museum also provided insight into how much of this information is available to people outside of the museum. This thesis shows there are some fundamental differences between how authentic objects, and those objects that are seen as inauthentic are handled within the museum. First and foremost, within the database.Show less
