Tech Virtual at 2010 California Association of Museums (CAM) Conference

Tech Virtual at 2010 California Association of Museums (CAM) Conference
(Actual times to be updated when known.)

http://www.calmuseums.org/conferences_and_workshops/2010overview.html

http://www.calmuseums.org

This session will take place on Thursday, March 4, 2010 or Friday, March 5, 2010
at the Wyndham Hotel, 1350 N. First Street, in San Jose, CA.

Tentative Title:
Social Media and Your Museum: Engaging an On-Line Community

Moderator:  Bob Ketner

Presenters:
Alysia Caryl, Sr. Manager Education, The Tech Museum; Bob Ketner, Virtual Community Manager, The Tech Museum; Rob Stephenson, Curator, The Tech Museum.

Type of Proposal: Panel (90 minutes)

Interactive:   30+ minutes of Q&A/Dialogue; Activity: Panel, submission from audience of cases to discuss, methods to connect after the session.
 
Session Description:
Join us for an interactive panel on strategies and practical  approaches to creating on-line communities that are actively engaged  with your museum.   What opportunities can social networking sites and  interactive virtual communities offer? 

Here are some examples: 
- Engaging volunteer experts in exhibit design and evaluation. 
- Getting visitor feedback before, during and after an exhibition is installed. 
- Conducting online education programs. 
- Extending your network of volunteers and docents using the Internet. 
- Building virtual bridges to schools, universities, civic and  professional orgs. 
- Sharing museum resources with a larger community.   

Drawing on expertise from museum education, online education and virtual worlds, each panelist will briefly introduce examples of community interaction, then engage audience members to share their own web community goals, and brainstorm on solutions. 

Networking tools will be provided for practical follow up from ideas generated in  the session.