Interpretation Building an understanding of interpretation competencies Developing

Interpretation • Building an understanding of interpretation competencies • Developing a better understanding of audiences • Art or a Science?

John Muir 1871: I’ll “interpret” the rocks, learn the language of floods, storm and the avalanche. I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near to the heart of the world as I can.

Prior to Gutenberg’s Printing Press • Oral Communication: – Where do you begin? (Chapter 1) – How do you begin? • What stories do you tell? • What skills do you need to be successful?

Interpretive Competencies What are they? How does one develop them?

Interpretation gets its roots in Story telling • Since ancient times people have been sharing their interests, knowledge and passion about the world around them • The story teller creates an environment where the pupil want’s to learn

Nature Guides in the Parks • Enos Mills lead excursions at Rocky Mt. National Park in 1889 -1922 • “Nature guide as we see it, is more inspirational than educational”

Enos Mills:

Freeman Tilden (1967) “An educational activity which aims to reveal meaning and relationships through the use of original objects, by first hand experiences, and by illustrative media, rather than simply communicate factual information”

Freeman Tilden:

Harold Williams • “Helping the visitor to feel something that the • • • interpreter feels, A sensitivity to the beauty, complexity, variety and interrelationship of the environment; A sense of wonder; A desire to know; A feeling of being at home in the environment Help develop the visitors perception”

Edward Yorke • Information Services – – – A guide service An educational service An entertainment service A propaganda service An inspirational service • “It is aimed at giving people new understanding, new insight, new enthusiasms, new interest. ”

Grant W. Sharpe • Interpretation is a management tool • 3 goals of interpretation: – Awareness and appreciation – Management goals • Behavioral • Minimize human impact – Promote the Agency

MN DNR • “To provide accessible interpretive services which create a sense of stewardship for Minnesota’s natural and cultural heritage by illuminating the changing relationship between people and landscapes over time. ”

MN Goals • To promote increased understanding, • • • appreciation and enjoyment of the natural and cultural resources. To assist in protecting each Park’s resources by providing interpretive services that focus on visitor and resource management. To promote public understanding of, involvement in, and support for, the MN DNR. To increase awareness of critical environmental problems on a local, state, national and global scope

WI DNR • “Interpretation is a tool used in the parks to help visitors gain awareness and knowledge of Wisconsin’s natural resources and to help them become partners in preserving, managing and promoting wise use of these resources. ”

“Interpretation is a communication process that forges emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of the audience and the inherent meaning of the resource” NAI 1990

National Parks Service • Help visitors connect to the resources • Help audiences care about park resources so they might support the care for park resources

Management role of Interpretation • Promotion • Visitor Management & Control • Visitor Safety • Resources Management • Visitor Enjoyment

Tilden’s Principles • Relate – To everyday life • Reveal – Content delivery in a unique viewpoint • Provocation – Tap into ones’ curiosity • Address the Whole – Logical order, tells a story (not just facts) • Strive for message unity – Create a mood, theme or aura • Children’s Interpretation

Reveal (How do these items connect to each other? )

Provocation • The Great Waterway Race – Who was in it? – What were they looking for – What does insect repellent have to do with it?

Sense of Wonder • “If I had my influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things that are artificial, the alienation from the source of our strength. ” v Rachel Carson

NPS’s Interpretive Competencies Interpretive Development Program (IDP) 2003 • Foundational – Knowledge of the resource – Knowledge of the audience – Knowledge of appropriate interpretive techniques

Essential Competencies • • • Informal visitor contacts Interpretive talks Conduct activities Demonstrations Interpretive writing Curriculum-based programs Planning park interpretation Coaching and training others Interpretive media Interpretive research

Competency Benchmarks 15 modules • Entry level competencies – – – NPS mission Informal visitor contact Talks – – Conduct activities demonstrations Writing Curriculum-base program – – Planning park interpretation Media development Coaching Research • Developmental level competencies • Full Performance level competencies

Meaningful Interpretation Connect heart and minds to places, objects and other resources David Larsen 2003

Interpretive Journey Never-ending quest for excellence • Rooted in: – Knowledge of the resource – Knowledge of audiences – Knowledge of yourself

Object and place based learning Making connections to the visitor • Tangible, hands-on learning – See, touch, taste, smell, hear, feel • Intangible meaning – Objects have meaning that are individual • Meaning is derived from universal concepts

Geese • What does science tell us? • What universal ideas can we derive from this? • What stories do we tell?

Connect to the Heart “Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee and just as hard to sleep after” Anne Morrow Lindbergh It is the “sparkle” in the visitors eyes Freeman Tilden

Outcome of the profession: