Image courtesy of www.littlegreenblog.com
Below you'll find an introduction, description, and transcript of a podcast mentioned in previous posts (Websites/Mobile and Podcasts/RSS). I created this podcast for one of my graduate classes. In particular - this interview is pertinent to my previous post in which I discussed open-source apps and how they can facilitate accessibility in museums. We are still working on getting the actual podcast up...stay tuned!
(Please note: When Kim and I speak about NMAI, we should have said NMAH.)
Concept Statement: This podcast is the result of two
reasons: (one) the project was assigned
in my Museums and Technology class, and (two), I am also co-writing a blog,
www.museumtechnewbies.blogspot.com
with one of my classmates. We are investigating how emerging
technologies can help museums reach broader audiences. The explosion of technology and the evolution
of mobile devices, from smartphones to tablets, has really opened a lot of
doors for museums to reach audiences on the go—inside and outside of the
museum. But the question of
accessibility pops up when talking about these devices. Do they actually enhance users’
experiences? Can technology be used to
break down barriers to access for visitors, or does it create new ones? How do we ensure that tech is a turn on and
not a turn off? I’ve invited my
colleague Kim Skerritt to talk about these issues and share a particularly
positive example of how technology—in this case an open-sourced app—can provide
several different target audiences with better access to learning opportunities
in a variety of ways.
Goal(s): My goal for this project is to discuss
how technology, and in this specific instance, an open-source app, can provide
the public with greater access to institutions, collections, and learning
opportunities, as well as give them a voice in the dialogue.
Time
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Music
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SFX
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Narration
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00:00
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Podcast opening theme “Smile (or a Bit)”
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|
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00:03
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Podcast opening theme “Smile (or a Bit)”
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Crossfade music theme
with LF Narration and fade out music
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Begin Narration – LIZ
FORT (LF): This is Liz Fort, current GW MEP graduate student and public programs
intern at the National Postal Museum….
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00:08
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Podcast theme out
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Music theme faded out
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LF: My
goal for this project is to discuss how technology, and in this specific
instance, an open-source app, can provide the public with greater access to
institutions, collections, and learning opportunities, as well as give them a
voice in the dialogue…
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05:12
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Podcast closing theme “Smile (For a Bit)”
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Crossfade music theme
with LF Narration and fade in music
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LF: …It is clear from this example that open
source mobile technology has the power to improve accessibility as long as
institutions and creators are willing to engage and create with audiences and
not just for them. Many thanks to Kim
Skerritt, The National Postal Museum, and The Ed Lab Programs for making this
possible.
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05:29
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Podcast theme
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Music theme fades out
|
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05:34
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Podcast music out
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(faded out)
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Clip over!
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Podcast Transcript
1. Introduction: (LIZ talks…)
A.
Who is Liz?
a. This
is Liz Fort, current GW MEP graduate student and public programs intern at the
National Postal Museum.
B.
What is the goal of this podcast?
a. My
goal for this project is discuss how technology, and in this specific instance,
an open-source app, can provide the public with greater access to institutions,
collections, and learning opportunities, as well as give them a voice in the
dialogue with that institution.
C.
Who is my guest, Kim Skerritt?
a.
My
guest today is Kim Skerritt. Kim is the
Ed Lab Program Educator at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum's
EdLab.
2. Interview:
A.
Museums,
mobile, technology, user-generated content, accessibility:
a. LIZ: We
hear a lot today about this hot topic of technology in museums. The explosion of technology and the evolution
of mobile devices from smartphones to tablets has really opened a lot of doors
for museums to reach audiences on the go.
Mobile technology can enhance both an onsite and an offsite visit. But the question of accessibility pops up
when talking about these devices. Do they actually enhance users’
experiences? Can technology be used to
break down barriers to access for visitors, or does it create new ones? How do we ensure that tech is a turn on and
not a turn off? And that’s why I’ve
invited my colleague Kim Skerritt here today to talk about these issues and
share a particularly positive example of how technology can provide several
different target audiences with better access to learning opportunities in a
variety of ways.
B.
LIZ: What
is open-source anyway? And why is it
important?
a. KIM: Open source is really a
philosophy. It’s about having something
and being able to share it. Museums are
all about sharing what they have so I think that open source and museums fit
together pretty well.
C.
LIZ: And
when we say “accessibility” what is it that we mean by that?
a. LIZ: I think a lot of times when we say
“accessibility” we tend to think about wheelchairs and the visually
impaired. But that’s not what we mean by
“accessibility” in this case.
b. KIM: Accessibility in today’s
world—where we have all of this technology—we can really broaden that
definition to mean so many other things.
c. LIZ: Let’s talk about an example of how a museum
is using that open source technology to make art more accessible
D.
Example,
Version 1 – SCAPES
a.
LIZ: The
project is called “SCAPES,” and it was created by Halsey Burgund – a musician
and sound artist who lives and works in Massachusetts. Burgund’s project provides participants with
an active role in content. He uses an
open source platform, GPS technology, and interactivity to create musical
scores from participants' spoken words that continuously evolve in real-time. SCAPES
is a participatory sound art installation which 'inhabits' the entire sculpture
park at the
deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. Contributions to the piece are made using a
custom app which allows participants to tag any location in the park with their
own recordings which are then immediately incorporated into the piece.
E.
SCAPES and
Accessibility…
a. LIZ: How
accessible was SCAPES and what did it offer participants?
b. KIM: Experiencing
the app personally, I found that there were, you know, children – probably five
years old and younger – that were getting engaged with this. People who weren’t interested in modern art
were actually able to engage with art in a new way.
c. LIZ: In terms of accessibility, anyone could use
it – even a five year old as we just heard Kim say. It was also free – you didn’t have to buy it
on the iTunes store. Additionally, if
you did not have your own smartphone device, you could borrow one from the
museum for free.
a. LIZ: But that’s not the end of this app’s
story. Instead it is being reincarnated
for different uses at other institutions.
Kim, how did that come to be?
b. KIM: When Halsey was brought on as an
artist in residence at the Smithsonian he spent four months here over the past
year. While he was here, people at
different units found out about work and thought, what a great opportunity to
be able to recycle, repackage the work that he’s already done. So one great example of what’s happened is
SITES (Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibits Unit), has taken the app and
created one that is called “Stories from Main Street” that goes around with
their traveling exhibits all over the nation and has used this same sort of
audio technology to record stories, recipes, anything that people want to
share.
c. LIZ: What a great example of how people all over
the country – even if they can’t come to DC – can share their experience in an
easy way, they just talk about it. It’s
really a way for all of us to archive the gems of the American Experience.
G.
Reincarnation…Version
3 - NMAI (Should have said NMAH)
a. LIZ: So Kim,
what about a third repackaging of this amazing app?
b. KIM: Well
I’ve heard whisperings of the app actually being repackaged again at the
American Indian Museum (NMAI). [Actually, National Museum of American History]
c. LIZ:
This same open source app will allow visitors and staff at NMAI to
record their thoughts about the collections and share them with anyone who uses
the free app. It’s basically the cell
audio tour – reinvented. This time with
many more voices included in the dialogue, from curators, educators to exhibit
designers, and even NMAI’s visitors.
Unlike traditional, authoritative and static audio tours, this tour,
like Halsey Bergund’s original SCAPES project, will be dynamic and
ever-evolving as new voices join the dialogue.
Additionally, this free app will be available to all visitors, not just
the blind or visually impaired.
Hopefully it will even be available to online visitors too – bringing
the accessibility level of NMAI’s collections to a whole new level.
3. Closure:
A. Conclusion:
a. LIZ: As we can see from these projects, open
source apps are a wonderful way to share collections and foster dialogue with
broader audiences – improving accessibility at three different
institutions. The simple open source
platform created by Halsey Bergund enabled this technology to reincarnate three
times so far with limitless possibilities for the future. It’s clear from this example that open source
mobile technology has the power to improve accessibility as long as
institutions and creators are willing to engage and create with audiences and not just for
them.
B. Thanks:
a. LIZ: Many thanks to Kim Skerritt, the National
Postal Museum, and the Ed Lab Program for making this possible.
