Museum Box

1. This is really cool! I appreciate (and I'm sure students would too) the fact that it isn't just another presentation-creating program. Or, at least, it presents projects in a way that is much more interesting and visually appealing than a traditional Powerpoint. Looking a bit at the website, it seems pretty easy to add video, audio, and other files to the box as well. Is this program free? I didn't see anything about a price on the website, but maybe I missed it. - W. Clagett

1.1. There is a cost to Museum Box. Once you sign up there is a subscription fee. (B. Wong)

2. How it works

2.1. Students receive broad topic

2.1.1. For example: Burma as Colony

2.2. Students find artifact or narrower topic that fits broad topic

2.2.1. For example: Buddhism in Burma before British

2.3. Students describe artifact or topic

2.3.1. For example: Box 1 is Picture of a Buddhist pagoda in Burma with captions describing the picture

2.3.2. For example: Box 2 is Short essay about Buddhism in Burma

2.4. Students continue to fill boxes with narrower topics or artifact that matches broad topic

3. Allows students to formulate higher thinking, especially in applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creativity

3.1. Sharing information found

3.2. Linking different artifacts to topic

3.3. Commenting on other students' work

3.4. Designing a museum gallery of topic

3.5. I think it is cool that they can create a presentation like this. By doing it through this program, the students are really branching out from what is considered to be traditional presentation material, such as power point. But I still like power point, it is user friendly, helpful and too the point. In your opinion, after looking at programs like PREZI and this one, do you think power point is old news and should not be an option for students to create presentations? (A.Zegelin)

3.5.1. I think PowerPoint is still the leader in presentations, and should definitely still be taught in schools. But as the world moves towards more cloud-based programs like PREZI and MuseumBox will become more popular. Also, with the emphasis on technology within school curriculums now, they are great resources to encourage children to be creative when using technology. I wouldn't throw PowerPoint out just yet though! - A. Devereaux

4. Cool Example showing how a student is explaining what they learned about Ancient Greece: http://creator.museumbox.e2bn.org/show/16701 (S. Enge)

5. Bryant, good concept map. I've never heard of Museum Box, and it looks like a really neat tool. After reviewing the site and the example you provided, Museum Box seems like it would promote student collaboration very well. The tool forces students to organize a topic into various key sub-topics and then select small details and evidence to describe and explain each sub-topic. This aspect directly reinforces effective planning for writing a paper. Individual students in a group could the work on a sub-topic, and collaborate to provide feedback to one another. [J. Morroni]

6. This seems like a really great tool that students would be very interested in!! Have you used it before?? How did the students respond to it? (H. Escoto)

7. I love museum box, and I enjoy the history of its genesis, as well... a great story to share with students. But I think it has broader applications than just for us in a history lesson. I would think it could be well suited to a lesson on a famous work of literature, for example, or to science lessons on the planets of the solar system/plant biology/zoology. (J. Shumway)

8. http://museumbox.e2bn.org/index.php

9. Provides tools to prove an argument and describe a historical event or person with usage of boxes

9.1. Students could add videos, pictures, or description of artifact they found about topic

9.2. Students could make comments in other students' boxes

9.3. Teacher could check on students' work

10. Does this tool have collaboration options? (you did mention they could comment in each others' boxes - but is there a way for them to actually work together to produce?) - Dr. Fritz

10.1. Museum Box have collaboration options in which students could add information to the boxes (B. Wong)