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.
