By Brigid Berger, Texas Master Naturalist
On Saturday, March 10, 2007 the Mid-Coast Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist Class of 2007 attended the class “Interpreting Nature” at the Rio Vista Bluff Ranch near McFaddin, Texas. Miles Phillips, Ecotourism Specialist with the Texas Cooperative Extension, conducted the event, which included didactic instruction, a writing exercise, and a field trip.
The concept of “interpretation” was not familiar to most members of the class and was initially confusing. As Phillips explained the principles of interpretation as defined by the National Association for Interpretation (NAI), the difference between what was familiar to us—education—and this new concept of interpretation became much clearer. The objective of education is knowledge transfer, whereas the goal of interpretation is not to instruct, but to provoke inspiration. A surprising and striking difference!
The NAI’s defines interpretation as a mission-based communication process that forges emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of the audience and the meanings inherent in the resource. Phillips applied this definition by explaining the roles of the interpretive guide.
One role, Phillips explained, is to present an opportunity to experience, “For that which one does, one remembers”. Didactic instruction or lecturing fall short of providing experiential learning but engaging the participant through the five human senses creates an experience that embeds in the memory. A perfect example was provided by Doc and Martha McAllister in a subsequent class at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. While utilizing a key and a collection of foliage cuttings, we examined, touched, smelled, and even tasted while we listened to an explanation. Through this interpretive event we retained much more information than if it were merely presented in a classroom.
Another role of the interpreter is to provide an explanation of meaning or value of the resource. Again, Doc McAllister demonstrated this when he explained whooping cranes as an “umbrella species.” He described the protection given to the whooping crane resulted in a trickle-down effect to benefit numerous other species including birds, plants, insects and others. Thus, the value of protecting the whooping crane is more than the obvious protection of one species; rather the value of the protection is much greater than one would have initially guessed.
An important aspect of interpretation is the audience. Individuals who engage with interpreters are not necessarily seeking to learn. More often their primary objective is to be entertained. The audience of the interpreter seeks to have fun and any knowledge absorbed is done so by way of a light and easily absorbed presentation.
Pertaining to interpretation directed to children, Phillips provided these insights:
 |
Present information using the actual words rather than a watered down version, however, connect it to things with which the child is familiar. |
|
Provide boys with opportunity for movement and activity; girls can sit still at a younger age. |
|
Tell them what you are going to tell them. Then tell them. Then tell them what you just told them. |
To solidify our newly gained knowledge of interpretation, the class was engaged in a writing exercise and then a short practice session to demonstrate interpretive skills. The class concluded with a late afternoon field trip on the Rio Vista Bluff Ranch.
Further information about interpretation can be found on the NAI website. http://www.interpnet.com/
Suggested reading:
|
Lies My Teacher Told Me, James W. Loewen |
|
Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv |
|
Interpreting Our Heritage, Freeman Tilden |
|
The Fifth Essence, Freeman Tilden |
|
Adventures of a Nature Guide, Enos Mills |
|
Any book by John Muir |