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Component for Module 340

Appropriate Technique: Connecting Multiple Resource Meanings to Multiple Audience Interests and Perspectives

Content Outline| Resources | Suggested Developmental Activities

Purpose
Full performance interpreters consistently connect multiple resource meanings to multiple audience interests and perspectives. Mastery of this competency allows for full effectiveness of day to day interpretive contacts and the development of interpretive programs and media. This ability is also a key building block for interpreting multiple points of view, critical resource issues, as well as controversial issues.

Objectives
At the completion of this component the learner will be able to:

  • Articulate how connecting multiple resource meanings with multiple audience interests and perspectives facilitates opportunities for audiences to make their own intellectual and emotional connections to the meanings and significance inherent in the resource;

  • Use KR and KA to establish relevance and provoke additional personal connections the meanings of the resource.

Approach

This component applies knowledge and practices described by the preceding components of this module. A key understanding for success is that resources possess multiple meanings (an aspect of KR) and that audiences possess multiple perspectives (an aspect of KA). Multiple resource meanings and multiple audience perspectives often overlap and affect each other. For example, audiences hold different perspectives on recognized resource meanings. Also, some resource meanings become more recognized with changing and diverse audience perspectives. What one might consider an "inherent" resource meaning or truth may be viewed by another as an audience perspective. All resource meanings and audience perspectives provide the interpreter with opportunities to connect resource meanings to audience perspectives and interests, establish relevance, and provoke personal connections.

Case studies, analysis of existing interpretive products, and self-analysis can be very helpful in learning the techniques for connecting multiple resource meanings to multiple audience interests and perspectives.

It might also be helpful to consider how section I of this component relates to the "Definitions and Roles" listed in section I-A of the "What is Interpretation: Tangibles, Intangibles and Universal Concepts" component of "Module 101-Fulfilling the NPS Mission: The Process of Interpretation."

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Content Outline

I. What?

A. Resources possess multiple meanings.

1. Some resource meanings may be inherent, elemental, intrinsic, or "true."

a) Example: the Grand Canyon illustrates a dramatic geologic story
b) Example: the Lincoln Memorial memorializes Abraham Lincoln

2. Some resource meanings are ascribed and/or added to the resource.

a) Example: tourist activities and culture on the rim of the Grand Canyon
b) Example: demonstrations and freedom of speech forums at the Lincoln Memorial

3. Information sources, audiences, interpreters, managers, agencies, experts, tradition, educational institutions, among others ascribe meanings to the resource.

a) Interpretive products should be based on the site's interpretive themes.
b) To be broadly successful, interpretive products and the site interpretive themes they are based on must reflect multiple resource meanings and multiple audience interests and perspectives.

4. Each tangible resource may be interpreted in multiple ways.

B. Audiences have multiple interests and perspectives

1. Different meanings of the resource are relevant to different audiences and audience members.
2. Different audiences and audience members consider different meanings to be inherent or true.

a) Examples: scientific, creationist, or Native American explanations of the Grand Canyon
b) Examples: "Great Emancipator," "Savior of the Union;" or descriptions of Abraham Lincoln as a racist

3. Audiences and audience members ascribe meanings to the resource.

a) Audiences and audience members think about resource meanings, discuss those meanings with others, and create new understandings and meanings for themselves and others.
b) Audiences and audience members ascribe meaning based on what is relevant to them, their experience with the resource, their previous experience, their beliefs, etc.

C. Interpretation uses multiple resource meanings to connect to multiple audience interests and perspectives.

1. Interpreters recognize the right of audience members to have and maintain their own perspectives.
2. Interpreters use KA to link appropriate resource meanings (KR) to the interests and perspectives of the audience and establish the relevance of the resource.
3. Interpreters use other resource meanings (KR) to provoke consideration of additional perspectives and emotional and intellectual connections to the resource.

a) Interpreters must do more than re-enforce or pander to audience interests and perspectives.
b) In order to create enhanced levels of care about the resource, audiences must have the opportunity to ascribe new meaning to the resource.

II. How?

A. Advanced KR

1. Use KR to establish relevance and provoke consideration of new perspectives and/or intellectual and emotional connections to the resource.

a) KR is a stockpile of material that can be selected from to relate to specific audiences and provoke new connections.
b) Prepare a repertoire of presentations on the same topic, theme, or resource using and emphasizing different elements of KR according to the interests and perspectives of given audiences.
c) Prepare a repertoire of ways in which different pieces or presentations of KR can be combined and sequenced according to the interests and perspectives of given audiences.
d) Use KA and encourage audience feedback to adjust presentations, even while presenting, to continue to address the purpose of the program but also meet the interests and perspectives of the audience.

2. Categorize advanced KR into tangibles, intangibles, and universal concepts.

a) When encountering a new tangible artifact, feature, flora, fauna, landmark, place, or aspect of the resource, brainstorm its potential intangible meanings and relationship to universal concepts. (See: appropriate sections of Worksheet and TIU Process Model)
b) When encountering a new intangible process, system, idea, value, or other meanings related to the resource, brainstorm its potential tangible and universal concept connections. (See: Worksheet and Process Model)
c) When encountering a new universal concept related to the resource, brainstorm its potential intangible and tangible connections. (See: Worksheet and Process Model.)
d) Share findings and worksheets with other staff members.

(1) Informally
(2) Start a division notebook of worksheets for future reference.

B. Application of Advanced KA

1. Use advanced KA to identify audience interests and perspectives.
2. Use KA to select relevant KR.
3. Use KA to make a "gesture of respect" that is recognizable and meaningful to given audiences.

a) Refer to ideas, events, and perspectives that are unique or relevant to a given audience.
b) Use language that indicates care for the perspectives, culture, and interests of a given audience.
c) Acknowledge level of expertise of a given audience.

4. Use KA to include a variety of perspectives, explanations, meanings, and interpretations to diverse audiences.
5. Use KA to analyze audience, prior to, during, and after presentation.

a) Plan programs for scheduled groups according to pre-identified audience characteristics.
b) Modify on-going programs based on audience reaction.

(1) Use appropriate questioning techniques (See: Questioning Techniques lesson plan) to solicit audience feedback.
(2) Check audience body language
(3) Pre-plan possible transitions and KR substitutions
(4) Adjust programs to be more technical, emotional, in-depth, basic, etc. at pre-planned moments of decision based on audience feedback.
(5) Use audience feedback to evaluate effectiveness of interpretive product.

(a) Determine alternative approaches to audiences encountered.
(b) Share encountered audience characteristics with peers and seek alternative approaches.

6. Categorize KA into audience perspectives, interests, and connections to the resource (See: Knowledge of the Audience component plan section on Organizing Responses).

a) Use intangible meanings indicated as relevant by audiences to identify tangible resources and universal concepts that can link to those meanings. Use those links to create interpretive products that explore meanings of the resource indicated by specific audiences as well as provoke consideration of new perspectives and connections to the meanings of the resource. (See: Worksheet, and Process Model)
b) Use interests in the resource indicated by audiences to identify tangible, intangible, and universal concepts that might meet those interests. Create links based on tangible and intangible resources, and universal concepts. Use links to create interpretive products that satisfy indicated audience interests. (See: Worksheet, and Process Model)
c) Use connections to the resource indicated by audiences to identify tangible and intangible resources and universal concepts that might be linked to those connections. Create links based on tangible and intangible resources and universal concepts. Use links to create interpretive products that build upon and move beyond indicated connections (See: Worksheet, and Process Model).

C. General Approach

1. Recognize own bias as it affects understanding of KR and KA as well as interpretive products.
2. Encourage dialogue, recognize the rights of audiences, and allow audience members to have and maintain their own perspectives.
3. Seek to understand and, without manipulation, accurately describe multiple resource meanings and audience perspectives.

a) Based on the interests and perspectives of a given audience, be prepared to describe all sorts of meanings ascribed to the resource, including those that are obscure, unpopular, or bizarre.
b) Establish relevance for and provoke audiences with diverse members by interpreting a variety of meanings. [Multiple Points of View]

4. Do not attempt to replace an existing resource meaning or perspective with a new one.

a) Use existing meanings and perspectives to establish relevance and comfort before introducing new meanings and perspectives.
b) Controversy often arises from audiences feeling threatened that their meanings and perspectives are under attack.

5. Identify and use universal concepts.

a) Universal concepts establish common ground between the interpreter and audience as well as between audience members.
b) Universal concepts are most powerful to a given audience when they are approached through the specific perspectives and culture of a given audience.
c) Seek to link a single universal concept to multiple intangible meanings (ideas, processes, values, concepts, systems, etc.) each of which represents an alternative meaning.

6. Use accurate and respectful language that identifies the perspective from which information is presented.

a) Example: "The white South believed…" rather than "The South believed…"
b) Example: "Scientists estimate the feature is 20 million years old…" rather than "The feature is 20 million years old…"
c) Example: "Hopi people say…" rather than "Hopi people are…"

7. Seek to balance audience mental comfort with challenge of impact and effect.

a) Acknowledge audience perspectives and beliefs with respect and honesty.

(1) Describe perspective and use supporting KR.
(2) This may take a significant amount of time and/or space.

b) Offer new perspectives and differing beliefs after audience is comfortable, secure, and interested.
c) Realize that new perspectives and differing beliefs can provoke-resulting connections can be immediately cultivated if the audience is interested, but may need to develop through personal reflection. Often, provocation does not take as long to establish as relevance.

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Resources

Interpretive Development Program Worksheets
Interpretive Process Model
Intermountain Region Comprehensive Interpretive Planning Documents:

Primary Interpretive Themes & Subthemes
Primary Parkwide Interpretive Themes
Significance of Park Resources
Sets of Significance& Primary Themes

Suggested Developmental Activities

1. Evaluate several of your own interpretive products for the connection of multiple resource meanings and audience interests and perspectives. Are your products describing multiple meanings? How? Are they matching advanced KR to advanced KA? Are you identifying and establishing relevance in the intended audience? Are your products acknowledging different audience perspectives about those meanings? Can you make these products more provocative by including more resource meanings and/or audience perspectives? Can you make them more inclusive? Can you make them address a broader audience? Can you use them to provide additional gestures of respect? Can you use them to encourage dialogue between differing perspectives?

2. Use TIU Worksheet to identify multiple meanings in your resource. Apply the Process Model to develop a new interpretive product that presents multiple resource meanings.

3. Identify, formally or informally, meanings and perspectives ascribed to your resource by a variety of audiences. Use TIU Worksheet to link appropriate tangibles and universal concepts to those audience meanings. Apply the Process Model to develop a new interpretive product that addresses multiple audience perspectives. Go through the same process but begin by identifying audience interests as well as connections to the resource

4. Prepare a repertoire of ways in which different pieces or presentations of KR can be combined and sequenced according to the interests and perspectives of given audiences.

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Editor: STMA Training Manager Interpretation

 
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