Guide to Online Science Museums
With more and more museums giving access to their digitized collections, it is time to look at online science museums and how they can be used as educational tools.
To make sure that online museums are used efficiently, there are two criteria:
- the programs blend with educational experiences: students learn from the traditional aspects of teaching, alongside the technological activities
- the programs helps, but does not substitute the teacher in the teaching process: the overall success of online science museums is dependent on the teachers, not the quality or design
To determine how resources are being used by teachers, it is important to note the motivation for accessing multimedia resources, the setting, and the type of resource chosen.
In general, teachers use online resources for:
- museum/gallery visit planning
- lesson preparation- finding pictures, ideas and material to be used in teaching
- subject knowledge development
Therefore, online museum data also depends on how the teacher plans to use it:
- images - easy to browse and searchable
- video and audio clips - keep clips short (about 30 seconds), with a clear description of the content and a key question afterward
- quizzes, interactive games - have to be well designed for classroom use and appropriate for a lesson
- brief overview of a theme - if there is one or two images that can encapsulate a key idea, the teacher can present the material to the class
- detailed interpretations or stories - may be useful for lesson preparation and subject knowledge development
- lesson plans - for incorporation into existing lesson plans
- pre- and post-visit resources - maps, photos, short videos of galleries
These days, it is not uncommon to find a teacher browsing the Internet for a high quality image or program that can be incorporated into lessons.
Here are some of them:
- Nova Science Now – the producers teamed up with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to cover the latest developments and intriguing personalities in science. Each episode has multiple stories in TV magazine format. Over the Internet, these are available in streaming video segments and teacher’s guides with program overviews, viewing ideas and classroom activities.
- Secrets of the Dead- this introduces students to chemistry, forensics, physical sciences and life sciences through the exploration and investigation of old mysteries. There are also streaming video and interactive programs to enhance the lessons.
- Wired Science- gives teachers and students a chance to check out cutting-edge topics in science and technology.
Sources:
Leftwich, Mariruth and Bazley, Martin. “Pedagogy and Design: Understanding Teacher Use of On-line Museum Resources.” Retrieved November 5, 2009 from
http://www.archimuse.com/mw2009/papers/leftwich/leftwich.html
“Resources.” Retrieved November 5, 2009 from http://www.pbs.org/teachers/_files/pdf/PBS_Science-Tech_resources.pdf
Wetterlund, Kris. “How Do Teacher and Students Use Museum Web Sites? Part I.” Retrieved November 5, 2009 from http://www.museum-ed.org/component/option,com_jd-wp/Itemid,29/p,39/
(Published 23 November 2009, Smart Communications Inc.)
