Assignment #6: What Techniques Work Best to Engage My Audience?

I believe that the best education and interpretation engages head, heart, and hands. Like an angler, I want to "hook" my audience with enticing bait. Most of us have sat through boring lectures in which the presenter only uses only verbal "bait." In this essay, I describe the diverse techniques, or "lures" I plan to use to engage my audience.

My first technique is Prezi; a creative digital presentation software. This engages visual learners. It will work because with only 10 minutes, I do not have time to take my audience outside, so I want to be able to show them visuals of the outdoors and area parks. Prezi is also a novel software that might impress more than simple PowerPoint. Preparation will include taking pictures of local parks, developing the Prezi, and refining it. 

My second technique is a verbal-action call-response activity. In this activity, assign an work/action to different groups in the class for certain cue words. Then I tell a short story with those cue words in it. This engages verbal and kinesthetic learners. This technique will work because it engages the students, breaks up the monotony of a lecture, and uses humor. However, I will have to be careful not to have the activity seem too childish for 5th graders. Preparation will include adapting a story I already have to the parks I am representing.

My third technique is Tilden's principle of relevance. I will poll the students to identify who has been to our parks, who likes to go outside, and who gets caught up with technology. I will ask "A lot of adults think kids spend too much time with technology and not enough time outdoors - do you a agree?" This technique will work because it bridges the interests of the audience with my topic. There is no preparation unless I decide to use clickers to get visual results of the polls. 

You have a better chance of catching more fish if you use a variety of lures. Similarly, I will use a variety of engaging techniques in my 10-minute interpretive presentation to "hook" my audience. 

Assignment #4: Who is My Audience?

Understanding your audience, and taking their unique characteristics into consideration, increases the probability that an interpreter's presentation will make a difference. (Instructor note: the previous sentence is a clear thesis statement for this short essay.) In this post, I describe a hypothetical audience for a 10-minute presentation on my environmental issue of outdoor recreation. Audience characteristics considered include demographics, motivations, interests/traits, and learning styles. I conclude by describing interpretive techniques that might appeal to this audience.

My audience will be a Belle Fourche 5th grade class. I will be a guest speaker from a program sponsored by the State Division of Parks and Recreation that has a mission to get kids to enjoy the outdoors in general and parks in particular. The average household income is 10,000 below the SD medium income, which makes this town primarily low-income or low-middle income (City Data, 2014). The students will not choose to come to this presentation; they will be a captive audience. However, a guest speaker would likely be viewed as an interesting diversion. Also, because Rocky Point State Recreation Area is just west of town, and the Black Hills National Forest is only 12 miles south, many of the students might have connections and interests to parks. Most audiences have a variety of participants who prefer a variety of learning styles such as auditory, verbal, visual, kinesthetic. As stated by Brochu and Merriman (2012): "If you plan for a variety of learning styles in your presentation, then you increase the chance that your message will be accepted" (p. 19). Techniques that might appeal to multiple learning styles and this particular audience might include a PowerPoint filled with visual and audio clips, a game that actively engages the students, and story-telling.  

(Instructor note: Double check that you addressed all items listed in the D2L rubric.)

References:

Belle Fourche, South Dakota. (2014, October 20). In City Data. Retrieved 15:39, January 1, 2015, from http://www.city-data.com/city/Belle-Fourche-South-Dakota.html. 

 Brochu, L. & Merriman, T. (2012). Certified Interpretive Guide Training Workbook. Fort Collins, CO: InterpPress.

Assignment #3: What are My Tangibles, Intangibles, and Universals Related to My Environmental Issue?

In your post: 1) State your environmental issue. 2) List at least ten tangible (concrete) items related to your issue. 3) List at least five intangibles (concepts, ideas, emotions, or feelings) related to your issue. 4) List at least three universal (cross-cultural) ideas related to your issue.

My environmental issue is Outdoor Recreation. Specifically, my issue focuses on the opposing viewpoints related to how overexposure to media and technology deprives children of healthy outdoor recreation. 

Ten tangibles related to my environmental issue include

1. Outdoors
2. Nature
3. Children
4. Streams
5. Mud
6. Recreational Activities like hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, and camping.
7. Obesity
8. Wildlife
9. Plants
10. Weather

Instructor note: "Tangibles" are concrete items that you can identify with one or more of your five senses: touch, see, smell, hear, or taste.

Five intangibles related to my environmental issue are

1. Stress
2. Health
3. Spirit
4. Play
5. Fun

Instructor note: "Intangibles" are abstract items that you cannot easily identify with your five senses. These are emotions, concepts, or ideas. 

Three universals related to my environmental issue are

1. Health
2. Play
3. Fun

Instructor note: "Universals" are cross-cultural ideas that a wide cross section of ages, races, cultures can relate to. 

Assignment #2: What is My Environmental Issue?

My environmental issue is Outdoor Recreation. 

As described in the Points of View database (Berger, 2014) there are two main perspectives on this issue. The first states that the importance of outdoor recreation is overstated. The second states that overexposure to media and technology deprives children of healthy outdoor recreation. 

Instructor notes: 

• Facts are statements that can be proved true or false. Facts tell what actually happened. Facts tell what is happening now. Facts state something that can be easily observed or verified.

• Opinions are statements that cannot be proved true or false because they express a person’s thoughts, beliefs, feelings, or estimates. Opinions express worth or value.

Here are three facts and three opinions supporting the perspective "that the importance of outdoor recreation is overstated" - 

• Fact: In a study, over 75 percent of children ages six to twelve stated that it was parental participation that influenced them to engage in outdoor recreation - not presence or absence of technology.
• Fact: Increasingly, jobs in the United States rely on technology rather than manual labor, and a growing number of people work in offices rather than outside.
• Fact: Studies have shown that a main deterrent to outside play is not technology, but "stranger danger" and lack of access to outdoor recreation spaces.
• Opinion: While it is important to keep physically fit and maintain an appreciation for nature, it is equally important to recognize the role technology plays in modern society and to encourage young people to develop their interests and skills in these areas. Instructor note: The word "important" indicates a value judgment that is based on personal beliefs. 
• Opinion: If a young person shows an interest in and aptitude for computers, technology, or media, this should be encouraged rather than discouraged. Instructor note: The word "should" indicates that the statement is based on personal opinion. 
• Opinion: Society is changing; therefore, our priorities for things like extensive outdoor recreation should change too.

Following are three facts and three opinions supporting the alternative view "that overexposure to media and technology deprives children of healthy outdoor recreation" -

• Fact: The Kaiser Family Foundation report concluded that children of parents who do not allow children to have televisions in their bedrooms consume about four hours less a day.
• Fact: Studies have shown an increase in childhood obesity at the same time as a decrease in outdoor play. Instructor note: Beware of correlation versus causation. Just because something happens at the same time doesn't mean it caused it to happen. This is therefore not a strong argument. 
• Fact: A Kaiser Family Foundation study found a significant increase in media consumption by youth over the past 10 years. At the same time, an Outdoor Foundation study found a significant decrease in outdoor recreation participation by youth. Instructor note: Another correlation. 
• Fact: Humans evolved with extensive outdoor play. 
• Opinion:  It's important for a student's social and physical development to play outdoors instead of on digital games. Instructor note: "important" indicates a value judgment that is based on personal beliefs. 
• Opinion: Kids should play outdoors like when I was a kid. This is America. Instructor note: "Should" indicates the statement is based on personal opinion.
• Opinion: With the increasingly portable and ubiquitous nature of media players incorporated into devices like cell phones, parental controls will probably be less meaningful in the future. Instructor note: This is based on speculation and, therefore, cannot be proved.

 Credit: Much of the above was gleaned from

Berger, A. (2014). Outdoor Recreation: Overview. Points of View: Outdoor Recreation, 1

Assignment #1 Who Am I?

One of my personal mottos is well expressed by the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald: "I hope you live a life you are proud of." (Instructor note: Your lead sentence should be a brief but clear personal philosophy statement for your biography. You do not have to use a quote as I have; you can simply state some of the principles you live by. ) In this post, my goals are to reveal meaningful things about myself, discuss why I am teaching this course, and to share some of my career aspirations, hobbies, and special interests. In addition, I will share the career turning point in my life when I decided on environmental education. (Instructor note: Here I have given an "advanced organizer" which tells the reader what the essay will entail. Note that I've included all the key aspects from the assignment rubric!)

(Instructor note: Notice that each paragraph below has a topic sentence, and then the rest of the paragraph goes on to "color in" with details, examples, or stories related to that topic sentence.)

I am teaching OE 350 Environmental Interpretation because I care deeply about helping aspiring professionals develop an effective theory and practice "toolbox." Interpretive principles, if followed, can make a difference.

At mid-life, I have several career aspirations, hobbies, and special interests. My career aspirations are to continue to develop BHSU's Outdoor Education program as a high-quality academic program that helps students develop competency, confidence, and caring. My hobbies and special interests often connect avocation and vocation: I love Nordic skiing. Other favorite hobbies include kayaking, fly fishing, backpacking, running, reading, and nature study. My interests tend to categorize themselves by mind, body, and spirit. I believe that a well-lived life includes good helpings of interests and activities in each category.

I've had several career turning points, however, the sharpest turn came when I was 21. I was majoring in Environmental Management. I thought I would do something "science-y." However, on a plane flight over eastern South Dakota, I noted that pastures  and native prairie were being plowed for industrial row-crop agriculture. I noted the brown Sioux River. I listened to folks talking about going to a "better" place. And right then I felt a strong call to be an environmental educator and to help people appreciate and care for the places they lived.

(Instructor note: notice how I'm including a conclusion here; not just stopping when I run out of words. I am "wrapping it up" and re-visiting my main lead sentence. Note that I do not include any new information in the concluding paragraph.)

So at mid-life, I can say with pride that I have lived a life, so far, that I am proud of. I've aligned avocation and vocation.