Webcomic Unravels a Colonial-era Forensic Mystery

Smithsonian visitors use novel web-based tool to uncover secrets to the centuries-old death of a young boy.

The Webcomic, “The Secret in the Cellar – A Written in Bone Forensic Mystery from Colonial America”, won the 2009 Best Practices in Distance Learning Programming Gold Prize from the U.S. Distance Learning Association (USDLA).

Developed by Booz Allen Hamilton and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), the Webcomic combines graphic novel techniques and interactive activities to tell a story. Visitors act as forensic investigators and discover what the bones of an authentic human skeleton reveal about a boy who lived in colonial America, including ethnicity, age, diet, and cause of death.

Part of a NMNH exhibit on display through February 6, 2011, the educational tool is based on a true story.

“Booz Allen used a medium that appeals to kids to help them understand a complex topic in a natural way,” says vice president Fred Knops. “We also provided links and menus so that older users could go deeper. It was an innovative way to employ technology to suit different age groups. In addition, we tied the program into the Standards of Learning, so that teachers could readily incorporate it into their lesson plans.”

Associate Sandy Fowler says, “The Webcomic is a unique, interactive approach to learning and educational outreach for the Smithsonian, and it enhances the institution’s Web presence.”

Since it opened in February 2009, the tool has had enormous appeal. Associate Dan Bliton says visitors spend almost twice as much time with the Webcomic than in other areas of the NMNH website. “Average time spent on Written in Bone’s longer activities is 11 minutes, which is extremely high for a voluntary Web activity,” he says. NMNH had almost 7 million onsite and 30 million online visitors in 2008.

“We expected that the target audience would mostly be teens in grades 9 through 12,” Bliton adds. “But we’ve been surprised to see that 69% of the survey respondents, not counting students or educators, are age 46 or older. The Webcomic appeals to many age groups, with 95% of the respondents saying that they would recommend the site to a friend.”

The USDLA Gold Prize was presented at the association’s Annual International Awards Ceremony in St. Louis on April 28, 2009. The award honors individuals and organizations demonstrating excellence in distance learning, education, and training through the use of online, videoconferencing, satellite, and blended learning delivery technologies. USDLA has been a premier distance learning association since 1987.

“Stories can Provide the Context to Understanding”

“The Secret in the Cellar” guides users in the interpretation of forensic evidence. After a skeleton is discovered by archeologists in the basement of a 350-year-old residence in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, the Webcomic shows how scientific data and history lessons provided clues about the boy’s life, heavy physical labor he endured, and physical trauma he suffered around the time of death. Users parallel a college intern making decisions about the findings by referencing supplemental information on numerous topics, from isotopes to facial reconstruction.

One of the team’s greatest challenges during the pro bono project was making the fact-based content engaging as well as accurate. Some activities related to the storyline are complex, but the team ensured that the storyline remained simple; visitors can easily follow the plot whether or not they access the advanced material. “We envisioned teachers doing the more difficult activities with their class,” Fowler said.

Booz Allen also set up a Facebook fan site for the primary character, Ana, so users can post comments and access additional artwork and data. Bliton says, “Ana is based on a woman who is now working as an intern at the Smithsonian. She will monitor the Facebook fan site and post additional information.”

The firm and the Smithsonian are also discussing whether to share user survey results on the fan site. For example, results indicate that users especially liked how fiction and nonfiction was blended in the plot. “The storyline used fiction as a device to engage people with factual data,” Bliton says. “At the end of the Webcomic, users are still interested in learning more, and the Behind the Scenes content is one of the most popular links.”

Bliton and Robert Costello, the NMNH’s National Outreach Program Manager, are currently making presentations at educational and e-learning conferences about the project. Audiences have been excited to see how visual storytelling can be used to motivate and engage learners. “Sometimes instructors can present bullets and data in such a way that personal relevance is lost,” Bliton says. “But stories provide the context necessary to understand all sorts of topics.”

Before the Webcomic was launched, Fowler says the team received important input about it from focus groups of middle and high school students, who reaffirmed that the team had achieved a good balance of simplicity and complexity. “The groups were also helpful with other aspects,” she adds, “including the language we used. For example, they told us the word ‘cool’ was too old-fashioned, and most of them didn’t know what P.O.W. meant in the storyline, so we spelled out ‘prisoner of war.’”

As a result of the project, the teams formed a unique bond. “The scientists we worked with were wonderful and at the top of their fields,” Fowler says. “They and the Smithsonian staff were so appreciative of our efforts and thrilled with the product, and we thoroughly enjoyed working with them.” Booz Allen staff attended the exhibit’s pre-opening dinner event in February with their counterparts from the Smithsonian and the scientific community.

story posted May 26, 2009