A Model of Learning for Interpretation
As I have noted in previous postings (see, for example, Is Environmental Interpretation the same thing as Environmental Education? An Interpretive Program – A Blip on the Radar Screen,) the brevity of an interpretive experience creates challenges in impacting attitudes and certainly changing behaviors – either related to the resource site or beyond. Therefore, much of my research in the past eight years or so has dealt with ways interpretive programs can be memorable to the visitor.
As my work progressed, I felt it was important to develop a potential framework to use to attempt to enhance participants’ memories of interpretive programs / experiences. In developing this “model of learning” I turned to the field of psychology and the vast amount of research that has been done on long-term memory. My review of literature related to episodic events (short in duration) similar to an interpretive program. I found that there were three strategies that seem to enhance long term recall. These were active experiences, repetitive content, and information relative to the participants. Certainly, at least one of these strategies should sound very familiar to interpreters since relevance to the visitor is Tilden’s first principle! Active experiences also should be one that is certainly used by many interpreters especially for school based programs. The third strategy of repetitive content seems to align more with formal education. However, I would argue that this approach could be adjusted for interpreters by focusing on one or two concepts in a program rather than offer a wide array of different information and or concepts that is difficult for people to retain…but I’ll leave that for another posting!
None the less, the model that I developed (see below) is based on the idea that an interpretive event would offer a set of experiences that would relate to one or more of the three variables that enhance long term memory.

A Learning Model for an Interpretive Program
This model proposes that an interpreter would offer one or more of the program strategies that has been found to aid in long term memory. This approach would then enhance episodic memories or short term recall. The potential “strength” of these recollections would then hopefully become a part of semantic memories which has been found to develop conceptual knowledge which would become integrated into an individual’s schema.
The simplicity of the proposed learning model reflects the episodic nature of interpretation. Its linear structure emphasizes the longitudinal impact that must be assessed to evaluate the “success” of learning. However, the program strategies offered in this model can only be implemented within the duration of the interpretive program which is, in many cases, less than an hour. Therefore, the types of experiences offered in the second stage of the model are crucial!










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