pre-raphaelites: an online resource
DESCRIPTION
Linda Spurdle's slides for a presentation as part of E-Learning: an overview with case studies at the Herbert Gallery, Coventry on 29 Oct 09TRANSCRIPT
Pre-Raphaelite Online Resource
Linda SpurdleBirmingham Museums & Art Gallery
Project BackgroundJISC digitisation funding "projects that will enable all users, regardless of location and time, online access to a range of authoritative digitised e-resources previously difficult or impossible to access."JISC – The Joint Information Systems Committee is funded to provide world class leadership in the innovative use of ICT to support education and research.
Pre-Raphaelite Collection
BMAG has the largest public collection of Pre-Raphaelite art in the world - but the vast majority was only previously available via appointment in the Print Room. Had to know what we had and exactly what you wanted to see before a visit.
BMAG funded £166,963 to produce Pre-Raphaelite Online Resource for use by FE & HE.
What do they want?
A new online audience for BMAG - the HE & FE community:
• Undergraduates• Postgraduates• Lecturers• Picture Librarians• Researchers
Curriculum & key stages underpin BMAG for Kids. What does FE & HE want/need?
Audience Research
Questions included: • What online resources are
they using for study?• How are they using them?• What do they like/dislike?• What would they like the
Pre-Raphaelite Online Resource to be?
• Do they want to be able to interact with the site? e.g. tag, make comments, add content?
Embracing the Web
Lecturers and students are using the web to support research, course work, etc. "History of Art and the internet have a very strong relationship now -it gives you access to any gallery in the world."Undergraduate
Hostility from some lecturers to reliance on the web. Concerns about poor research skills & quality of information.
Demand for Quality"If it's meant for the general public it's probably not academic enough for us."Undergraduate
Trustworthy
Scholarly
Reliable
High Quality
Time Poor
Huge passion and enthusiasm - but tempered by time. Need to be focused. Resource hungry students seek quick access to content. Not about taking a 'leisurely' look at websites, but finding what they want quickly and easily.
CompetitiveCompetitive environment.
Status conscience.
Reservations about giving away intellectual property.
Fear of 'getting it wrong'.
HE students typically work individually not collaboratively.
FE students more open to sharing & working together.
Wiki Rage
“When you first arrive, the tutors say to you, ‘if you use Wikipedia… sod off’. If you’re going to use Wikipedia you might as well not be here. It’s a load of rubbish… Wikipedia is sin.”Undergraduate
"Wikipedia is a lazy person's route to knowledge."Lecturer
The DilemmaWeb 2.0 features not embraced by HE.
FE students & lecturers saw potential to work together.
Risk of making a site off putting if we allowed people to make comments, discuss on forums, add content, etc.
But signs of change - especially in FE. Risk of creating an out of date site.
Is it Trustworthy and Scholarly?
Our DecisionsScholarly, Reliable, Trustworthy... • Collection central to the resource
- objects are the focus of the website.
• Detailed records.• Project researchers - academic
knowledge, enthusiasts.• User testing - with lecturer,
undergraduate & postgrad.• Showing credentials
o Made sure the website listed who had worked on research and writing.
Enhanced Access to Objects
Zoom feature Quest for the Holy Grail link
Creating Different Ways into Content
Related Works link
Learning ResourcesExample of how lecturers could use this website in a different way. Greater appeal to FE. Stimulous piece to encourage thought and exploration. Couldn't be designed for specific course.
Other examples of how the website could be used in teaching also given. Also aware of school audience.
Link to Learning Resources
Personal Collections
Allowed people to create:• Personal collections• Discuss work
Aware of fears over intellectual property, etc so allowed different options:• Keep to self• Share with
friends/colleagues/other students
• Publish on website People are keeping their collections private.
Link to Personal Collections
Since July 2009 Launch
I can't say too many good things about this remarkable "resource."William Morris Society Blog • Excellent reviews• Great Feedback • Winner of Interactive Media
Award. Nominated for BIMA & DADI awards
• 50,000 visitors so far
