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

Kit, You really should talk with Wayne Labar at Liberty, they ran an 
ASTC rap session on this subject last spring.
Beryl

>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>On a tangent, we have been wanting to use some form of iPod-like 
>technology to supply video and audio to accompany exhibits in place 
>of the headset/audio-only systems now in use in some settings.  Does 
>anyone have suggestions on technology that's available?  One thought 
>was the iPod, but that has plenty of disadvantages.
>
>Kit Klein
>
>---- Matthew White <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>=============
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>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://
>>  www.astc.org.
>>  To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
>>  message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
>>  [log in to unmask]
>
>***********************************************************************
>More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
>Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
>To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
>message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
>[log in to unmask]
>
>***********************************************************************
>More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
>Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
>To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
>message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
>[log in to unmask]


-- 
Beryl Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs
MIT Museum
265 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA  02139
Tel: 617-452-2111
Fax: 617-253-8994
[log in to unmask]
"A great place to explore ideas, invention, and innovation: 
http://web.mit.edu/museum"

***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]