The Blanton iTour

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The Blanton iTour

• An Interactive Handheld
• Museum Guide
• Pilot

Glenda Sims University of Texas at
Austin Information Technology Senior Systems
Analyst gsims_at_austin.utexas.edu
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Who Is Glenda Sims?

• Senior Systems Analyst on UT TeamWeb
• 15 Years Systems Analyst
• Areas of Expertise
• IT Consultant for Blanton Museum (1/2004-present)
• Accessibility (for people with disabilities)
• Usability
• Mobile Computing
• Project Management
• BA Psychology
• BBA Business Management

glendathegood.com
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UTopiautopia.utexas.edu

• The University
• is setting the goal of
• providing a
• digital knowledge gateway
• to all Texans.

We will provide access for every citizen, via a
personalized internet window, into the resources
of our libraries, collections, museums and much
more. UT President Larry Faulkner
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iTour Project Definition Feb 2003

• Pilot interactive Pocket PC museum guide to
  enhance the learning and overall museum
  experience for guests.
• four contemporary works of art (living artists)
• engaging and interactive content
• rich media - audio, video, text, creative play
• Pilot project research findings to inform future
  interpretive tools at the museum.

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iTour Project Objectives

• Define Project
• Art/Technology Research
• Formative Evaluation
• Storyboard
• Develop Content
• Develop Pocket PC Interface
• Design Evaluation Protocol
• Quality Usability Testing /Refinement
• Event Logistics
• Exhibition
• Evaluation

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Critical Path Diagram
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iTour Team

• Sponsors
• Dan Updegrove (VP IT)
• Jessie Otto Hite (Museum Director)
• Project Leaders Anne Manning Glenda Sims
• Museum Team
• Kelly Baum (Asst. Curator)
• Annette Carlozzi (Curator),
• Jenny Chowning (Grad Student),
• Kristina Elizondo (Manager University Programs)
• Anne Manning (Curator)
• Technical Team
• Andy Greer (Graphic Design, Videographer)
• Amanda Jeronimus (Videographer)
• Rolando Lopez (iTour Analyst, Sound Man)
• Kara Nicholas (Database, Quality Testing)
• Glenda Sims (Project Management, Usability)

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iTour Research Question

• Can handheld multi-media technology enhance
  visitor learning
• and satisfaction

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Synecdoche, Byron Kim
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Untitled (Hands/Stranger in the Village), Glenn
Ligon
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I Pray and then I Play in the Collective
Landscape, Jesse Amado
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By the River, Radcliffe Bailey
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Interpretive Principles

• Principles
• Focus on the Object
• Focus on the Learner
• Interactive, Personalized Learning

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MuseumEvaluation FindingsImplications
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What Did Visitors Learn?

• Please take a moment
• to write down
• two or three of the
• most important things
• you learned from the
• works of art
• you just viewed
• in Visualizing Identity.

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Quality of Learning Evaluation Scale

• A sophisticated description higher level
  analysis deeper reflection
• B thorough description/analysis
• C three to four facts low level analysis
  personal reflection
• D one to two basic facts/observations vague
• F little to no info on work/themes

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Quality of Learning
Please take a moment to write down two or three
of the most important things you learned from the
works of art you just viewed in Visualizing
Identity.

• A - sophisticated description higher level
  analysis deeper reflection
• B - more thorough description/analysis
• C - three to four facts low level analysis
  personal reflection
• D - one to two basic facts/observations vague
• F - little to no info on work/themes

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Quality of Learning

• Described works in more detail
• Deeper level of understanding and critical
  thinking
• More connections to their own history and
  background

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In Their Own Words

• Untitled (Hands) forced me to consider the
  special challenges that gay African-American men
  face.
• Being neither gay nor African-American,
• I felt like I glimpsed an entirely new cultural
  vista.

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In Their Own Words

• I considered my skin color alone
• (without the rest of me)
• as a complete representation
• of my identity,
• in a way
• I had never experienced before.

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In Their Own Words
What are we? Are we the same existence in our
perception as in others eyes?

• These questions resounded within me
• when I was viewing these works.

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Experience the Blanton iTour online
www.blantonmuseum.org/exhibitions_section/ past_
exhibitions.htmlidentity
Research Paper available online at
http//www.archimuse.com/mw2004/papers/manning/ma
nning.html