Google Hangout

     This week in class, we got the opportunity to chat with Jamie, an expert/explainer from the Museum of Science and Industry. To start with this activity, we watched a video of Jamie giving a tour of the museum. He showed all of the old machines that were used during the Industrial Revolution. My class then searched the web for some of the definitions to the machines Jamie was talking about. We then made questions that we could ask Jamie when it was time to video chat him.
 
      After doing some more backup information, we were ready to start our chat. Jamie started by going around to each machine and explained how they were used. Jamie said that the earliest machinery was a loom that was used in houses. When more product was in demand, people were forced to abandon the at-home looms and go to factories. We learned how cotton was turned into product starting with the hopper feeder scutcher and ending with the flyers. Jamie also talked about the living conditions while working in the mills. Children were forced to go work at the mills to pay off their families debt. While working, the workers would get ill and physical deformities from standing all day and breathing in the contaminated air. Eventually, factory owner would take orphans form the local orphanage to do the work because it was cheaper than hiring other workers. Jamie then went on to talk about his work at the museum. He wanted to work at the museum because he has always been interested in the Industrial Revolution. He walks around the museum giving tours and answering questions for visitors. My class was very fortunate to get an online tour.
   
    Overall, I thought this experience was very helpful for better understanding life during the Industrial Revolution. It was helpful to see the machines not in a picture and to have each piece be explained. One drawback to the online hangout was that the Internet would sometimes cut out which would make it hard to hear what Jamie had to say. I hope that in the future my class will be able to do another web chat from and online source because it gives us more first hand information without actually be there in person.