museumsandtheweb.com - digital

Beyond Cool: Making Mobile Augmented Reality Work for Museum Education

smannion — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 02:43:30 +0000

MW2012

Shelley Mannion, Samsung Digital Discovery Centre at The British Museum, United Kingdom

http://www.britishmuseum.org/samsungcentre

Abstract

In fall 2010, the British Museum’s education team embarked on a multi-year plan to explore the potential of Augmented Reality (AR) in our galleries. We have since run four AR projects for young people, each of which focused on a different aspect of the technology. Our first project focused on revealing content on markers; the second on creating alternative views on the collection; the third on location-based AR for navigation; and the fourth on exhibiting virtual art in the galleries. These projects have both challenged and surprised us. Technical problems like the instability of compasses for positioning and poor 3G reception have challenged us to find workable solutions. Working with different age groups in formal and informal education settings led to discoveries about AR’s ability to delight and engage young learners and to teach fine motor skills. Shoestring budgets forced us to be creative and resourceful in our approach to mobile app development. Here, we share our experiences and lessons learned in integrating AR into museum and gallery learning programs.

Program Item Reference:

Beyond Cool: Making Mobile Augmented Reality Work for Museum Education

Digital Media In Everyday Life: A Snapshot of Devices, Behaviors, and Attitudes Part 1: Mobile Device Ownership

sbeasley — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 03:03:57 +0000

MW2012

Steven Beasley and Annie Conway, Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, USA

http://msichicago.org/digitallife

Abstract

Program Item Reference:

A Study of Digital Media, Tools, and Technology Use

Digital Public Library of America: Code, Metadata, Content, Tools and Services, and Community

Rich Cherry — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 20:33:10 +0000

MW2012

Keywords:

digital

Keywords:

library

Keywords:

public

Abstract:

The DPLA initiative (http://dp.la) is a broad-based, public-private effort to realize the untappedpotential of wide digital access to the information that we have traditionally collected and held inphysical formats in libraries. In its most ambitious future form, the DPLA will make the culturaland scientific record of humanity available, free of charge, to everyone in the United States andthe rest of the world. The project is currently engaged in a planning phase that will help defineneeds and specifications in several key areas: code, metadata, content, tools and services, andcommunity. Its work is guided by a Secretariat and Steering Committee, but most of the planningwill take place in the project’s workstreams, which are open to any interested member of thecommunity.
Our project introduction will briefly summarize the current activities of the DPLA and providean opportunity for comment and participation by members of the museum community. We’reespecially interested in hearing your ideas about how and why museums and their visitors mightbenefit from the work of the DPLA.

Type:

Other Interaction - describe in notes

Project Introduction: Digital Public Library of America

Site:

http://dp.la

Authors:

Susan Chun

Rachel Frick

Creating low-cost digital exhibits - making the most of what you've got

digitalopps — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:51:04 +0000

MW2012

Keywords:

interactive

Keywords:

museum

Keywords:

digital

Keywords:

low-cost multimedia

Keywords:

digital exhibits

Keywords:

development

Abstract:

IGOR (Interactive Galleries On Request) is a content development and deployment tool that enables museums to quickly and easily create four types of digital exhibit: touchscreen interactive, multi-video player, captioned slideshow and RSS viewer.

IGOR has been created with museums firmly in mind and is designed to enable museum staff to build their own exhibits, without recourse to expensive outsourcing. It brings digital exhibits within the reach of smaller museums - and allows larger museums to create simple, compelling exhibits for a fraction of the traditional cost, thus freeing up budgets for other, bigger, digital projects.

In this briefing, Digital Opportunities Director, Ian Smith - who has nearly 20 years experience in the heritage sector - will demonstrate how museums of all sizes can use IGOR to maximise their digital impact.

And for fun, Ian will use IGOR build a simple interactive from scratch in 15 minutes!

Type:

Exhibitor Briefing - discuss your product. Confirmed Exhibitors only

Creating low-cost digital exhibits - making the most of what you've got

Site:

http://www.digitalopps.co.uk/igor/

Authors:

Ian Smith

A Study of Digital Media, Tools, and Technology Use

sbeasley — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:58:04 +0000

MW2012

Published Paper:

Digital Media In Everyday Life: A Snapshot of Devices, Behaviors, and Attitudes Part 1: Mobile Device Ownership

Keywords:

audience research

Keywords:

digital

Keywords:

iPhone, iTouch, mobile phones

Keywords:

games

Keywords:

social engagement

Abstract:

If we build a mobile app, how many visitors will be able to access it on a smartphone? What platforms should we build it on? How does our audience behave in online and social networks, and how can we use that to engage specific user groups? What other digital media do youth and adults spend time with, and how should that inform the design of our digital initiatives?

In this discussion, the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago will present the results of its Digital Media In Everyday Life research initiative, a national study of youth and adults that MSI conducted to better understand its audience's relationship with digital media and technology. The results will cover current and projected trends in mobile device ownership, consumption of and behaviors with digital media in different demographic groups, how youth and adults are using social media differently, and how users feel about digital experiences in the lived environment.

Type:

Paper - in formal session

Tools for tapping into visitor behavior

Authors:

Steven Beasley

Annie Conway

Delivering mobile from the ground-up: exploring the approach

hughw — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:29:16 +0000

MW2012

Published Paper:

If mobile is the answer, what was the question?

Keywords:

mobile

Keywords:

digital

Keywords:

framework

Keywords:

evaluation

Keywords:

interpretation

Keywords:

access

Abstract:

The challenges of delivering a meaningful ‘mobile’ experience for an institution are not always technology-related. Securing cross-departmental stakeholder investment and ensuring alignment with the institution’s core mission have been key for National Museums Scotland and National Museum Wales in developing a framework for their mobile programme. This paper will explain how these organisations sought to overcome organisational challenges from the outset; pushing forward ideas and taking a common approach to planning mobile projects that can be adopted by other institutions.

National Museums Scotland and National Museum Wales have many similarities in their structure and set-up. Both operate a main base out of their respective capital cities (Edinburgh and Cardiff) and have a mix of specialist rural and urban-based museums. Since 2009 the proportion of online visitors from mobile devices has increased significantly for both organisations; taking this on board alongside in-gallery research and predicted market trends, both have begun developing a programme of mobile interpretation using the same user-focused approach.

For the National Museum Wales this is about making information accessible, as well as creating a link between historic buildings and collections in a rural setting at the National History Museum at St Fagans. For National Museums Scotland it’s about bringing new interpretation and innovation to the recently-reopened National Museum of Scotland. Importantly, neither approach has focused on technology in the first instance - workshop sessions have concentrated on getting the right people to take a balanced view of audience needs and create design briefs that tie closely to each organisation’s strategic objectives.

Both projects have their specific challenges and the session will explore what led them to take certain decisions, what the outcomes have been to date, the broader implications for developing mobile products in terms of cost and impact on the museum technical infrastructure, and the lessons they feel will benefit other museums looking to develop their own plans.

Type:

Paper - in formal session

Optimizing engagement

Authors:

Hugh Wallace

Dafydd James

Loic Tallon

The Transition to Online Scholarly Catalogues

nhoneysett — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:34:37 +0000

MW2011

Published Paper:

The Transition to Online Scholarly Catalogues

Keywords:

online

Keywords:

research

Keywords:

publication

Keywords:

digital

Keywords:

Catalogue

Keywords:

Abstract:

The scholarly catalogue has long been a critical part of a museum's mission, providing authoritative information about collection objects for scholars, students, and the general public. Often based on years of painstaking research and richly illustrated, print catalogues form one of the building blocks of art history. The catalogue's print form, however, is arguably the very component that prevents it from realizing even greater potential. High cost and relatively small print runs limit its accessibility, and printed books cannot easily change to reflect new acquisitions or new scholarly knowledge. While the online environment holds much promise for making collection catalogues more current, interactive, and widely available, museums still face significant financial and organizational challenges in making the transition online.

Funded by the Getty Foundation, this five-year initiative aims to explore the potential for scholarly collection catalogues in an online environment, determine the institutional resources needed, and support the creation of replicable models. Specifically, whether the online delivery of scholarly catalogues can:

Offer a more dynamic relationship between a catalogue's research, publication, and re-publication phases;
Directly link a wide array of primary and secondary resources to the record of a work of art, resources ranging from archival and conservation documentation to audio and video interviews;
Make greater use of comparative images, including the ability to zoom in on details or present three-dimensional views of sculptural objects.

Eight museums have received support: SFMOMA, AIC, Seattle Art Museum, the Tate, the Walker, LACMA, the Smithsonian, and the National Gallery and are now entering the implementation phase. A selection of institutions will present their findings and approaches to these challenging questions.

Type:

Paper - in formal session

e-Books and Museum Publishing

Site:

http://www.getty.edu/foundation/funding/access/current/online_cataloging.html

Authors:

Nik Honeysett