By: Smithsonian Office of Educational Technology

We’ve been hard at work implementing fixes and updates to enhance your experience using the Smithsonian Learning Lab, and we’re excited to share our latest updates with you!

Today’s upgrades include search, resource, and collections improvements. Find more information about these changes below.

Don’t forget – our Help Center is here to support you in using the Lab with step-by-step instructions and video tutorials on how to discover, create, and share!

We focus our improvements and new features on what would be most helpful to users like you, so please keep sharing your suggestions with us.

Search

• Fixed bug preventing users from removing “CC0” and “Includes Transcription” filters by clicking the X to initiate an updated search.

Resources

• Increased the character limit for alt text for resources previously uploaded by users.

Collections

• Improved the image capture of Smithsonian Learning Lab collection URLs that are added to collections using the “Upload a Resource” feature; the thumbnail image now accurately depicts a screen capture of the collection instead of a broken image icon.
• Updated the share button for resources inside collections to share the URL directly to a given resource in the collection rather than the full collection.
• Fixed indentation of bulleted and numbered lists in text annotations on resources inside collections.
• Fixed issue with resources changing locations within a collection after deleting a Canvas resource.

General

• Added a new section on the home page to share updates and upcoming events.

Releases 2.82 & 2.83

Image: Machinery (Abstract #2) (detail), by Paul Kelpe

The shadowed worker in this painting appears to be controlling the structure, suggesting man's essential role in industry and his ability to create massive, powerful machines. During the Depression, many artists celebrated human achievements in this way, to emphasize the importance of the working class and to boost morale. In 1934, Paul Kelpe worked for the Public Works of Art Project. The program did not accept abstract art, so he incorporated realistic elements such as figures, wheels, and buildings into his compositions. These images were still not "representational enough," however, and he soon gave up trying to please his bosses.