Technology, Interpretation, and Education 2010

The Learning Institute will broadcast two days of the American Association of Museum’s online Technology, Interpretation and Education conference. Register to drop in or attend all of the conference that will explore current technology trends and practices in museum education, interpretation, exhibition, public programs, and outreach. Cost: $20 per day, $35 for both days, and $50 for up to 5 participants from a single institution to attend any sessions across both days.

Schedule of Events
Join your colleagues in Balboa Park to view this online conference together. Each day will start with an early morning (we’ll have coffee!) plenary session, followed by multiple 50-minute formal sessions, and multiple 20-minute informal “spotlights.” Each day will end with a 30-minute recap and discussion facilitated by the Balboa Park Learning Institute staff.

Low Cost Great Value!
$20 per day, $35 for both days, and $50 for up to 5 participants from a single institution to attend any or all sessions across both days. Payment is accepted in cash or checks payable to the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership.

Note: Individual registration for this conference with AAM costs $145; the group rate is $175.

Registration
Please register to attend by Friday, June 18, 2010. To register, email your name, title and organization to learning@bpcp.org.

Refreshments
Coffee and light refreshments will be provided. Please feel free to bring your own lunch.

AGENDA

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2010

Welcome and Plenary Session
Doing “Stuff That Matters”
7:00 to 7:55 a.m.
With an eye on the economic climate, this session will explore how to use limited resources strategically to create the most meaningful experiences for museum visitors.

• Learn how to do less with less, but do “stuff that matters” (strategically)
• Discuss technology as a audience-centered means to an end, not an end in itself

Presenters: Nik Honeysett, Head of Administration, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA; and Nancy Proctor, Chief of Mobile Strategy, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC

Session 1
Immerse Yourself: What We’ve Learned About Immersive Multimedia
8:00 – 8:50 a.m.
The Minnesota Historical Society has produced a number of immersive multimedia shows, including Homeplace Minnesota; Flour Tower; and This Must Be Hell, the C-47 Plane Experience. Join us for a lively discussion with their exhibits team about what they’ve learned over the years.

• Discover how immersive multimedia experiences enhance over-all visitor experience and aid in interpretive and educational goals of the organization
• Learn storytelling techniques that facilitate a compelling and educational visitor experience
• Discuss lessons learned (successes and mistakes!) from immersive media projects

Presenters: Daniel Spock, Director, History Center Museum; Jesse Heinzen, Multimedia Producer; and Dan Beck, Multimedia Developer, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, MN.

Spotlight
Beyond Digitization: Using Web-Based Historical Documents to Promote Critical Thinking
9:00 to 9:20 a.m.
Tories, Timid, or True Blue? (TTTB) is an online hypermedia program that embeds documents from Old North Church’s archival collection in interactive modules to teach students how historical information is gathered, organized, and interpreted. For more information, please visit: http://www.oldnorth.org/schoolprograms/tories/

• Expand understanding of teaching/learning possibilities using digitized documents in web- based contexts
• Explore the pedagogy, technology, and evaluation results of the TTTB program by the Old North Foundation of Boston

Presenters: Elisabeth Nevins, Principal, Seed Education Consulting, Malden, MA; Christine Baron, Principal, Baron Consulting, Beverly, MA; and Whitney Trettien, PhD Candidate, Duke University, Durham, NC.

Session 2
Digital Media: Making Collections Accessible to People with a Disability
9:30 – 10:20 a.m.
Digital media are transforming the ways visitors engage with museums, yet very few museums use the web and digital media to present and interpret collections in accessible ways for disabled people. Join leading European champions for accessible cultural websites and digital media in a discussion of current strategies, standards, and best practices. For more information, please visit: http://www.jodiawards.org.uk/home

• Identify opportunities for using the web and digital media to present and interpret collections in accessible ways
• Explore best practices through case studies that include a broad definition of accessibility
• Discover how to make accessibility integral to the whole project and avoid creating unnecessary barriers
• Examine international, US, and UK policies regarding accessibility for both in-person and virtual visitor experiences

Presenters: Marcus Weisen, Director, Jodi Mattes Trust for Accessible Digital Media, Le Cheylard, France; Matthew Cock, Head of the Web, The British Museum, London, UK; and Helen Petrie, Head of Human Computer Interaction Research Group, University of York, Heslington, UK.

BREAK: 10:20 – 11:00 a.m.

Session 3
Teens and Technology: Remixing the Museum
11:00 to 11:50 a.m.
Discover how the Art Institute of Chicago has effectively incorporated technology in creative and meaningful ways into programs for teens, capitalized on these users’ knowledge and expertise, connected teens’ personal and academic lives more directly with the museum, and built strong communities of teen museum learners, both on-site and virtually. For more information, please visit: http://www.artic.edu/aic/education/teens/index.html

• Examine how technology can encourage personal responses to museum themes, connect art to teens’ lives, build communities, and allow teens to expand exploration of art and museums
• Discuss successes and challenges of programs and projects from start to finish, including drop-in programs, studio workshops, after-school programs, podcasts, animation films, and digital storytelling
• Review strategies, partnerships, technology requirements, software, and resources to design similar programs at your institution

Presenters: Hillary Cook, Teen and Museum Partnership Programs Coordinator; and Carolina Kaufman, Education Technology Manager, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL.

Spotlight
Augmented Reality for Interpretive and Experiential Learning
12:00 – 12:20 p.m.
The Franklin Institute staff will explore Augmented Reality (a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are augmented by virtual computer-generate imagery or data) as an emerging technology with the potential to change the way that visitors engage with exhibit devices. For more information, please visit: http://www.etc.cmu.edu/projects/ariel/AR.htm or http://computer.howstuffworks.com/augmented-reality.htm

• Discover the potential of Augmented Reality in museum education
• Explore the Augmented Reality for Interpretive and Experiential Learning (ARIEL) project at The Franklin Institute, including the open-source ARIEL Builder for exhibit developers

Presenters: Karen Elinich, Director, Educational Technology; and Steven Snyder, Vice President, Exhibits & Programs, The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA.

Session 4
Developing Tools for Visitor Participation
12:30 – 1:20 p.m.
Comment boards. Community co-created exhibitions. How can you design effective ways for visitors to become active participants in your institution? In this interactive dialogue, we'll focus on your particular goals, challenges, and questions about meaningful visitor participation.

• Discover low- and high-tech systems for incorporating visitors' creations, thoughts, and work into museums
• Discuss the specific educational benefits of visitor participation
• Address your particular roadblocks and explore creative ways to make participation possible at diverse institutions

Presenters: Nina Simon, Experience Designer, Museum 2.0, Santa Cruz, CA.

Recap and Discussion
1:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Join your colleagues for networking and a discussion about all that you learned during the online conference!

THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2010

Welcome and Plenary Session
Creating a Social Media Strategy
7:00 – 7:50 a.m.
Focusing on a case study from the USS Midway Museum, this session will discuss the pressure on museums to participate in various types of social media and how to create a social media strategy appropriate to your institution.

• Discover how to create a tailored social media plan appropriate to your audience, mission, goals, and resources
• Discuss key elements of creating a social media strategy
• Examine the value of social media for interpretation, education, and marketing

Presenters: Stephanie Weaver, Visitor Experience Consultant, Experienceology, San Diego, CA; and Vanessa Ruiz, Marketing Manger, USS Midway Museum, San Diego, CA.

Spotlight
What’s Happening at the National Museum of American History
8:00 – 8:20 a.m.
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History (NMAH) uses a wide variety of media and technology to enhance both their onsite and online educational offerings. Join NMAH staff as they explore the processes and lessons of projects, including an innovative history game in development. The “transmedia” game weaves together multiple media (such as online, email, mobile) and live- action and provides players opportunities to interact with others, with places, and with objects.

• Discuss existing models and emerging trends in gaming, technology, museums, and learning theory
• Explore the process of developing an transmedia learning game

Presenters: Carrie Kotcho, Education Technologist, New Media Program; and Dana Allen-Greil, New Media Project Manager, National Museum of American History, Washington, DC.

Session 5
Smarthistory: A Multimedia Collaboration at the Portland Art Museum
8:30 – 9:20 a.m.
Smarthistory.org is a free multi-media web-book designed as a dynamic enhancement (or even substitute) for the traditional art history textbook. This session explores a 2009 collaboration between Smarthistory.org and the Portland Art Museum that resulted in the production of 10-12 simple video and audio-based “conversations” about art in the museum’s permanent collection, strengthened relationships between curators and educators, and empowered content experts that became media producers. For more information, please visit: http://smarthistory.org/ or http://www.portlandartmuseum.org/education/display/kress-pilot-project

• Examine the collaborative process between Smarthistory.org and the Portland Art Museum as a sustainable model of media-based interpretation
• Discuss evaluations of the videos and lessons learned by both the museum and Smarthistory.org

Presenters: Dr. Steven Zucker, Co-Founder, Smarthistory.org, Pleasantville, NY; and Dr. Christina Olsen, Director of Education and Public Programs, Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR.

Spotlight
Podcasts at the Allen Memorial Art Museum
9:30 – 9:50 a.m.
As the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College began extensive renovations in 2009, their staff created a series of podcasts to supplement closed galleries and maintain interest during construction, as well as expand the narrative scope of interpretation. Join us as the team explores their process and lessons learned. For more information, please visit: http://www.oberlin.edu/amam/tech.htm

• Explore the process of starting and maintaining a podcast program with limited experience and resources
• Expand understanding of the uses and potential of museum podcasts

Presenters: Jason Trimmer, Curator of Education, Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH; Colette Crossman, Independent Scholar and Museum Professional, Washington, DC; and Alexandra Michel, Freelance Writer and Emerging Museum Professional, Washington, DC.

BREAK: 9:50 – 10:30

Spotlight
Using Interactive Videoconferencing to Bridge the Miles in Museum Education
10:30 – 10:50 a.m.
With the current economic climate, schools are searching for alternatives to traditional field trips to enhance their curriculum. Join the Mariners’ Museum staff to discuss the potential, process, and lessons learned of interactive videoconferencing. For more information, please visit: http://www.mariner.org/education/distance-learning

• Discuss the process and potential of interactive videoconferencing of The Mariners’ Museum’s interactive videoconferencing program for K-12 students
• Examine development, technical requirements, and promotion of programs

Presenters: Anne Marie Millar, Director of Education and Distance Learning Programs; Anna Gibson Holloway, Vice President of Museum Collections and Programs; and Marc Marsocci, Manager of Digital Media & Exhibit Technology, The Mariners’ Museum, Newport News, VA.

Session 6
Communicating Current Science: Evaluation of an Integrated Physical and Virtual Science News Exhibit
11:00 – 11:50 a.m.
The California Academy of Sciences’ Science in Action, an exhibit designed to engage the public with today’s science news, uses video and web components to enhance current news and research and physical exhibits. In this session, we’ll discuss how the evaluation process impacted exhibit content and evolution. For more information, please visit: http://www.calacademy.org/science/sia/

• Better understand how comprehensive evaluation of an exhibit can improve design, production, and visitor experiences
• Discover processes for engaging and collaborating with museum stakeholders and external partners to develop and implement integrated physical and virtual exhibits
• Discuss lessons learned, including structural design, video presentation, Web 2.0 utilization, and physical and virtual integration

Presenters: Scott Burg, Senior Researcher, Rockman Et Al, San Francisco, CA; Molly Reisman, Research Associate, Rockman Et Al, San Francisco, CA; and Ryan Watt, Director of Morrison Planetarium and Science Visualization, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA.

Spotlight
MoMA & Modern Teachers Online
12:00 – 12:20 p.m.
Born in 2006 as a repository for lesson plans and guides, MoMA’s Modern Teachers Online website is now being repurposed to better serve teachers (target audience), higher education instructors, and informal learners. Learn how current goals for the new site include growing an interactive community on the site, integration with social networking sites and the main MoMA site, and greater ease of browsing and discovering materials.

• Explore the process, goals, and lessons learned (so far) of redesigning the MoMA Modern Teachers website
• Discuss repurposing educational material for multiple audiences

Presenter: Dr. Beth Harris, Director of Digital Learning; Lisa Mazzola, Associate Educator, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY.

Session 7
IMLS, Museums and 21st Century Skills
12:30 - 1:20 p.m.
Employers and educators alike currently stress the need for greater competencies in 21st century skills, such as critical thinking, media literacy, and social and cross-cultural skills. Join program officers from Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to discuss their 2009 report, Museums, Libraries, and 21st Century Skills, and how museums are ideal locations to feature and enhance these crucial skills. For more information, please visit: http://www.imls.gov/pdf/21stCenturySkills.pdf

• Discover the recommendations and implications for museums in the IMLS report Museums, Libraries, and 21st Century Skills
• Expand understanding of the role of museums in 21st century education and communities

Presenters: Helen Wechsler, Senior Program Officer; and Tim Carrigan, Program Specialist, Institute for Museum and Library Services, Washington, DC.

Recap and Discussion
1:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Join your colleagues for networking and a discussion about all that you learned during the online conference!

This program is presented by the American Association of Museums in partnership with the AAM Committee on Education (EdCom), the AAM Media and Technology Committee (M&T), the National Association for Museum Exhibition (NAME), and LearningTimes.

The Balboa Park Cultural Partnership is the collaborative body and collective voice for 26 diverse arts, science and cultural institutions in Balboa Park. This program is brought to you by the Partnership’s Balboa Park Learning Institute in collaboration with the American Association of Museums and The Prado Restaurant. The Balboa Park Learning Institute is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture.