Today, The Tech Museum president, Dr. Peter Friess, officialy opened the exhibition “The Tech Challenge Gallrey”. This exhibition shows to new visitors, more than forty totally interactive experiments prepared, narrated and explained by other visitors: boys and girls that have collaborated in this gallery explaining experiments on video.
This exhibition has been and is a learning process for all. On the one hand, kids close to the Tech Museum have learned by getting involved in the exhibition creation process itself. They also have discovered fundamental laws of physics related to light, mechanics, fluids and then have been able to explain them in their own words in a simple, funny and engaging language. They are the protagonists of it all. They appear on a video seen on a flat screen device behind an actual physical experiment that can be use in the gallery.
On the other hand, the Tech Museum professionals have been able to learn more things by sharing with this true protagonists of the museum and they have been able to share this experience with this special visitors. The President of the Tech Museum said that there is no better way to measure the impact of the Museum than to see how this kids are explaining scientific laws and experiments. It is a way of measuring not so much related to quantities of visitor but to the quality of their learning.
Finally, other new visitors will be able to experiment and understand science thanks to the videos recorded by other previous visitors: the girls and boys we have alreadya mentioned. Everyone, eventually could become the start of the “Tech Challenge Gallery”, because this is a process that is alive and well and will be kept going by all people involve, staff and visitors alike.
The Tech Museum will create a new lab, where boys and girls will be able to shoot their own videos explaining what they have learned while performing experiments and other activities in the center.
This exhibition, however, is not only for kids. Adults can also enjoy it. The Expolab Team (Irene Lapuente and Ramon Sangüesa) have been there too and enjoyed playing with wheel gears, peg tops and prisms. We think that this kind of initiatives help not just to bring science close to people but also let the younger ones appropriate by science themselves. Congratuilations to the Tech!
]]>The day started with a meeting and it went on with lively discussions around virtual worlds and users communities, and [...]]]>
The day started with a meeting and it went on with lively discussions around virtual worlds and users communities, and we attended an interview with the Montclair University in Second Life.
Bob Ketner and Rob Stephenson welcomed us wonderfully. Here are the first pictures of this trip. Of course, they are a bit special… This entry started with a panoramic view of the four of us and it finishes with a polar view. They are the result of a module created by one of the participants of one of the competitions organized by the Tech Virtual in Second Life to develop exhibits.
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The Tech Virtual Museum Workshop has been awarded with the annual international Linden Prize 2010, a virtual space in which Expolab Citilab has made innovative contributions highly valued by both the San Jose museum itself [...]]]>
The Tech Virtual Museum Workshop has been awarded with the annual international Linden Prize 2010, a virtual space in which Expolab Citilab has made innovative contributions highly valued by both the San Jose museum itself and the organizers of the competition. The award is promoted by Linden Lab, creators of Second Life virtual world. The award was created by Linden Lab, the founders of the virtual world Second Life. The competition was tough, and Tech’s proposal was chosen from over 130 different projects. The award recognizes residents of Second Life or teams with $ 10.000 for innovative projects within Second Life to improve the way they work, learn and communicate in their everyday lives outside of this virtual world.
A more participatory exhibition spaces
The project Expolab has collaborated closely with the Tech Virtual Museum by creating a new concept of participatory exhibition where designers around the world have submitted prototypes that will become a corporeal exhibition in Citilab. The best projects were chosen on April the 8th by public voting online and offline (114 votes), both in our country and tin he USA with few hours difference.
These contributions have surprised the jury and have contributed in favor of the Tech proposals. Expolab was the first of its virtual workshops open to the participation of the all the cubes which made up the exhibition (and not just a single module, as before) and, moreover, that the winning projects were chosen by an open poll, instead of being chosen by a selected committee.
At the moment, we have already chosen the contents collectively through workshops and meetings with more than 60 people, co-created modules exhibition in Second Life with contributions from people of all ages and regions of the world, chosen the most popular modules by voting online and offline, worked on the final design,. So now we have to start building and transfering to the physical world, this exhibition that has been created in the virtual world with the participation of people worldwide. It is time to start thinking about how to co-create workshops and tours for visitors who will develope the activities they want and need to enjoy this exhibition.
Institutional recognition
However, this is not the only news related to Expolab. These days we know that this project has been selected for the meet program grants from the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), among more than 2.000 nominations. Good news, wich certainly will encourage this project and consolidate and develop new ones in the field of science and technology communication.
This is an idea of the how the seven modules will look:
From now on we will start the construction work, and finally, we will see how the contribution of many people is embodied in a physical exhibition!
However, do not think that participation has come to an end, there are still many stages where we need ideas, requests, suggestions of all the people who are following this project. We will let you know all the activities we are planning in order to develope activities, courses and events around this exhibition as soon as we know the dates…
The opening day is getting closer and that makes us be very exited… At the moment, we can celebrate that we have a final design!
]]>We went through the process of inviting participants to reflect while doing. That is, to build their own prototypes of possible participatory projects in their institutions [...]]]>
We went through the process of inviting participants to reflect while doing. That is, to build their own prototypes of possible participatory projects in their institutions (or outside them) and start a design iteration that included role playing, scenario building and discussion.
It aims to put in evidence the power of screens in contemporary society. The screen as an interface that connects to the world. This is part of an online and offline exhibition revolving around different types of screens:
The exhibition will consist of a journey through a continuous screen. The pieces will be comissioned to video artists and artists in this field. Also, it will be open to people so that they can create materials to be integrated in the exhibition. Visitors to the site or internet users will be able to add personal interventions and build their own reflections on them. These will be linked thematically to the type of screen that corresponds to the reflection either because they are confronting the screen created by and artist or reinforcing it, the user contribution being an example of what is meant by the artist. It will also open a dynamic web platform that will receive content before the exhibition opening. At the same time, the exhibition raises the possibility that the contents can continue to evolve once the offline exhibition closes. The main screen in the physical space will portray images of the visitors/participants taken from different angles while they are still visiting, so that participants can reflect about privacy.
The goal is difussion, i.e., to generate public attraction and actual visits to an exhibition, and thus “build up brand” for the cultural center. We propose a contest that will be accompanied by traditional advertising as well as 2.0 campaigns on social networks, etc. It may invite uploading pictures or videos on YouTube, pieces of music, etc.. It will not require to use a specific artistic format. Users will be able to vote for the pieces. This voting can take place through the usual online communication channels. A jury or a similar institution will select the works presented, which will be eventually exhibited at an exhibition center. Different types of awards will be established . Also, the winners will be encouraged to participate in a workshop explaining their experience as well as the ideation and creation process of their piece.
The process would be as follows:
Some important aspects
A play that starts from scratch, based on an initial survey about what matters to people as spectators. That survey is organized from Twitter and Facebook asking for keywords that define the theme of the theatrical work. Interviews and surveys at street level are also used, specially for users who do not have Internet access or do not use it. In social networks questions are also posed and / or possible views with inputs such as news, photos, or other aesthetic props to stimulate response. It therefore seeks to cause feedback on the process while integrating new keywords. The seed keywords at the beginning are Twitter # hashtags used in networks close to the people that drive the initiative. After collecting data on the most interesting topics and contents an script outline of a play is made. The theatrical work is organized with co-writing partners, and it is presented in a real theatrical venue and broadcasted by videostreaming. It is open to decide if the performance can also be “open” in real time while acting (either in person by the viewers at the theater or via online channels). In order to publicize the work all the social capital generated during the creation of the outline and the co-creation of the script will be used. The feedback after the performance, personal assessments, etc. will be also collected and shared. The profile of users involved in the survey, as well as writers and actors, could allow people to get into the learning process or even act as “spontaneous” or amateurs. It can also be a valid project to recruit new talents.
It proposes as a training school based on online participation. It comprises three zones or areas: a virtual classroom with original content, an area used for dumping or recycling, and (most important) a methodology and tools for participation. Users of the project are teachers, promoters, students and companies (the latter are permitted to make case studies). The contents of the courses change every day, thanks to the contributions and participation of users. The key is finding the motivation to generate content among all, especially case studies in business. This virtual education is based on network profiles and thematic interests and portfolios and content generated by each user / participant. We propose also a section for trainers to post their content, but could also be students who do it Another key issue related to the project is to locate the information that should be categorized hierarchically and / or folksonomies. The repository should help sort reviews, teaching materials, examples, etc.. The challenge is that the contents are based on real case studies, to enable meaningful learning.
An open platform that serves to promote and relaunch an mountain hiking association which currently has a low activity. Reasons? Generation gap and a lack of knowledge sharing with new people who approach the association with the intention of joining as a member. The project tries to transcend the limitations of face to face meetups for outdoor hikes. It should have a bank of resources and tools as well as tutorials on hiking for beginners. It would also show how to take advantage of content based on the knowledge of the territory. The possibility of geolocating itineraries and, thus, enhance the sharing of routes, ideas and favorite locations is also envisaged
If you want to see more photos from this event, you will find them in Flickr!
]]>The structure was participatory, had the cooperation of all attendees, led to the co-design and strategies used … We could say that the workshop itself was itself an act 2.0 which also wanted to go beyond the 6 hours collective work, creating a working group on-line for further discussion and analysis of the hows, whys, whys who and participation.
The projects proposed by this group were the following:
The philosophy of the project is to influence the citizen to make him/her think and change his/her roles.
Example proposals of initiatives and processes:
Process:
• Generated / captured copyleft licensed works of artists
• It also on works created by the citizens themselves
• Many allowed formats: painting, sculpture, photography, video, etc.
• Works are exchanged bewteeen the “plain citizens” and the “artist” groups and each group works are given to the other group so that they can modify each other’s work in turns
• The results presented are virtual
• It also promotes reflection on the very concept of authorship.
• It raises the possibility that a third party could sell even with copyleft.
• The DJ as a metaphor for remixing and remaking content.
• The works can be changed both in person and online.
• It also promotes works that can go through different formats.
• It integrates the idea of holding regular meetings of intensive modification of the work.
The work is alive and in that sense never “completed”.
If you want to see more photos from this event, you will find them in Flickr!
]]>In six very intense [...]]]>
In six very intense hours, communication, media, and museum professionals, got a hint of what it takes to develop a full-fledged 2.0 participatory project. First, they were asked to imagine and prototype projects in a very short time. All of them had to include a greater or lesser degree of participation.
In general, the prototypes showed concern about participatory relationships with users. Most of these users were “artists”, although some participants in the workshop also opened participation to plain citizens.
Once the project prototypes were built using cardboard, plasticine, sticks and stickers, participants were divided into groups taking the roles of users or, alternatively, presenters of their projects. That gave people a taste of what it takes to be on the user’s shoes and to understand what they really want and what is their view when they are invited to participate.
The afternoon brought in more reflections about the projects: What was the best thing that could happen to a project? And what was the worst? How the worst scenario could be avoided and what other steps should be followed?
Finally a strong point was made by asking directly why people wanted to include participation in their projects? Which were their objectives as an institution and how it was going to get any benefit from a participatory approach? All these questions led to a strongdebate … that had to end for the time being at CCCB. However, it will continue online at the working group formed by all the people that took part in the four workshops of the series aobut 2.0 practices in cultural institutions.
Here are the project proposals that emerged during the first workshop:
If you want to see more photos from this event, you will find them in Flickr!
All photos copyright CCCB / Carlos Cazurro
]]>The second workshop, “2.0 Projects and practices in cultural institutions” organized by the Centre for Contemporary Culture (CCCB) and Citilab was held on April 28th in the Sala del Mirador at the CCCB. Again, a large number of participants got together to work and define six projects involving the participation of users.
Here are their proposals:
Project to be located in low transing areas: waiting areas, hubs, the global “non-places”.
It developds in three phases:
Example: the waiting-hall and passageway in Terminal 1 at Barcelona airport
It proposes three lines of action:
If you want to see more photos from this event, you will find them in Flickr!
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3 taller instituciones culturales 2.0
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]]>We show you some images of this process and we look forward to hearing from you!
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