At long last the techniques and methods of activity and actually doing and working with the visitors in a tangible way are the focus of the next few months of material. To back up and recap, the purpose of this series is to re-conceptualize how interpretive methods and techniques are categorized. The organization has been from within the interpreter, to steadily moving out. The first was planning zone, followed by subtle things that the interpreter does, followed by the things that the interpreter communicates, mostly by speaking but could also be applied to writing. Now the series turns to doing, not just on the part of the interpreter but the visitors' as well. This series will break the doing into two parts: low level activity and high level activity, and transition from low to high over time. The low level activities will be broken into three parts and will be release once they are ready, but maybe at not the same blistering pace as with verbal techniques. These are also listed in alphabetical order to make it easier to follow. So here are some methods and techniques to use with visitors:
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Artifacts give you the real deal, but check with your museum
person before you start handling things; some may require
special attention or may not be handled at all! Here: the
firing chamber to a Hall's Carbine removed. |
Artifact- An object from that time period; found in the location, belonging to a person related to the program, or something else. This artifact could be handled or behind glass, although if it could be responsibly handled, that is probably more preferable since it doubles the power of place with an object directly related to the place. But not every artifact should be handled by the visitors. Handling the artifact, talking about it, explaining the significance of it to the program helps give a visual and interactive component to the program.
Assignment- Giving the visitors a job to do. It can range from picking up trash to being partner in a crowd-sourcing endeavor. By asking a visitor (or a group or team of visitors) to participate in some way, this not only helps create memories, meaningful relationships to the resource and program, but also helps instill a sense of ownership in the program and the resource. Giving visitors something to do helps them interact with the interpreter and the resource. Do not make it like homework, they are there to have fun on a visit, not "do stuff because"; the more a program is meaningful and provocative and less like school, the better.
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Brainstorming or using focus groups is a great way to get a
lot of people involved in a relevant task |
Brainstorming- Coming up with ideas in a group or by themselves. This usually involves a writing tool and surface to write on. This activity can be done for a short amount of time and can lead into other higher activities involving group participation.
Focus groups- A group of individuals given a task to work on a certain topic and give ideas and opinions. Much like brainstorming, the point is not necessarily to come up with ideas but to share already held ideas or thoughts and come to some sort of group opinion.
Call and response- Most common in song, this technique involves the interpreter (or visitor leader) to give the call to which the majority will respond. This will usually have a prepared text to call from and a understanding of what the response will be.
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Dressing the part of a soldier for the flag lowering ceremony
can be an experience that stays with a visitor for a long time. |
Costumed interpretation - "Dressing the part" can help make more of an understanding of the resource if the visitors or the interpreter dress in a manner typical or specifically for the time period. The use of period costuming gives an appreciation of the manner in which people lived. For example, the lightness of the clothing may be surprising to the visitors if they dress because of a perception that the clothing was heavy and hot. Or conversely, how restrictive the clothing was. If located at a historical location having people in period clothing helps make the connection to the past stronger since "being there" is combined with "like it was", even if it is not actually how it was, how the visitor may perceive the situation may have a profound impact.
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Scything isn't easy and adding an offset 3 foot blade may be a
hazard to those around the demonstrator. Make sure you think
through the safety implications and standards before
demonstrating something that could be dangerous. |
Demonstration - One of the best activities is demonstration. The different between demonstration and role play or reenactment or participation is how involved the visitors are. A demonstration can be used as a teaching aid before the visitor participates but in some circumstances, the visitor may not be able to participate for safety reasons. For example, a demonstration of a corn seeder out in a field would lead to having a visitor plant seed using the tool, but using a scythe might not be the best tool to have a visitor use since they have the possibility to hurt themselves or others if used incorrectly.
Example- Demonstrations are essentially examples, as are descriptions, use of evidence, reenactments, role-plays, and other moments used to illustrate a point. They help to explain something by doing it or talking about it. This does not have to be the realm of the interpreter. For example, have the visitors find examples of what the interpreter is talking about as they go through the location or point out items that could be used if at a single location; let them find examples.
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My old Boy Scouts of America handbook was my first Field Guide Book.
As you can see, it is quite used. |
Field guide (book)- Using a field guide to help aid in the interpreter's use of knowledge on a topic could be beneficial and to distract from the fact that the interpreter may be new and still learning. But having field books for every person on a program may help visitors learn to identify and learn about certain things found in the field guide. This can also be made into a different activity entirely by bringing some paper, pencils, and crayons and creating a field guide book based on what the visitors are able to find after some direction and instruction from the interpreter.
Gathering- This activity involves getting information or ideas from visitors. This can be done verbally or it can be written down and turned in. Both methods have advantages. For example, if the interpreter wants ideas, suggestions, or opinions to be given in an open discussion, doing a verbal gathering of information may be preferred. If the topic needs to be discreet because of a controversial nature, writing them down and turning them in may be better than blurting out an answer that may upset other visitors with different thoughts. This technique is great for seeing differences of opinion or collecting data on certain things to craft a better interpretive program for that particular group of visitors.
Graphics- Using the artistic creativity of the visitors, creating images that have to do with the program. They can be informational (this is a deer), allegorical (the deer represents the wildness of the land), biological (these are the parts of the deer), environmental (deer is an example of parts of a food web system), and so on. It can be done on poster board, spare sheets of paper, paper plates, Powerpoint slide; any available medium should work. The creative process stimulates others, while the artistic side of the creating a graphic stimulates others.
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| Gotta break the ice somehow. |
Icebreaker- This was covered in the verbal zone of interpretive techniques but rather than doing an introduction or word icebreaker, an icebreaker can involve some more levels of interaction and participation. Some icebreakers can be downright active once the ice is broken doing simpler activities in a progression, once familiarity and trust is built. Things like passing things to one another in a sharing game, moving from person to person doing silly things, and trust activities are all sorts of limitless examples of things that can be done without breaking a sweat or would be considered a 'game'.
