Smarthistory.org Wins Webby for Best Education Website!

[Dr. Steven Zucker]

Smarthistory.org Tops the Shortlist for International Web Honor
The 13th Annual Webby Awards today named Smarthistory.org as Best website in the Education category.

Smarthistory.org is a free, award-winning, multi-media web-book designed as a substitute for the traditional art history textbook. It is based on informed conversation and is used in higher education and by informal learners such as museum visitors worldwide.

Smarthistory.org delivers the narratives of Western art history using the read-write web's interactivity. It aims for reliable content and a delivery model that is well designed, engaging and even playful. Our podcasts and screen-casts are spontaneous conversations about works of art where we are not afraid to disagree with each other or art history orthodoxy.

Created by art historians Beth Harris and Steven Zucker in support of the open educational resource initiative, Smarthistory.org carries a Creative Common Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 license. Dr. Harris is Director of Digital Learning at The Museum of Modern Art and Dr. Zucker is Dean of Graduate Studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY.

Smarthistory.org will be honored at a star-studded ceremony hosted by Saturday Night Live's Seth Meyers on June 8th in New York City. Hailed as the "Internet's highest honor" by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet. The Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 650-person judging academy whose members include Vint Cerf, R/GA's Chief Bob Greenberg, "Simpson's" creator Matt Groening, Arianna Huffington and Harvey Weinstein.

"The Webby Awards honors the very best of the Internet," said David-Michel Davies, executive director of The Webby Awards. "Smarthistory’s achievement is a testament to the skill, ingenuity, and vision of its creators."

We are incredibly honored and want to thank our wonderful information architect Lotte Meijer and designer Mickey Mayo. We are also deeply grateful for the incredible work of our associate editor Dr. Juliana Kreinik, our editorial assistants, Chelsea Kelly and Rebecca Mir and our many contributors and visitors.

[Judy Baker]

Congratulations!! And, thank you for your contributions to OER.

[Dr. Steven Zucker]

Thank you and it is our pleasure. OER are very important to the Smarthistory team. We have taught for many years and see the need clearly.