HR: 1330h
AN: ED32C-1228    [PDF]
TI: Developing Exhibit-based, Interactive Web Sites to Communicate Science
AU: * Dusenbery, P B
EM: dusenbery@colorado.edu
AF: Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301 United States
AU: Harold, J
EM: harold@colorado.edu
AF: Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301 United States
AB: New technologies are transforming the Web from a static medium to an interactive environment with tremendous potential for informal education and inquiry-based investigations. ASTC, the trade association of science museums, gave its 2000 innovation award to the Exploratorium's Web page rather than a physical exhibit. The increased power of the Web as an informal learning tool is partly the result of technologies (such as Java, Flash and Shockwave) that allow the development of inquiry-based, interactive experiences. Web site visitors can now "learn science by doing science." This report features two online projects funded by NSF and NASA: MarsQuest Online and the Space Weather Center. TERC, the Space Science Institute, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are developing MarsQuest Online, an interactive, exploration-based Web site that extends the reach and scope of the MarsQuest exhibit. The Space Weather Center Web site is based on the Space Weather Center exhibit that was developed in partnership with scientists and educators at NASA/GSFC. Both exhibits represent a tremendous, collaborative effort by scientists, educators, and designers to communicate the essentials of Mars science and space weather to the public. As such, the graphics, text, and story developed for the exhibits represent a valuable resource that will provide the framework and base content for the public site. Given that framework, the Web sites can then expand both the content and audience of the exhibits in key ways. In particular, the sites will 1) extend the reach of the exhibit by making it available online, 2) extend the scope of the exhibit, linking to the latest imagery and results from ground and space-based missions, and 3) provide support and follow-up for the exhibit education programs, while making materials available to more teachers, parents, and museum educators and docents.
UR: http://www.marsquestonline.org
DE: 6605 Education
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting