New state park exhibit gives hands-on experience

PRAIRIE GROVE -- A new hands-on, interactive exhibit using the latest technology is now available for state park visitors to learn more about Civil War history and the Battle of Prairie Grove.

The exhibit was 2 1/2 years in the making, beginning with a group of Prairie Grove seventh-graders in fall 2011 and finally finishing up with another seventh-grader this year. Clayton Weyl, 12, was able to finalize all the details to get the exhibit installed in Hindman Hall Museum and Visitor Center at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park.

The school's EAST Lab class received a $10,000 After Hours Grant to purchase a computer, software program and other equipment needed for the project, called an augmented reality development lab.

Prairie Grove Chamber of Commerce sponsored a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new exhibit Saturday morning and Clayton demonstrated the exhibit, also explaining the project to Matt Dozier, president of EAST Initiative, who was in town from Little Rock.

"It's incredible," Dozier said. "The fact that middle school students are doing this sends a message."

Dozier said the project blends technology kids are interested in today and applies that to learning.

"This is the best mix of anything you can imagine," Dozier added.

In all, five students have worked on the project. The first year, students Jack Stone, Trenton Bryant and Zac Winters, worked with museum registrar Alan Thompson. Kyle Brown worked on it the second year and Clayton took over this school year to finalize a contract between EAST Lab and the state park system.

The exhibit has a computer, webcam and 11 special cards, called paddles. By placing a paddle in front of the webcam, visitors will see a 3D image on the computer monitor that matches a number on the paddle. A second paddle with an "i" on it can be placed in front of the webcam to provide more information about the object.

Some of the images include a soldier, the Borden House, Gen. Thomas C. Hindman, a cannon, and other weapons used during Civil War battles.

Clayton said he believes the augmented reality project will interest younger students who use smart phones and other technology. Instead of just looking at an exhibit and reading about it, students can learn using hands-on paddles.

Clayton said that on the first day he saw how the project would be a success in the museum. When the exhibit was installed, Thompson's daughters were experimenting with the paddles.

"His daughters didn't want to leave and that's just what we wanted," Clayton said. "It was awesome."

Thompson agreed that kids today want hands-on activities.

"You can manipulate the paddles and spin them around," Thompson said.

The museum does not have Internet access for the public. Thompson said he will work on that for the future. The exhibit needs Internet access to display the items full-screen.

Tracie Ashley, EAST Lab facilitator, said the new project bridges the technology gap and the generation gap.

She expressed her appreciation to the state park's willingness to work with her students on an exhibit.

"This has been a continued working relationship and collaborative relationship with the state park," Ashley said.