ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Some lessons from Exploratorium might help - Sherry Hsi from there wrote a great chapter in the following book about their experiments with mobile technologies. To sum up her insights:
- Content should be socially-relevant, educational, and actively personal.
- Select technology that matches the physical context of use so it becomes seamless with the user experience (See also the work of Falk & Dierking - support the personal, social, physical contexts)
- Online messaging succeeds when the design makes explicit when messages are private or public. (Visitors are confused & concerned about privacy in this area - interesting solution Explo. came up with was to create a kind of mobile-based social network for explainers, to help them answer visitors' questions)
- Design multimedia content to be compelling enough to provoke users try new things with exhibits, even in a setting that competes for social and physical attention.
- Designing personalization in technology can be a powerful lure, prompting people to try a physical exhibit and to check out media after heading home. So for example letting them take pictures of themselves using an exhibit, etc
- Using cutting-edge technology creates overhead for the experience. The age-old issue - visitors spend more time figuring out a new device than engaging with museum content. Thus, better to let them use their own devices if possible...
- While handhelds are good at content delivery, user-generated information on handhelds is more socially-relevant and interesting. (Hopefully this is obvious by now!)
- Create designs that encourage and promote broad participation from different audiences.
Hope that helps.
Oh, the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Technologies-Museum-Experience-Handheld/dp/0759111219/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243922378&sr=8-1
(Sorry, not to promote my own work, just Sherry's!)
On 4 Oct 2011, at 21:02, Paul Siboroski wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> Thanks to everyone who has responded to my query. Obviously it's an area of keen interest.
>
> To clarify, my interest is in how to utilize apps in a hands-on museum setting (specifically a science museum) in which we are also asking visitors to actively/physically engage in exhibits. Currently developed apps for the most part in museums are being used as a high tech variation of the "audio tour".
>
> Are there ways in which the app can be used in conjunction or layered on top of hands-on exhibits but not in competition with or divorced from them?
>
> That is my conundrum. : )
>
> Paul M Siboroski
> Exhibits Director
> Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
> San Diego California
> Phone: 619.685.5742
> FAX: 619.685.5771
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Informal Science Education Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul Siboroski
> Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2011 11:52 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: phone apps
>
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> Are any institutions developing phone apps to deliver educational or exhibit related content?
>
> If not, are there any specific areas you see potentially benefiting from the use of apps?
>
> Thanks!!
>
>
> Paul M Siboroski
> Exhibits Director
> Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
> San Diego California
> Phone: 619.685.5742
> FAX: 619.685.5771
>
> ***********************************************************************
> 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.
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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. To learn more, visit
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