Concluding and looking forward

Using digital imaging to record a museum visit enables pupils to learn during the visit, provides a record of what they saw after the visit and gives further opportunities for follow-up learning back in school. Such benefits would apply to other educational visits as well. Of course, the museum will often have its own website, or may produce a CD-ROM which can be used in the same way, but whatever type of ICT is used it is important to remember that all of the ICT mentioned in this chapter is relatively easy to use. Although time would be required to learn how to use the hardware and software, such skills can subsequently be reinforced and extended in much the same way as the other skills that a child learns and develops during the primary phase. This is a sound investment of time and resources. Combination of these new technologies alongside the oldest and most traditional of scientific environments, by an imaginative and creative teacher, can access levels of learning previously unimaginable.

primary science teachers in the museums of the future? Mobile resources

So what opportunities will be available for exploitation by creative

appear to have considerable potential to enhance personalisation and interaction in the way that visitors learn from museums. Indeed, the functionality of PDAs, mobile phones and digital cameras are already beginning to overlap and mobile resources of the future are likely to have ever-increasing computing power, enabling fully functional interaction with the Internet and access to communication networks, on the move. The integration of ‘context-aware’ functionality in mobile devices, which provides information to users according to their location, is becoming increasingly visible in museums and other centres of ‘informal’ learning, enabling some personalisation and direction to a visitor’s learning experience and enhancing the exploitation of novel learning experiences such

NICK EASINGWOOD AND JOHN WILLIAMS

as augmented reality gaming (Naismith et al. 2004). The ability to interact and collaborate both with other visitors (such as classmates in the museum) and extended groups of learners across more and more extensive learning networks (such as classmates back at school, or with pupils from other schools) is also ripe for exploitation (Naismith et al. 2004; Chapter

10 in this volume). Pupils are also likely to see an increase in what are becoming known as tangible technologies, part of the ubiquitous computing vision (Weiser 1991) in which technology becomes part of the environment and within which inputs (which conventionally were made via a mouse or a keyboard) become more physical, and more closely tied to outputs. Examples could include augmented museum displays, in which a soundtrack is initiated by moving a hand over some text, or simply by moving towards an exhibit; or exhibits in which visitors can manipulate physical objects to have a digital effect, for example on a simulation (O’Malley and Stanton Fraser 2005).

This chapter began with a statement about the importance of first-hand scientific experience for all pupils. We have described in detail the benefits of digital imaging, and examined some of the opportunities provided by ICT in museum education, but perhaps we should now remind ourselves of the primary reason for a museum visit. It is by visiting museums that most children will have direct contact with science and with the science that has led to the technological advances associated with the rise of numerous civilisations. Museums have changed considerably over the years. Not so long ago they were just collections of artefacts, models and specimens. Indeed, we still remember the first ‘hands-on’ exhibits, which caused much excitement because for the first time children could actually work machines, or by pressing a button actually observe some biological processes in action. Since then we have had specially designed ecological galleries which show the specimens in their natural environment. Today, we even have a dinosaur that moves (but only from side to side) and makes sounds (which are rather unlikely to be authentic!). Although more and more museums have become far more engaging, the balance between learning and entertainment may still need refining, and the work of Stephenson and Sword (2004) makes clear the very great continuing potential for developing science activity and engagement in ‘traditional’ museums. In all cases, however, the way in which teachers and museum educators exploit ICT will be a key feature in getting that balance right.

Concluding and looking forward