Back to the Future: Multiple Perspectives on Historical Exhibits

It seems like the more time we spend online, the more we value real experiences. However, there are some things, like history, that can only be replicated, not experienced. Fortunately, the digital medium is ideally suited to illuminating the past.

In a physical exhibit it is difficult to convey the diverse roots of an event and its ensuing legacies in a way that is easily understandable to a visitor. Creating a balanced presentation among different groups' histories is a challenge; the medium of a physical museum exhibit often limits the degree to which diverse perspectives can be presented and easily compared by a viewer. Two educational sites, The Raid on Deerfield: Telling an Old Story in a New Way and Plimoth Plantation's Online Learning Center, were designed to educate people about and depict multiple perspectives of historical events.

Full article available at http://elearnmag.org/subpage.cfm?section=opinion&article=95-1