Tilden, Technology and Adapting Interpretation

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1 Tilden, Technology and Adapting Interpretation The chief aim of Interpretation is not instruction, but provocation. -Freeman Tilden; Interpreting our Heritage Samantha Bachelder and Kimberly Baker Park Rangers Caesar Creek Lake Waynesville, OH National NRM Workshop - April 18 th - 20 th, 2017 US Army Corps of Engineers

2 Who was Freeman Tilden? Freeman Tilden was a writer, journalist and playwright who traveled the world throughout the early 1900s. Tired of writing fiction in the early 1940 s, Freeman began traveling the nation and writing about our national parks. In 1957 (at the age of 73) he would write Interpreting our Heritage which would lay out the core principles for interpretation based on his experiences traveling the nation s public lands and his observations of the rangers who worked them. Tilden died at the age of 96 in 1980.

3 Tilden s 6 Principles of Interpretation If it doesn t relate, it is sterile. Information is not interpretation. Interpretation is an art and any art is teachable. The chief aim of interpretation is provocation. Interpretation should present whole. Interpretation should be age appropriate.

4 For this presentation, technology is Smartphones, tablets, etc Game consoles Social media, youtube Drones VR systems

5 How do you view technology? On a scale of 1-10, how do you view technology as it pertains to your job as an interpreter? 1 = Harmful, totally useless 10 = A most have in today s world. On a scale of 1-10, do you think technology is necessary to have in interpretation today? 1 = Not at all, get rid of it. 10 = The more technology the better!

6 How do you view technology? Have you used new technology in an interpretative program? Yes or no Have you found success or failure using new technologies for interpretative programming? 1= success 10= it made it worse. Would you use new technology in an interpretative program? Yes or no

7 The chief aim of Interpretation is not instruction, but provocation.

8 Look at the following images What do they mean to you? Do they provoke anything?

9 BUILDING STRONG

10 BUILDING STRONG

11 Look at the images again. Are they computer generated or photographs?

12 BUILDING STRONG

13 BUILDING STRONG

14 Technology CAN connect people to the outdoors in new ways.

15 The visitor s chief interest is in whatever touches his personality, his experience and his ideals.

16 Drowning Simulator Tyto Ecology Brave Wilderness Lumo Play Experience

17 Any interpretation that does not somehow relate what is being displayed or described to something within the personality or experience of the visitor will be sterile

18 Just because the technology is available, doesn t mean it s the best way to connect visitors.

19 This is the North American Beaver. Once feverishly hunted for its pelt, beaver s were brought to the edge of extinction in the early 1800 s. These pelts were used to make beaver felt hats for wealthy settlers and Europeans. Lucky for the beaver, fashion trends change quickly and soon beaver felt was out and silk hats became the fashion of the day.

20 Interpretation should aim to present the whole rather than a part, and must address itself to the whole man rather than any phase.

21 If technology allows for a better telling of the whole story, then use it.

This is the echometer designed by Wildlife Acoustics. It s a portable anabat that detects bats, records their calls and identifies them in real time through the use of an apple product and a free app.

22 This is the echometer designed by Wildlife Acoustics. It s a portable anabat that detects bats, records their calls and identifies them in real time through the use of an apple product and a free app. This product was purchased for use in educational programs as well as the continued monitoring of our resident brood bat colony at the Caesar Creek Lake Visitor Center. The Ipad belongs to our Friends of Caesar Creek group and the anabat (along with the educational booklets) was purchased by the Corps. Anabat w/ book: $425.00

23 The same principles apply to educational displays. Use technology when it benefits your story and use other interactive displays to create connections when possible.

24 Use interactive and creative displays to draw people s attention.

25 When using technology, remember Tilden s Principles. If the technology doesn t relate an issue or distracts from the issue, then it s not useful. If the technology doesn t enhance your ability to tell the whole of your story, don t use it. If the technology does enhance the whole of the story, then include it. If the technology makes the program sterile, then don t use it. If it helps to provoke someone to make an connection then use it.

26 What to take home Tilden s principles of Interpretation are still applicable to interpretation today. Technology isn t always the enemy and it isn t always the answer. Technology and traditional interpretation techniques can coexist and do it well, if the larger story benefits in the end. As people change the way they interact and learn about the natural world, interpretation will have to adapt so that the story being told is connecting to the visitor most efficiently.

Thank you! Samantha Bachelder, CIG Samantha.K.Bachelder@uasce.army.

27 Thank you! Samantha Bachelder, CIG Kimberly Baker Phone: Caesar Creek Lake Visitor Center 4020 North Clarksville Road Waynesville, OH Education is knowledge treated imaginatively. -Freeman Tilden; Interpreting our Heritage

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