BLOG: Digital Tools in the Service of Digital Heritage
This projects sets out to realise the unanticipated potential of the AHRC 'Cultural Value' project 'Experiencing the Digital World: the Cultural Value of Digital Engagement with Heritage'. Researchers will work in partnership with the National Holocaust Centre, the Thackray Medical Museum and the Science Museum to realize the practical potential of the original project's findings on the ways in which digital tools can support the co-production of museum exhibitions with diverse audiences.
This week has seen the arrival of a new touchscreen which we're very excited about installing in the 'Having a Baby gallery at the Thackray Medical Museum. The screen will allow visitors to view birth stories contributed by Yarn users and our workshop participants. We're hoping that, once it is in place, many more people will feel inspired to contribute stories.
Some members of the public have already started to contribute Yarn stories in response to our Birth Stories project with Thackray Medical Museum. As well as working with a local Afghan Women's Association, we have been reaching out to Leeds residents through our stall at a Maternity Strategy Event in Central Library (as part of 'Baby Week') and through our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thackraybirthstories/. The story linked to this passage describes 'The day Nathaniel arrived'.
From BLOG: Digital Tools in the Service of Digital Heritage
Some members of the public have already started to contribute Yarn stories in response to our Birth Stories project with Thackray Medical Museum. As well as working with a local Afghan Women's Association, we have been reaching out to Leeds residents through our stall at a Maternity Strategy Event in Central Library (as part of 'Baby Week') and through our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thackraybirthstories/. The story linked to this passage describes 'The day Nathaniel arrived'.
One of the younger participants drew this fantastic pineapple picture in response to a story about attempting to induce labour naturally (by eating lots and lots of the stuff!)
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/74/79/b3/7479b3c5059289e9f3c4edd9ae6f84c7.jpg
It's been a busy week for the project. On 20th October we held a workshop at the Science Museum which was attended by museum professionals from a number of institutions, as well as collaborators from the Leeds North Veterans Breakfast Club, with whom we've been collaborating to produce Yarn stories in response to the Science Museum's 'Wounded' exhibition. It was a great opportunity to introduce Yarn, present some excellent Yarn stories produced by Mark and Julie and discuss museum's digital engagement strategies.
On Saturday 22nd October we were joined by Bahar and members of her Afghan Women's Association for a tour our Thackray Medical Museum's 'Having a Baby Gallery'. After looking round the gallery we showcased the Yarn stories we've been working on, in collaboration with the group, and collected some more stories to add.
WW1 stretcher bearers.
http://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Stretcher-bearers-at-British-Front-Line-1917-c.Science-Museum-SSPL.jpg
We enjoyed a really thought provoking visit to the Science Museum's exhibition 'Wounded: Conflict, Casualties and Care' with some of our project participants today. In the coming weeks we'll be working on Yarn stories in response to the exhibition and specifically the aspects dealing with 'shell shock' and military PTSD. We'll be thinking about how we might use Yarn to re-curate aspects of the exhibition to tell different stories, and how online exhibitions might use the physical exhibition as a launch pad for telling personal stories.
We're really looking forward to our first workshop with members of Leeds North Veterans Breakfast Club this evening, with whom we'll be exploring the Science Museum's exhibition 'Wounded: Conflict Casualties and Care'. The exhibition examines the medical and human impact of wounding during and beyond the First World War and includes a short film on the subject of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which has been made in collaboration with a number of veterans and the charity Combat Stress. Jamie Stark's Yarn story 'Objects and Disability' suggests one way in which we might use the exhibition as a starting point for thinking about other contemporary debates and it will be interesting to see what other angles the workshop participants suggest.
From BLOG: Digital Tools in the Service of Digital Heritage
We're really looking forward to our first workshop with members of Leeds North Veterans Breakfast Club this evening, with whom we'll be exploring the Science Museum's exhibition 'Wounded: Conflict Casualties and Care'. The exhibition examines the medical and human impact of wounding during and beyond the First World War and includes a short film on the subject of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which has been made in collaboration with a number of veterans and the charity Combat Stress. Jamie Stark's Yarn story 'Objects and Disability' suggests one way in which we might use the exhibition as a starting point for thinking about other contemporary debates and it will be interesting to see what other angles the workshop participants suggest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Qjj73dgSyas
The next stage in our project focuses on the Science Museum's new exhibition 'Wounded: Conflict, Casualties and Care'. We're looking forward to working with a group of Leeds-based veterans to comment on and respond to the exhibition.
For further details, see the exhibition blog at https://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/tag/wounded/
Would you like to be involved in our project and share your birth story with thackray Medical Museum? The Yarn story quoted here has more information about how you can do just that!
From BLOG: Digital Tools in the Service of Digital Heritage
Would you like to be involved in our project and share your birth story with thackray Medical Museum? The Yarn story quoted here has more information about how you can do just that!
Webster Primary School Year 6 pupils presenting their work on the Holocaust and WW2.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnathBqWIAAgKHK.jpg
It was a privilege to attend Year 6’s assembly at Webster Primary School last week. Pupils presented work relating to the Holocaust and World War II to parents, teachers and fellow pupils, including details of their visits to the National Holocaust Centre and Museum and Westminster Abbey.
We received some great feedback about using Yarn from staff and pupils and it was great to see how well Yarn worked as a presentation tool in the assembly, allowing the class to play previously assembled video content and audio recordings directly from their story. Staff commented on the intuitive design of Yarn and the fact that it lent itself well to classroom work on tablets, whilst giving a polished finish to presentations and helping to teach pupils about how to structure their ideas. Pupils said that they enjoyed being able assemble their own work alongside videos and web content.
The performance was also attended by National Holocaust Centre Educator, Sarah Wetton, who was especially interested in how Yarn stories could provide a window onto how the Holocaust is being taught in primary schools. We hope to build on what we’ve learnt so far by putting together a knowledge exchange package. This will suggest ways in which digital engagement can be built into school activities and museum outreach and engagement.
It was a privilege to attend Year 6’s assembly at Webster Primary School last week. Pupils presented work relating to the Holocaust and World War II to parents, teachers and fellow pupils, including details of their visits to the National Holocaust Centre and Museum and Westminster Abbey. We received some great feedback about using Yarn from staff and pupils and it was great to see how well Yarn worked as a presentation tool in the assembly, allowing the class to play previously assembled video content and audio recordings directly from their story. Staff commented on the intuitive design of Yarn and the fact that it lent itself well to classroom work on tablets, whilst giving a polished finish to presentations and helping to teach pupils about how to structure their ideas. Pupils said that they enjoyed being able assemble their own work alongside videos and web content. The performance was also attended by National Holocaust Centre Educator, Sarah Wetton, who was especially interested in how Yarn stories could provide a window onto how the Holocaust is being taught in primary schools. We hope to build on what we’ve learnt so far by putting together a knowledge exchange package. This will suggest ways in which digital engagement can be built into school activities and museum outreach and engagement.
From BLOG: Digital Tools in the Service of Digital Heritage
A display documenting Webster Primary School pupils' recent visit to Westminster Abbey to attend a Holocaust Memorial Event. Pupils met with Holocaust survivors and, later, produced their own artwork in response to the visit.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7308/27625669374_3de1560955_c.jpg
After another activity filled day at Webster Primary school, yesterday, pupils have made great progress with work on their class Yarn story, detailing all of their work studying World War II and the Holocaust. The story will feature films, artwork and writing by the pupils and will be shared with our project partner, The National Holocaust Centre and Museum, who are planning to launch their new Media Centre in the near future.
Thackray Medical Museum Curator, Lauren Ryall-Stockton, has shared her own birth story on Yarn.
From BLOG: Digital Tools in the Service of Digital Heritage
Thackray Medical Museum Curator, Lauren Ryall-Stockton, has shared her own birth story on Yarn.
These Uzbek cribs are very similar in their design to ones traditionally used in Afghanistan.
https://uzbek14.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/d0bad0b0d0bbd18bd0b1d0b5d0bbd18c.jpg
At our workshop, yesterday, members of a local community group shared their memories of a traditional style of crib used in Afghanistan. The cribs in the image, here, are from Uzbekistan, but the Afghan cribs were of a similar design.We also learnt about Afghan approaches to swaddling and use of cloth nappies, (although disposable nappies are now preferred by those living in the urban centres). As well as sharing these stories on Yarn, we're hoping to represent the stories digitally within Thackray Medical Museum.
Our project partner, Thackray Medical Museum, has created a Yarn story to showcase one of it's more unusual artefacts relating to childbirth:
From BLOG: Digital Tools in the Service of Digital Heritage
Our project partner, Thackray Medical Museum, has created a Yarn story to showcase one of it's more unusual artefacts relating to childbirth:
This suitcase was bought over to England by Bob Norton when he and his family sought refuge due to the increase in Nazi persecution. This small suitcase did not contain many items, but has been lovingly cared for and used for many years since. The stickers indicate where the case has been, both before and after it came to England.
https://www.nationalholocaustcentre.net/GetImage.aspx?IDMF=e83c0fff-9eee-4daf-9aba-ff13f4224422&w=400&h=266&src=mc
How can we use objects and images to tell a story?
That's the question we've been asking pupils at Edna G Olds Academy, Nottingham, and Webster Primary School, Manchester at our filmmaking workshops. Pupils brought in pictures and objects which told us something about their background or family history and developed their interviewing techniques before having a go at filming their own mini-documentaries. We'll be adding footage to Yarn stories which pupils will create in response to a visit to the National Holocaust Centre.
An original drawing from the book 'Our Lonely Journey' by Hans Jackson. The book focuses on the Kindertransport. This drawing shows a mother with her children at the train station.
(From the National Holocaust Centre's collection)
http://www.nationalholocaustcentre.net/Handlers/GetImage.ashx?w=400&h=265&f=1&IDMF=43461698-6913-4598-818c-ab1619c99b65
We're looking forward to leading a filmmaking workshop tomorrow at Edna G Olds Academy, Nottingham. Pupils will be developing their interview techniques and understanding of how we can use objects and images to tell a story, ahead of their visit to the National Holocaust Museum. After the visit, we'll be developing the skills and knowledge they have gained by introducing Yarn and encouraging the pupils to create their own stories.
http://www.digitalheritage.leeds.ac.uk/files/2016/04/Wounded-poster.jpg
We're currently looking for participants to take part in our workshops at the Science Museum in July and September. We'd like anyone who's interested in taking part (whether or not you're a regular museum visitor) to tell us what you think about the Science Museum's forthcoming exhibition 'Wounded: Conflict, Casualties and Care'.
The exhibition will explore how medical practices were altered by the events of 1914-1918 and will also highlight the long-term impact on the lives of soldiers and civilians who were left physically and mentally affected by the war. We’d like to know what you think about how these issues are represented within the Science Museum.
Email us to register your interest: wounded@sciencemuseum.ac.uk
Find out more: www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/wounded
Would you like the chance to share your experience of childbirth?
http://www.digitalheritage.leeds.ac.uk/files/2016/02/Thackray-poster-LRS-edit.jpg
Sharing experiences of childbirth
In our work with Thackray Medical Museum we are inviting local parents to tell us about their experiences of childbirth. Parents will work together with Museum and University staff to explore how digital tools can be used to tell their stories and develop an online exhibition.
We'll be hosting a drop-in session at the Museum on Thursday 17th March, 5pm-8:30pm, so that anyone who is interested in taking part can come along and find out more. If you'd like more information about the event or this part of the project, please contact the Project Officer, Rosie Wilkinson (r.h.wilkinson@leeds.ac.uk).
Project launch event Yesterday, we were joined by representatives from each of the three museums we're working with to make plans, discuss our aims and introduce Yarn. Thackray Medical Museum's Lauren Ryall-Stockton brought along a fascinating collection of educational cloth flipcharts from Afghanistan, which we used to start the Yarn story quoted above. We also met with teachers from two of the primary schools who'll be working with the National Holocaust Centre, as part of the project, and began to make plans for a week-long programme of activities which will involve visiting the Centre and responding to exhibits and survivor testimonies using Yarn. As an Archive Partner, the Science Museum has already uploaded a substantial amount of material to the Yarn library. We're really looking forward to working with Alison Hess and Lorraine Ward and inviting museum visitors to respond to upcoming temporary exhibition 'Wounded', opening in June 2016.
From BLOG: Digital Tools in the Service of Digital Heritage
Project launch event
Yesterday, we were joined by representatives from each of the three museums we're working with to make plans, discuss our aims and introduce Yarn.
Thackray Medical Museum's Lauren Ryall-Stockton brought along a fascinating collection of educational cloth flipcharts from Afghanistan, which we used to start the Yarn story quoted above.
We also met with teachers from two of the primary schools who'll be working with the National Holocaust Centre, as part of the project, and began to make plans for a week-long programme of activities which will involve visiting the Centre and responding to exhibits and survivor testimonies using Yarn.
As an Archive Partner, the Science Museum has already uploaded a substantial amount of material to the Yarn library. We're really looking forward to working with Alison Hess and Lorraine Ward and inviting museum visitors to respond to upcoming temporary exhibition 'Wounded', opening in June 2016.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Interior_view_-_National_World_War_I_Museum_-_Kansas_City,_MO_-_DSC07601.JPG/640px-Interior_view_-_National_World_War_I_Museum_-_Kansas_City,_MO_-_DSC07601.JPG
Welcome to the new Blog!
The AHRC-funded project 'Digital Tools in the Service of Digital Heritage' has officially begun! We'll be kicking off, at the end of February, with a workshop for our museum partners, where we'll be introducing Yarn. As well as being the home for the project blog, Yarn will play a key role in helping the museums and their audiences to co-produce material for exhibitions.
We'll be posting regular updates as the project progresses but, in the meantime, you can find out more about the project at http://www.digitalheritage.leeds.ac.uk/.