Presented at the Museum Computer Network conference in Montreal, November 2013.
Tweeting, Tumbling, snapping photos--how can we turn typical teen behaviors in the museum into meaningful learning experiences? At the National Gallery of Art, thousands of middle and high school students visit each year. Most are not pre-registered, do not participate in formal educational programs such as tours, and are set loose on their own to explore the museum. To reach and engage this audience, the Gallery created a printed guide to the permanent collection (called #atNGA) that encourages looking carefully at works of art, making connections between art and life, exploring art as historical and cultural expression, and reflecting on the creative spirit. What makes this guide different is that each work of art is paired with a social media prompt such as: take and share a photo (via Instagram), craft a text response (via Twitter), or ponder a question with a friend. By explicitly inviting and helping to shape teens' social media interactions with the Gallery, we hope to turn what might otherwise be a frivolous encounter into a learning experience. This presentation will share the results of our evaluation research and discuss the broader challenges and opportunities of connecting with teens via social media.
23. Teens…
are mobile and social.
Our guide…
is designed to be easy to
use with a smartphone and
common social media apps.
is also appropriate for those
who want to just have a
conversation with their
group, rather than use
technology.
24. Teens…
share photos on Instagram
(one of the most popular
activities for teens using
mobile devices).
(80% of teens who use
social networks post
photos/videos.)
Our guide…
makes it clear that this
activity is welcomed and
encouraged behavior.
25. Teens…
Our guide…
visiting in un-guided groups
sometimes need
encouragement and some
structure to help them focus
on works of art.
provides multiple hooks
for looking at, thinking
about and responding to
art.
26. Visitors…
are interested in viewing
the Gallery’s “must-see”
works of art.
Our guide…
highlights a small selection
of key works in the
permanent collection.
27. Lowering barriers
We selected works of art that
are more accessible to the
target audience: they feature
young people, tell a story, are
figurative, and/or are by
famous artists.
28. Asking instead of
telling
The guide probes readers to
consider their own opinions,
interpretations, and reflections
on the works of art
We avoided art historical
language in favor of an informal
tone encouraging personal
reflection
29. Encouraging discussion
with friends
By prompting teens to share
their thoughts and photos with
friends on social networks,
the guide encourages teens
to consider how works of art
are relevant to their lives.
31. Visitors are actively
engaged with works of
art
Careful looking
Making connections
between art and life
Reflecting on the creative
spirit
Having fun
36. Evaluation
Formative
Survey
Prototype testing and interviews
with a group of teens on a school
visit during content development
Only 4 responses since July
(19,000 print guides distributed
since April). All over 30, none
chaperones.
Context
To Come: Observations &
Interviews
Talked with information desk
volunteers about when/who/why
they distribute the guide
Bring in target audience to
discuss the format, content,
distribution, and other ideas for
improving the experience.
40. Results
[19,000 printed guides distributed since April]
Responses
Total = 171 in 7
months
Instagram = 139
Tweets = 63
(Note: some tweets included links to Instagram)
Tweet breakdown
31 Instagram links
19 pic.twitter.com
10 text only
1 Vine
1 yfrog photos
1 hashtag only
41. Distribution
1.
Information desks
Must
2.
be handed out by volunteers
Website
PDF
download
Buried under Visit > Tours & Guides > Self-Guides
3.
Email newsletters
Targeted
to teens, educators
42. Hunches & Ideas
Not clear that this is a guide primarily for teens
Prompts need to be more compelling (and simpler
in some cases)
Gallery needs to be actively responding and
promoting on Instagram and Twitter
Prompts that are integrated into the experience
(e.g., on the wall labels or on the app) would get
more traction
Need to improve distribution and awareness
Optimize for discovery and use on a mobile device