A guide to conversations about museums, technology, and education on Twitter.
musetech
DASER – Museums in the Digital Age
Talk/PresentationI was thrilled when I was asked to provide introductory remarks to this month’s DASER discussion on the topic of “Museums in the Digital Age.” DASER—D.C. Art Science Evening Rendezvous—is a monthly discussion forum about the intersection of art and science.)
ISO museum book clubs with online or social media components
Blog PostI’ve been on the hunt for museum book clubs. I’m particularly interested in programs that have some form of social media or online component to supplement and extend whatever is happening on-site at the museum.
Sneak Peek! New Media issue of Exhibitionist Journal
Published WritingEach jam-packed issue of Exhibitionist contains articles on exhibition development, theory and practice, book reviews, exhibition critiques, and nuts and bolts advice. The Fall 2013 issue will be of particular interest to you, dear readers, because it focuses on new media—how emerging technologies are making museums more mobile, personal, global, customized, compact, and widespread all at once. I contributed two pieces to the issue and I’m thrilled to share the otherwise-only-available-in-print articles with you here.
Storing, Charging, and Synching, oh my! Managing iPads in Museums
Blog PostToday’s post is a great example of how Twitter has changed (and vastly improved) my information gathering about technology projects. I recently put out a call for information about how museums are handling the various tasks associated with tablets—everything from where you store them securely to how you charge them and synch the content on all of them at the same time. I was also interested in reviews of iPad cases that incorporate a mechanism (e.g., strap or handle) for one-handed operation and for showing the screen to others (e.g., a small group of students in a gallery).
Opening Up Museum Studies with Social Media
Talk/PresentationHow can museum studies professors—and educators of all stripes—incorporate social media into their teaching? How does social media help us enhance learning and open up access to expertise? I was invited to give a brief presentation on this topic for COMPT (Committee on Museum Professional Training) at the AAM (American Alliance of Museums) 2013 annual meeting. My talk covered the social dimension of learning, how social media has changed museums and its audiences, and examples of social media tools being incorporated into the curriculum.
Highlights:
- Learning is social – Knowledge is socially constructed – Social media supports the learner
- 3 Cs of Social Learning: Consume, Communicate, Collaborate
- My favorite example of museum studies, social media, and social learning: musete.ch, which blends wikis, podcasting, and blogging to provide students direct experience talking to experts around the globe and the ability to share their work with the world through open access.
#musesocial: What’s the point of social media for museums?
Blog PostBefore we can measure social media success, we must first be able to answer the question: Why is social media important for museums and what are we hoping to achieve?
Top 6 Lessons from the 6th Museums & Mobile Conference
Blog PostToday’s Museums & Mobile event (the sixth in a series of online conferences) featured case studies from museums around the globe and some excellent food for thought. Here are my 6 key takeaways.
Engaging Visitors with Social Media
Talk/PresentationWhat outcomes are you hoping to achieve with social media?
Are your social media practices engaging online communities to their greatest potential?
How do you know if you are achieving your goals?
How can you take your social media initiatives to the next level?
These four key questions were explored during the “Engaging Visitors with Social Media” workshop I presented at the IMLS WebWise Conference (March 6, 2013).
Participants saw and heard about:
- Inspirational case studies from inside and outside the museum and library sectors
- Pursuing marketing, education, crowdsourcing, and advocacy goals through social media
- Organizational models for social media management
- Optimizing social content through data analysis
- Taking your efforts to the next level with a paid-earned-owned mix of activities
We discussed and brainstormed about:
- Defining the value and goals of social media for your organization
- Identifying desired outcomes
- Setting the right tone and voice for your organization
- Overcoming fear and risk-aversion
Hands-on activities helped us explore:
- How content goes viral
- Connecting social tools to organizational strategy and capabilities
- Determining which social media platforms are right for your target audiences and goals
Platforms covered included:
- Wikipedia
- Vine
Social Media Week ♥s Museums
Blog PostHave you ever been kicking around an important question or idea and wished that you could just bring all the smartest people you know together for a little while to hash out the answer and pick their brains? I have two big issues I’m been mulling over for a while now and my magic genie appeared in the form of an invite to join the advisory board for Social Media Week DC. All I had to do after that was click my heels three times, email favor requests to some of my amazing colleagues, and *poof* my wish will be coming true! (Yes, I know I’m mixing storylines and metaphors here but I’m just SO excited.)
While I’m being somewhat selfish in my selection of topics and speakers (I want those burning questions answered!), I think everyone working in museums and/or education is in for a treat with these two upcoming events. If you are in DC, I encourage you to attend these free sessions. If you are unable to participate in person, rest assured that we’ll be live-tweeting, Storify-ing, and blogging about what we learn!
Defining and measuring social media success in museums and arts organizations
Friday, February 22, 10:30-noon (stay for lunch!), National Museum of the American Indian
Register
Hashtag: #smwMuseSocial
Join social media practitioners from local museums and arts organizations for a lively discussion about the value of social media to our institutions. Are our current social media practices engaging online communities to their greatest potential? What outcomes are we hoping to achieve? And how can we better evaluate the success of our efforts and take our social media engagement to the next level?
Our panelists will:
*share recent research about how social media has transformed the arts in America
*present lightning talks on the social media outcome that matters most to them
*discuss your ideas, needs, and concerns
Come prepared to share your burning questions or big idea! Following the formal program, you are invited to buy your own lunch in the museum’s Mitsitam Cafe and take part in informal discussions in smaller groups.
Social studies: How educators are using social media
Thursday, February 21, 5-6:30pm, The Fridge DC
Register
Hashtag: #smwTeach
How are teachers using social media in the classroom? And how can your organization or museum best reach and support educators by providing relevant resources, facilitating social activities, and connecting them with your social content? Join us for a discussion of the rapidly evolving role of social media in teaching and professional development in the education sector. Speakers include a science teacher, the organizer for DC’s EdTech MeetUps, and a museum educator.
Other museum-related events during Social Media Week DC:
- Behind the Scenes Tweetup at Smithsonian’s National American History Museum, Tuesday, February 19, 1-4pm
- A Mobile Smithsonian, Wednesday, February 20, 3-5pm
Museum-related events during Social Media Week New York:
- Telling Stories with Scientists, Wednesday, February 20, 6:30-9:30
- ARTIFACTS: A Gathering of Innovators in the Arts & New Media, Wednesday, February 20, 8-11pm