The “Newbrics” of Success
The following draft elements of success were created by the Interpretation And Education Peer Feedback Community in September 2016 to accompany the FY-2017 Foundational Interpretive Competencies. These are working elements of success – just as the Foundational competencies are changing with culture and audiences annually, so too will the elements of interpretive success.
Observable Elements:
Evolving Interpretive Theory
The interpretive experience…
- Exhibits the threefold goals of interpretation, addressing the audience’s interests, the organization’s preservation mission, the broader needs/issues of society and cultivating shared stewardship
- Provokes, creates, facilitates, or supports opportunities for audiences to make their own intellectual and emotional connections to resource meanings and current contexts using the tenets of interpretation
- Incorporates audience-centered techniques and content in interactive and engaging ways that help audiences explore relevant ideas and essential questions tied to the resource
Knowledge of Self
The interpreter…
- Intentionally investigates audience, organizational, and personal biases to increase awareness and acknowledgment of multiple perspectives
- Demonstrates willingness to change perspective(s)
- Creates space for multiple perspectives to engage by adapting to diverse needs
Knowledge of Audience and Community
The interpretive experience…
- Invites and engages in collaborative and generative learning of the evolving meanings of park resources, with and among audiences
- Respects the values and cultural practices of diverse practices by meeting audiences “where they are” both in planning and in practice
- Cultivates a safe and accepting safe/tone for multiple perspectives and truths to be held, experienced, and integrated
Knowledge of Site Resources and Current Context
The interpretive experience…
- Incorporates the latest scholarship and knowledge from a variety of disciplines, audiences, and sources
- Continuously explores the depth and breadth of evolving meanings and current social context
- Explores and integrates the four truths by incorporating forensic information,and social, personal and/or reconciliatory meanings of site resources
Relevant Ideas and Essential Questions
The interpretive experience…
- Uses the site’s resources to intentionally explore and investigate questions essential to today’s culture and society
- Offers opportunities for audiences to investigate personal roles, responsibilities and proactive responses to the broader needs/issues of society
- Exhibits a purposeful focus and cohesive structure or design that can be tailored, whenever possible, to audience interests and input
- Demonstrates flexibility, allowing audiences to cooperatively shape their experience through contribution of content and meanings
Integrating Engagement Techniques
The interpretive experience…
- Uses a variety of interactive techniques and facilitation strategies which help speak to a broad range of learning preferences and engagement styles
- Balances the amount of “presentation” and “listening” time intentionally to facilitate visitor engagement
- Adapts and employs different modes of communication in response to evolving audience input, reaction and self-expression
- Integrates techniques to help the audience engage with the resource to explore its broader implications in their lives
Planning Effective Experiences
The plan for the interpretive experience…
- Demonstrates thoughtful integration into the site’s overall programming strategy and addresses the three-fold goals of interpretation
- Incorporates a flexible structure and focus for the product that allows for audience contribution and co-creation
- Demonstrates that diverse perspectives have been considered and incorporated
- Incorporates design elements and interpretive techniques that are appropriate for the presentation method or product type
- Exhibits knowledgeable and purposeful incorporation of audience-centered interpretive elements
- Proactively addresses accessibility, safety and logistical needs
- Incorporates a strategy for iterative collaborative assessment and feedback
Implementing Effective Experiences
During presentation or implementation, the interpreter…
- Monitors and adjusts for accessibility, safety, logistical, and resource protection needs
- Demonstrates verbal and non-verbal communication skills that are appropriate for the audience and the interpretive medium
- Demonstrates facilitation strategies and skills to manage group process, encourage collaboration, invite contribution, and manage conflict
- Provides interpretive focus but demonstrates flexibility and adaptability to allow audience co-creation of meaning and experience
- Demonstrates adherence to NPS standards for design, accessibility and interpretive effectiveness
- Invites and acknowledges audience feedback, as appropriate for the program or product type