Virtual Visits with the New York Hall of Science

I am a day removed from a horrendous travel day back from the Atlanta NECC 2007 conference so my brain is again beginning to function properly. This was my first experience as a member of the ISTE SIG IVC and it was overwhelmingly positive!

I was a presenter in the “Speed Networking: Rapid Fire Presentations.” This is where 15 presenters had two minutes to discuss their programs/projects and other success stories. I loved this format. We got to hear a large variety of different work, the time limits kept it lively, and the presenters really had to focus on salient points. I was impressed with all of the presenters and it excited me that I was a part of these talented practitioners! Janine Lim posted a list of the projects and presenters.

For me one of the most exciting outcomes of the forum came when we broke into committee groups. I joined the communications committee and we discussed creating a SIG IVC wiki. This is a fabulous idea that I feel could really strengthen and grow the IVC community. I have had significant success incorporating wikis into my work and the fluidity and simplicity of the technology is exciting. I am breathlessly awaiting the new SIG IVC wiki!

Janine Lim has created and posted a great printable list of VC providers. What a great resource! Thanks Janine.

I am thinking big for my role as “Supervisor of Distance Learning programs”. My primary responsibility is to get our 21st century version of Virtual Visits launched, running, and self-sustaining. This is a quite a task and this blog will be the public face for these endeavors both as a way to publicize our programs and to chronicle the learning vision quest for both ourselves and our students.

But this blog is also an experimentation in the world of Read/Write slash web 2.0 slash social web tools slash killer apps that could take the mission/s of the New York Hall of Science beyond our brick & mortar boundaries and create learning spaces out here in the virtual frontier.

How can I use this space to help invent and invigorate our programs, to grow ideas and highlight the impact we can have on our audience? As my understandings develop about these exciting new technologies can be used and taught I hope to begin weaving them into our Virtual Visits to create a multi-platform learning experiences that sparks curiosity, continues engagement and inspires student work.

It is my belief that museums, science centers, zoos, cultural centers and other free choice educational spaces have a place augmenting our schools, especially when in so many of the schools the pressures and demands on the day are increasing. Why can’t the New York Hall of Science be in classrooms all over the country (or world) as a resource whether it be teaching via videoconferencing, moderating message boards, recording podcasts, publishing blogs or integrating of all these tools and concepts.

So as the Virtual Visits Team embarks on our mission and records our progress via this blog we hope to expand the possibilities of “Distance Learning” and make the NYHOS a relevant learning center to eager minds in Queens, or Indiana, or Alaska, or Australia, or Kenya…AND Beyond!

We are excited and we hope you out there will be as well!!