ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

Hi Jeff

 Let me rephrase my questions ! :-)

Does anyone use a laser installation or a laser harp to foster informal 
learning about laser science, mathematics or music, as props for learning ?
Or is your laser harp or laser installation designed to mainly be for play? 
:-)

Actually what I was thinking of  was to have a actual laser harp paired up 
with an horizontal interactive laser display, with moveable mirrors and 
prisms. The mirrors and prisms would be used to split and re-direct the 
lasers to hit different and /or multiple optic sensors. These sensor would 
be set to be activated in the 'normal' setting, where the laser beams 
hitting the sensors would trigger the sounds, music, or projected visual 
images. This is the opposite of the 'inverse' setting for the sensors used 
in a framed laser harp, where interrupting the laser beam triggers the music 
or visual projection event.

So this horizontal set-up could offer informal learning in how lasers 
interact with optics, with perhaps some visual images, or a model of a 
magnified laser, showing how they work.

A laser harp could also act as an engaging prop for learning about musical 
scales, and the timing of musical intervals, as well as the connection 
between projected images and the sounds that go with them. ( For example the 
sounds of the instruments of the orchestra, and video or still pictures of 
those instruments. In the software I use, up to 60 events can be programmed 
for each laser beam, and the software can respond up to 70 times per second, 
which is great for drum-kit sounds ! :-) Or for the connection of video or 
still images of animals in nature, paired with the sounds they make.

The software I use has many 'songs', pre-programmed as interactive games, 
that can be used to foster informal learning about music and other subjects 
that are both audio and visual.. And additional ones can be easily 
programmed and added to the system. There are 4 buttons available that can 
have whatever number of pre-programmed interactive media events one desires 
to be available to visitors, for them to scroll through and play with..

Jeff, thank you sincerely for the feedback on my use of certain terms!:-) 
I will check out the ASTC website resource pages as well.  Come see me at my 
booth at the conference !

 Be well,  Glenn

Live your life in Joy, and follow your Bliss !

Glenn Hill

Mountain Glen Harps LLC
LaserHarps.com

809 W. First Street, Phoenix Oregon, 97535
541-535-7700  Fax: 541-535-5657

skype:  glenn.j.hill

www.mountainglenharps.com  www.laserharps.com

My blog: http://thecustomharpbuilder.blogspot.com/





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Courtman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 10:58 AM
Subject: Re: Question about laser harp exhibits , do you use yours to teach 
laser or music science?


> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related 
> institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> Ok, I'll bite (Joe R - you owe me one), knowing I'll likely incur the 
> wrath of some other colleagues.....In a science center setting, on  the 
> exhibit floor, I don't look to 'teach' anything.....1.  Given the  usual 
> short time interval most people spend at an exhibit, doesn't  allow for 
> teaching.  2.  Schools are the place, good and bad, where  teaching 
> science occurs.  Science centers and other informal  institutions are 
> better equipped to foster informal learning.  Huge  difference. 3.  The 
> mathematics of music and sound is just way too  big a topic to consider 
> containing in a single exhibit element  (That's not to say that the 
> curious or more well informed visitor  can't find all kinds of stuff in 
> such an exhibit to think about).
>
> I loathe the use of the words teach and entertain in the same 
> sentence....sorry..... Play, engagement, props for learning, etc.,  are 
> the kind of  words and phrases some of us in the field are more 
> comfortable with....execept of course when we are trying to sell 
> something, and then we all have to use the "T" and "E" words...
>
> Glenn, I'm not saying you are wrong - that's one of the things I love 
> about this field - we all come from it in varying ways; just giving  you 
> something else to think about.....If you want to learn more, I  highly 
> commend the astc web site's resource page.  There are really  good 
> article's to be found there, as well as links to other  repositories of 
> articles, essays, etc....
>
> As an art teacher of mine used to be fond of saying, "Don't try and  tell 
> the history of art in one piece."
>
>
>
> On Jul 2, 2009, at 11:19 AM, Glenn J. Hill wrote:
>
>> *This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate (tm) 
>> Pro*
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology 
>> Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related 
>> institutions.
>> ********************************************************************** 
>> *******
>>
>> Hello everyone ! :-)
>>
>> I was interested in how laser harp exhibits are used in various  museums 
>> to teach about laser and music ?
>>
>> I am a new member of ASTC , Glenn Hill, of LaserHarps.com,  designing and 
>> building custom laser harps for Children's Hospitals  and Museums. I will 
>> be showing one of my harps at the ASTC  conference, along with my British 
>> partner OptiMusic.
>>
>> My general question has to do with how these harps are being  utilized to 
>> teach science, as well as to provide entertainment ?
>>
>> I was wondering if anyone has built their own , in-house, and also  if 
>> anyone has one installed in such a way to teach laser science?   And do 
>> you also use one to teach about the mathematics of music and  sound 
>> frequency/intervals?  Or about how midi and music computer  software 
>> function?
>>
>> Thanks !  Glenn
>> ********************************************************************** *
>> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers  and 
>> the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
>>
>> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at 
>> www.exhibitfiles.org.
>>
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>
> ***********************************************************************
> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and 
> the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
>
> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at 
> www.exhibitfiles.org.
>
> The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. 
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Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

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