Videoconferencing
The judges said:
This videoconference entry features a no-holds barred autopsy video, mediated by an experienced coroner. The program is accompanied by a suite of forensic apparatus
and extensive Q&A, which leads the student through the mystery of deducing the cause of death. COSI Columbus has pulled together a remarkably powerful program
creating an extremely engaging and sobering experience on many fronts. Given the proliferation of forensic crime dramas on television, this entry makes for a
topic that is timely with content directly aligned to the science curriculum standards. As a Biology undergraduate, I would have 'killed' to witness a real
autopsy. The taped reactions of the students and their questions demonstrate a highly engaging experience.
The producers said:
COSI's In Depth: Autopsy program is the direct result of teachers asking for an experience that would truly engage students and teach anatomy. This program
is based on a real world situation that teaches anatomy, delivers strong health messages, and requires problem solving abilities. With the assistance of Dr. Larry
Tate, retired forensic pathologist, and Dr. Charles Hitchcock, at Ohio State University Department of Pathology, we were able to develop a program that follows the
procedure of an autopsy from planning through the gross autopsy, through histology and toxicology and finally to determining cause of death. This program also takes
advantage of high school students' current fascination with forensics. This program started with a great concept, a lot of strong ideas to support it and all the
help we needed. However, there was no body to film until the fourth month of the six month time line. That created some real challenges! But with great effort,
we launched on time and both teacher and student feedback has been extremely gratifying. This program put the COSI team to the test and we learned exactly how
important a strong, supportive team is when the time line is short and both audience and team expectations are high.
http://eyelevel.si.edu
The judges said:
Eye Level is a well-designed, engaging, informative blog site, providing the museum staff with a new outlet for connecting to their virtual visitors. Expanding
visitation virtually in this manner allows anyone to make comments and engage in the museum's content and collections. This is an excellent project in many
respects—it showcases the institution's work and enables the user to learn about art works and artists. At the same time, it provides behind-the-scenes
information about the museum and insights regarding how a museum operates. Engaging and lively on several levels, with good two-way interaction.
The producers said:
Eye Level is a blog produced by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The name Eye Level imparts a sense of clarity to which the blog aspires. The name refers to the
physical experience of viewing art, but it also plays on the many roles and perspectives that make a museum a reality--roles that will come into focus here. The title
also alludes to works from the museum's collection: to give one example, in the 1820s, it was fashionable to carry a miniature portrait of a lover's eyeball.
Using the museum's collection as a touchstone, the conversation at Eye Level is dedicated to American art and the ways in which the nation's art reflects its history
and culture. The discussion extends beyond the walls of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection to include other collections, exhibitions, and events. Eye
Level documents the extraordinary collaboration between curators, conservators, handlers, historians, enthusiasts, critics, exhibition and new media designers, and
of course bloggers that has motivated the past and present of American art history.
Producing a blog requires a high level of team work that touches departments across the museum. From developing story ideas to final publication we are learning how
to efficiently develop good quality posts in a timely manner. Eye Level is written and produced by a collaborative team at SAAM including: Kriston Capps, Writer (on
contract with New Media Initiatives); Joanna Champagne, Head, New Media Initiatives; Michael Edson, Chief, Information Technology Office; Tiffany Farrell, Editor,
Publications; Jeff Gates, Lead Producer, New Media Initiatives and Eye Level Managing Editor; Cassandra Good, New Media Content Producer; and Eleanor Harvey,
Chief Curator.
Interactive Podcasts
The judges said:
Artcasts are a monthly radio-broadcast style podcast. Professionally done and tightly scripted, they hit the mark with a combination of artist and performer
interviews, visitor comments, and timely collection and exhibition information. Using podcasting to explore visual arts represents a new application for arts
discussion, which is a completely appropriate way to reach the community and make interrelated connections between the various arts.
The producers said:
"SFMOMA Artcasts," serve as an audio art-zine for the Museum, extending the stories visible in the Museum galleries into the community through the Web and the
personal .mp3 player. Each podcast consists of several short features: "Voices from the Collection," archival audio of an artist discussing an artwork
currently on view; "Guest Take," music, poetry, or commentary composed and performed by a member of the local arts community in response to something seen
at the Museum; "Vox Pop," audience responses to an exhibition; and a bonus track "Exhibition Tour." We encourage people to bring their personal
players into the Museum for the last track, and offer a $2 discount on admission if they do. "SFMOMA Artcasts" are published on a 6-week cycle, co-produced
by SFMOMA and Antenna Audio.
Tips:
- There are better things to do with an iPod than a standard audio tour.
- Podcasts seem like they were made for distributing dialogue, injecting art ideas into the community, and bringing the community back to the Museum.
- Invite local musicians, poets, writers and artists to respond to the works on view, the better to multiply their meaning.
Videoconferencing Program
The judges said:
Through an engaging and thought-provoking videoconference, AMMA has created a powerful first person experience uniting today's youth with actual WWII survivors
through a largely unscripted dialogue. The power of videoconferencing is clearly demonstrated here, allowing participants to speak, first hand, to those who lived
through the attack on Pearl Harbor. Students read about the war in their text books, but this program represents a powerful primary resource.
The producers said:
In the picture, National Park Service divers follow an endangered green sea turtle across the deck of the sunken USS Arizona. Witness to History, a collaborative
videoconferencing program between the Arizona Memorial Museum Association, the National Park Service, and the US Navy, provides real-time opportunities for students
to learn about the divers' efforts at preservation, examine the ecology of Pearl Harbor, observe artifacts unavailable for public viewing, and even speak with a
Pearl Harbor Survivor. All are activities that meet the objective of the Witness to History program — to present multiple pathways for the consideration and
study of the events and repercussions of December 7, 1941. In developing the program, we have found that teachers appreciate our assistance in tailoring the program
towards the content and performance standards they must meet. Also, we have learned that arranging an event with a new partner can take as many as sixteen hours to
set a date, negotiate content, develop an agenda, and test the technology prior to a one hour videoconference. Working with repeat partners still entails an average
of four hours preparation. Nevertheless, the better the preparation, the more successful the event.
