行動式電腦媒體在科學博物館教育的應用

Usage of Mobile Digital Media for Educational Programs in Science Museums

王明仁

《科技博物》 3卷2期 (1999/03) Pp. 14-23

摘要

二十一世紀是數位化的時代，先進的科技將電腦、媒體和衛星通訊等技術整合在一起，人類的活動幾乎都與電腦科技有關，中華衛星一號已發射升空，它將帶領我國相關產業邁入新紀元，同時數位化媒體將成為民眾探索知識的重要媒介。科學博物館兼具教育、展示、研究、蒐藏、休閒等功能，除了引進各種先進的多媒體劇場和提供可操作的動態展示以外，在教育活動規劃與教學資源研發方面也應朝著數位化的趨勢發展。行動式電腦媒體的應用就是諸多措施中的一項，目標是使博物館的教育資源「走」入人群，協助教育人員和觀眾產生新的互動。本文說明行動式電腦媒體在科學博物館教育的應用，期盼與博物館相關工作者分享。

並列摘要

The 21st century will be a digital era in which advanced technology will bring together computers, media tools, satellite information and other areas of technology so that seemingly every aspect of our lives will be computer-connected. Taiwan's Rocsat-1 was launched into orbit earlier this year, carrying many local industries into a new age in which digitized media will be a major interface in bringing knowledge and information to the people.
Science Museums have a wide variety of functions in education, exhibition, research, collection, entertainment and other areas, and in addition to introducing many kinds of advanced multimedia theaters and interactive exhibitions, in the area of planning educational programs and researching educational topics we are facing more digital trends in development, and the application of mobile digital media is one of these trends. Trends such as these allow the educational resources of National Museum of Natural History to 'walk' into the midst of crowds and open up new dimensions for interaction between education and visitors. Let's take a look at how these portable systems are used in the museum and the role they play in our activities.
What s Mobile Digital Media?
Mobile digital media systems select appropriate media units from educational media resources which are digitized for portability and then used in various places throughout the museum and even outside the museum. This can include outdoor educational programs, speeches and seminars, science demonstrations, training sessions and touring exhibits as well as other applications. The main aim in all this is to use these materials as widely and effectively as possible in educating the public.
A mobile digital media system will be made up of several components and software. The software will include digitized images, video clips, animation, music, speech, virtual reality, computer games and other types of computer files. These can be arranged to make multimedia reports, interactive multimedia programs, computer virtual reality software or multimedia web pages which can be written to programmable CD-ROMs, large-capacity hard drives or other media for easy processing and storage.
Cases of Application
Since the National Museum of Natural Science (NMNS) opened in 1986 its educational staffs have made many breakthroughs in dealing with educational resources and methods to provide museum visitors with a multidimensional, lively atmosphere for studying and learning. The Museum has offered a long series of educational programs and activities, some of which we will introduce here-in particular those related to mobile digital media.
Traveling Exhibits
The NMNS has sent teams to places such as the east coast of Taiwan, Penghu, Kingmen and other areas far from the museum to present exhibitions. Rental exhibitions are available to schools in a five-county areas of central Taiwan, and mobile digital media play a key role in many of these services.
Interactive Multimedia Programs
In 1991 the NMNS brought out its first touch-screen multimedia program titled 'Social Insects'. The success of this offering led the museum staff to work on other multimedia tools of this type, and they have used them in many computer programs and educational activities since that time.
Usage of Educational media for Astronomical Exhibition
The NMNS has incorporated astronomical studies as a part of its educational activities since 1995. During these four years the museum's staff has carried out programs such as an animations of the impact of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 into the atmosphere of Jupiter and how it would be disintegrated by the planet's tremendous gravitational field; they have put together a computerized model of a solar eclipse to explain how these phenomena occur for museum visitors; and they have presented a multimedia show introducing the Hubble Telescope and its capabilities.
Applications n Media to Promote Education
The NMNS has installed multimedia reporting equipment in areas such as the multi-purpose auditorium and the International Conference Hall. This gives educators and lecturers ready-to-use multimedia systems that eliminate the need to fumble with slides, transparencies and other materials and which are therefore also better for the environment.
Media for the Auditorium and Classroom
About half of the 18 auditoriums and classrooms in the NMNS are equipped with computers to control lighting, media systems, models and audience response buttons. This makes it easier to include new computer media technology in developing educational programs. These will include both traditional media as well as 3D computer digitized models in place of mechanical models to put a new face on education in the classroom.
Uses n Educational Training Media
The Children's Science Garden reopened in 1998 following extensive remodeling. One of the biggest changes is the addition of an 'Internet Corner' which provides a tremendous resource for digital media and internet exploration. In addition, the Friends of Science House also added internet facilities for educational materials such as 'Igneous Rocks'.
Conclusion
Mobile digital media are a key part of a museum's digital teaching tools. We have made good use of these in astronomy, physics, chemistry, math, botany, geology and anthropology virtually every area of the museum's operations. Our educational staffs are devising the best way to draw on the museum's experts in various fields as well as the main research sources that we have in order to make the best use of them both inside and outside the museum. Digitalization has proven to be a great help in our educational efforts and all of our museum activities.