A new frontier: The first Skype outreach for the museum

On Tuesday, January 13, 2015, the National Museum of Civil War Medicine took another step into the future of outreaches.  Tom Frezza conducted a Skype outreach with students from Sioux City, Iowa.  They were from a career academy where 11th graders interested in the medical field study American History and English through the medical lens.

Tom was able to talk to them for about an hour about the museum, and the history of Civil War Medicine, and why it still matters today.  Using reproduction items, photos, and demonstrating techniques, the students were able to learn about operations, ambulances, and Dr. Johnathan Letterman.

By doing outreaches using technologies like computers with Skype, the museum is able to branch out and connect with students who may not have the means to visit the museum in person.  This offers a great opportunity for the interpreter and the students to maintain a face to face dialogue, even though they may be hundreds of miles apart.  The students were able to ask some great questions and Tom was able to respond and use reproduction items just like with a traditional outreach.  He was not only able to talk about the items, but hold them up to the camera, and students were able to see them in real time.

This type of outreach has great potential.  Students from all across the country will be able to learn the truth about Civil War Medicine and how it still affects them today.  And instead of using reproduction items, the National Museum of Civil War Medicine has the ability, with advanced notice, to bring artifacts out of the collections room to help tell the story.  Items that even the general public cannot see!

So, if you would like to schedule a Skype outreach for your classroom, please contact the National Museum of Civil War Medicine at:

Tours and Bookings

Katie Reichard

301-695-1864, Ext. 1010

bookings@civilwarmed.org

Thomas Frezza

 Photos courtesy of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, except where otherwise noted.