Design Specifications for Informal Learning
Sean McCarty
smccarty@ucsd.edu
5-11-09
Ed Tec 671 – Mon 4:00pm

Design Specifications for Eleanor Roosevelt College Audio Walking Tour

What will attract visitors to enter your exhibit or approach your display?

The buildings and campus itself is the main attraction and draws people in. ERC will also coordinate with the all-campus guided tour to advertise the self-guided ERC tour to prospective students and parents. Maps will be displayed at the main entrances to Eleanor Roosevelt College to encourage them to learn more and take the audio portion of the tour.

Once there, what will engage them in the exhibit or display?

The maps and complementary audio tour will engage the visitors as they walk through campus. Additionally, the variety of buildings and views will also actively engage the visitors while on the tour.

What will enliven prior knowledge or experiences relevant to the exhibit or display?

The audio tour will focus on the history of ERC at UCSD. Visitors who have taken the all-campus tour or who are familiar with UCSD in general can draw on previous knowledge of the university.

How will you present new information?

Information will be presented through two forms of media: (1) printed map and (2) audio podcasts. The map will detail visually where each building and office is located. The audio podcasts will tell the story and history of ERC.

Will visitors have an opportunity to apply their new feelings or understanding? Draw a sketch? Make a choice? Try a solution?

Visitors will be encouraged to explore the campus and interact with staff and faculty, but no interactive games or quizzes are planned in the initial phases. However, there is potential for a complementary web page as a post-tour experience.

What will prompt visitors to think or feel and/or discuss?

Visitors will be encouraged to examine the buildings and their surroundings from different vantage points. The architectural design intentions of each building and space will also be presented as points of debate and/or discussion.

What physical interaction might stimulate thought and/or discussion?

Visitors will be encouraged to seek out hidden gardens and points of interest. Visitors can discuss why certain spaces were developed and how they complement the buildings of the campus.

How will you facilitate further exploration?

Visitors will be encouraged to visit the college website for more information. Visitors will also be able to submit a feedback card and sign up for an optional "Friends of ERC" e-mail listserve. The audio podcasts will also have an optional RSS feed that will keep them updated on future ERC events.