IMMERSIVE LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS

In this assignment, I read the charter for the JiED Libraries and Museums Technology Working Group. As indicated in the project charter, libraries and some museums are becoming obsolete due to advances in technology that have made information available in any place at any moment. People no longer need to go to a building and physically search for materials that contain information they require.  With the exception of those who haven't adopted technology, whether by age or by choice, people today don't need or want to go to a library for any purpose, whether it's reading for pleasure or gathering research information.

However, like anything else, progress comes with challenges. There is a void in user experience with using technology to gather information versus physically being in a library or museum.  Being in a physical environment provides a certain learning stimulation that is difficult to replicate on a computer. The physical space provides sensory experiences that contribute to the overall learning experience, as well as more opportunities for group participation and collaboration. Having said that, it is still possible to blend the experience by make use of technology within a physical library setting, as many people do now. Up until now, it has been the only way to have the best of both worlds and make the most out of available resources.

The goal of the Libraries and Museums Technology Working Group is to connect and enhance both experiences, but in a virtual setting. By changing the setting to a virtual environment, the possibilities for having new learning experiences are limitless. The LAM.TWG notes some scenarios where a virtual environment would be a practical application - the Smithsonian Latino center has a virtual world simulating the Chesapeake Bay Watershed that allows Latino students to interact with a virtual watershed in different ecological scenarios. An experience like this serves to provide a much more impressionable and effective learning experience than simply reading about the watershed online or looking at pictures.

All in all, it's clear that the LAM.TWG offers significant benefits over a traditional online learning experience. In certain cases, like a library setting, a virtual environment may even offer a significant learning experience advantage over the physical setting. This wouldn't necessarily apply to every learning situation, as there are always cases where a virtual environment will never offer more sensory experiences than the physical environment that it's mimicking. In any case, LAM.TWG is a very exciting prospect that has some clear benefits.

SOURCE: "Immersive Education Libraries and Museums Technology Working Group (LAM.TWG)" - http://jied.org/1/1/8/