Pinnacle Award for Distance Learning Excellence
For the third consecutive year, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History has been honored with a Pinnacle Award from the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration. The award is recognized nationally and internationally as the highest award given to organizations that receive outstanding scores on program evaluations submitted by educators and end users. Receiving the award indicates remarkable quality of educational content and exceptional skill at program delivery.
"This award is based on our overall score on teacher evaluations, which to me, is the most valuable and honest feedback we can receive," said Carin Miller, the Museum's director of education. "I'd like to recognize all of our amazing Education staff who make our distance learning programs excellent. These talented educators teach in the studios and engage students across the country and around the world."
The Museum has offered distance learning programs since 2007 that reach between 15,000 and 22,000 students every year. Students are reached locally, as well as across 48 states and as far away as Mexico, Honduras, Australia and the United Kingdom. One-third of the programs feature teaching kits that are mailed to classrooms prior to videoconferences, allowing students to interact with artifacts, specimens and samples. Having real objects in the classroom elevates the virtual videoconference experience.
Lee Gambol, distance learning coordinator and Museum educator, presented a session about videoconferencing program best practices at the Ohio Museums Association annual conference earlier this year.
The Museum is one of four content providers in Cleveland to receive the Pinnacle Award. It is joined by the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Cleveland Museum of Art.