Build Your Internet: An Exhibition to Foster Public Understanding and Participation

June 15th, 2002 - August 31st, 2005 | PROJECT

The Tech Museum of Innovation is producing a 3,000 square-foot permanent exhibition, complementary online acitivities, and a Design Challenge curriculum to engage visitors in the exploration of Internet techologies. The goals of the project are to enhance the technological literacy of middle school students, provide the general public with tools, experience, and confidence to participate in shaping the future of the internet, and advance the informal science education community through applied research in networked exhibit technology. Two distinct features of the exhibit are: 1) The Smart Museum, a computer network linking gallery and online expereinces, and 2) "dynamic content," a set of strategies for rapid exhibit updates that will mirror the changing Internet for the life of the exhibition. The Design Challenge curriculum will be used at the museum, in outreach to classrooms and community centers, and in training sessions for science educators. The summative research will be shared with the science education community via The Tech's web site as well as professional seminars, publications and conferences.

Project Website(s)

(no project website provided)

Project Products

Front-end Evaluation of Building Your Internet

Team Members

Peggy Monahan, Principal Investigator, Tech Museum of Innovation
Rachel Hellenga, Former Principal Investigator, Tech Museum of Innovation
Greg Brown, Co-Principal Investigator, Tech Museum of Innovation
Craig Baker, Co-Principal Investigator, Tech Museum of Innovation

Funders

Funding Source: NSF
Funding Program: ISE/AISL
Award Number: 0206399
Funding Amount: 981928

Tags

Audience: Educators | Teachers | General Public | Middle School Children (11-13) | Museum | ISE Professionals
Discipline: Computing and information science | Technology
Resource Type: Project Descriptions
Environment Type: Exhibitions | Media and Technology | Museum and Science Center Exhibits | Museum and Science Center Programs | Professional Development | Conferences | Networks | Professional Development and Workshops | Public Programs | Websites | Mobile Apps | Online Media