This document discusses a study on how young people use mobile technologies during visits to museums and informal learning settings. It focuses on practices of documentation and sharing through photos and videos. The study observed visitors at two Swedish institutions - Universeum, a science center and indoor zoo, and the Gothenburg Natural History Museum. It found that visitors used mobile devices to document their experiences not just for personal recollection, but to include absent family and share perspectives. They often manipulated media like applying filters before sharing online, and the boundaries of museum visits expanded beyond the physical space.

1. UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG
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Creating live experiences with real and
stuffed animals:
The use of mobile technologies in museums
Thomas Hillman, Department of Education, Communication & Learning, University of Gothenburg
Alexandra Weilenmann, Department of Applied IT, University of Gothenburg
Beata Jungselius, Department of Applied IT, University of Gothenburg
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2. UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG
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Study background
• Focus on how young people use mobile technology
as part of visits to informal learning settings
o
Use of visitors’ own mobile technology
• Documentation and sharing practices
o Focus on photo and video
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3. UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG
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Nature of interactivity & sociality in museums
• Interactive exhibits & guide technologies
o 'Interactive' but often limit inter-visitor interaction
 Myth of the individual user (headphones!)
 My-turn-your-turn
o
Disrupt sociality?
• Visitor owned interactive technologies
o Reconfigure interactivity

Within exhibitions

Outside museum walls
 Creative production
o
Enhance sociality?
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Universeum
• Live animals
o Indoor zoo
o Aquarium
• Science centre
o
Several exhibitions with hands-on exhibits
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Gothenburg Natural History Museum
• 'Stuffed' animals
o
Mounted zoological specimens
o
Dioramas
• Little updating since 1950s
o
Museum of museums
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Data collection
• Observation notes, photos & video
o
Extensive time spent within exhibitions
• Following visitor produced content online
o
Primarily photos & videos on YouTube, Instagram, etc
• Interviews
o
Informal in-situ with visitors
o
Semi-structured with museum staff
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7. UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG
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Documenting and sharing
Why were you recording videos with your phone?"
I record a video to my family, my spanish family. I have visitors
here, my sister and my brother in law and I want [that] they have
[a] little perspective about the museum, know something special
that is more about remembering the area than knowing the
animal[s] in particular"
Spanish speaking visitor with large family group - GNHM 120412)
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8. UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG
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Documenting and sharing
Do you plan to upload the pictures on the Internet?"
I usually do that. Send them to their mother, so that she gets an
update of what's happening. It's quite useful, like it gets her
involved in a way."
Father with 2 children - GNHM 120412)
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9. UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG
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Sharing experiences through
online video
3 - is that in cologne zooo?
- Like the description says
"Universeum in Gothenburg" it's in
Gothenburg, Sweden, at a place called
Universeum, a hugde in-door
rainforest place, totally awedome.
5 - The electric eel is the animal
that is the closest to being
"invincible!" The have been known to
kill caimans anacondas and just about
anything that gets too close to it!
(Universeum 110606) 2 - shut up
6 - never heard of them killing them,
I have seen them kill thewww.letstudio.gu.se
eels but ot

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Communicating experiences through
photo choices
(GNHM 120503)
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Communicating experiences through
photo choices
• Many visitors manipulate their media before sharing it
o Filters
o Frames
o
Graphical elements
• Of the 66 most recent photographs shared on
Instagram from GNHM
o Only five had been posted without first being manipulated with a
filter to look 'vintage'
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12. UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG
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Conclusion
• Museum visits are re-configured through digital
documentation practices
o
Visitors experiences are not only recorded but also structured by
the activity of documenting
• The boundaries of museum experiences are
expanded
o Visitors take photos & video not just to document but also to
include others in museum experiences
• New tools offer expanded communicative possibilities
o Visitors share their experiences through both photo content and
manipulation choices
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13. UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG
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Questions?
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