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This thread has prompted a number of responses from me. Basically I  
think it is a mistake to think of Podcasts and related technology as  
discrete stand alone media that will soon go the way of the 8-Track.  
Instead think of it as the first (actually the 3rd or 4th) step in  
the evolution of personalized media delivery. Look at what many  
Universities are doing with iPods already in terms of educational  
media delivery (I thought I had a URL ready to go for a news article  
link, but can't find it. Google it for yourself.) Sure in five years  
the  term iPod could become obsolete or gericized out of  
meaningfulness, but the technology will evolve into something more  
elaborate and more useful that museums and science centers ignore at  
their peril. And yes, Apple is the largest delivery mode now, but  
they aren't the only ones and I can't see them holding this dominance  
for more than ten years anymore than Sony held onto their dominance  
with the Walkman.

As far as specific points:

1. I agree that not everything we do need be interactive for the  
reasons Eric mentions. Many science centers know this. Many science  
centers and museums sponsor lectures, TV shows and books. Not  
everyone wants inquiry based learning all the time. Does anyone? But  
that doesn't mean they can't be interactive SOME DAY. Think of the  
many interactive educational activities you have on your web site. I  
don't think it will be too long before you can down embed them into a  
Podcast and download into an iPod or similar device,maybe even one  
with a screen large enough for a whole classroom to see.

2. Not everything labeled "podcast" is only for iPods and therefore  
meets the earbud, lone enjoyment paradigm Eric describes. I have  
heard of no studies that track how people enjoy Pocasts and similar  
media, but anecdotally I know many people who enjoy iPod videos on  
their computers and TVs. As soon as last night's episode of "Lost" is  
posted I will download it and watch it and I don't even have a video  
iPod. I'll also likely watch it with my girlfriend on a computer. I  
also know of people, like my colleagues at work, who will gather  
around a computer and enjoy iPod based media a as a group. iTunes,  
the dominate computer software in this field, already has rudimentary  
features that encourage sharing of media (legally). Although iPods  
are enjoyed by-and-large in a solitary manner,  this technology does  
have potential for more social dimensions. Again, think of a  
classroom with a TV sized "iPod" that "subscribes" to a "podcast" of  
a science demonstration. No video distributor, no commercials, no  
buying media that needs storage. All we would have to do is post it  
on a website.  And there is no reason it can't be interactive or  
inquiry based in some fashion.

Oops! I gotta get to work.

Great topic!

Matt

On Mar 23, 2006, at 8:26 AM, WAYNE LABAR wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
> institutions.
> ********************************************************************** 
> *******
>
> Concerning this subject
>
> Here at Liberty Science Center are already working on launching the
> content that we supply guests on thie cell phones as a pod cast. That
> being being due to the issues with Apple's monopoly on getting content
> on an IPOD we are not concentrating  our efforts there.
>
> That being said I think that we should not underestimate the value  
> that
> audiences may find in having content outside our insitution.  Making
> podcasts less like a lecture an more like a science resource is a
> possiblity. The power of the IPOD is not that it is at the science
> center (certainly we should experiement with that use) but that it is
> used outside the science center. In fact content can be shared.
>
> I think that these devices allow us to possibly impact the largest  
> group
> of visitors we all have - nonvisitors. Looking at the news everyday we
> really need to reach them.
>
> Wayne
>
> Wayne J LaBar
> Vice President, Exhibitions and Theaters
> Liberty Science Center - Exhibits
> 285 West Side Avenue
> Suite 268
> Jersey City, NJ 07305
>
> voice: 201.451.0006 x-347
> fax: 201.451.7046
>
> ********************************************************************** 
> *
> More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
> Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http:// 
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