Register NOW for ZWPA’s “Non-Personal Interpretation: Exhibits, Graphics, Technology, and Writing”!
Are you looking for an affordable professional development opportunity that will give you 24hrs of CEU credits toward any NAI certification? Do you crave continued education, without the expense of travel?
Register NOW for the Zoo, Wildlife Park, and Aquaria InterpNET conference to be held on Thursday, December 13, 2018! “Non-Personal Interpretation: Exhibits, Graphics, Technology, and Writing” will bring professionals together to share their expertise and success stories. Join us!
The conference will run 11am EST-4pm EST (adjust for your own time zone). See below for more information about presenters and sessions.
Cost:
NAI Members: $69
Non-members: $84
Group rate for same institution: $119
Outside of North America: $119
Presentations:
PIT’s and PIG’s of Interpretation
Steve Gerkin, Interpretive Programs Manager, North Carolina Zoo
Presentation Abstract:
What do PIT’s and PIG’s have to do with interpretation? The North Carolina Zoo created a Park Interpretive Team (PIT) to help guide and prioritize interpretation throughout the Zoo. That team is made up of staff from not only conservation education, but includes animal, graphics, communication, horticulture, and design. Join us to find out about the PIG’s!
About the Presenter:
Steve Gerkin has been in informal education for over 20 years at four zoos, most recently 11 years at the North Carolina Zoo. He has worked on both the school side and most recently the public side. His current role sees him working with non-personal interpretation along with training staff and volunteers on interpretive techniques.
Dynamic Sign Design, or, Why I Never Want to Hear ‘People Don’t Read Signs’ Ever Again
Allison Price, Director of Learning Experiences, Lincoln Park Zoo
Presentation Abstract:
Anyone who has sat through an exhibit planning meeting has heard it a thousand times: people don’t read signs. But as some researchers have pointed out, it’s more accurate that “not all people read all signs.” As zoo and aquarium interpreters, we know that signage is an important backup to flesh-and-blood interpreters who can’t be everywhere at every time. But how do we make signs that count, and how can we measure their success? Lincoln Park Zoo has been evolving its exhibit signage over the past few years, first through new exhibits and now through a zoo-wide sign overhaul. In the process we have learned a few things about what folks read, what they touch, what they look at, and why. In this presentation, we’ll present a few case studies of what has worked, explain how we evaluated the projects, and share some reflections on how non-personal interpretation can complement the work of interpretive staff.
About the Presenter:
Allison Price oversees the guest engagement, child and family learning, and student/teacher programs teams at Lincoln Park Zoo. Her expertise includes designing and facilitating nature play programming, interpretive programming and signage, public speaking, and theatre performance. She is the chair of the AZA Conservation Education Committee and serves as an advisor to the Blue Sky Funders Forum, a national hub for funders of environmental education. Allison holds an M.S. in Science and Technology Studies from Virginia Tech where her research focused on science and technology journalism and aerospace history, but she’s forever grateful to have found her career in zoos.
Social Norms Theory and Behavior Change: A Zoo Perspective
Katura Reynolds, Interpretive Content Developer, Woodland Park Zoo
Hillary Lauren, Interpretive Content Developer, Woodland Park Zoo
Presentation Abstract:
Social Norms Theory has been shown to have great potential to encourage common-sense conservation actions. In this session, we’ll get familiar with landmark studies that defined this communication approach. We’ll discuss social norming can be used broadly to frame topics in interpretive materials and discuss some of the limitations we’ve discovered when trying to connect it to concrete conservation actions.
About the Presenters:
Katura Reynolds studied science illustration at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She developed the award-winning Plants Are Up to Something exhibition at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California and created a number of traveling exhibits for the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon. Katura is now an Interpretive Content Developer at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington and is enjoying learning what makes a zoo tick.
Hillary Lauren is an Interpretive Content Developer at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington. She is new to the zoo world, but her background is in curriculum and professional development for science education, graphic design and illustration, education research and game design. In her formal training as a biologist and ecologist, she studied slug ecology in Seattle and salmon ecosystems in southwest Alaska.
Mobile Play: The Future of Interpretation
Mary Clark, Chief Executive Officer, Agents of Discovery
Presentation Abstract:
Mobile, location-based gaming is more popular than ever. We should leverage this interest to create engaging interpretive content. The revolutionary technologies of geo-location and augmented reality can turn any setting into an interactive classroom. Digitally-driven tools can make learning about science, conservation, history, or culture more engaging for youth, and are indicative of emerging trends in outdoor education and community outreach. This presentation will discuss a “Future Focus,” looking towards solutions for growing the next generation’s interest in their natural surroundings through gamifying content. Citizen interest in public lands and other natural resources is of mounting importance, especially among youth. We know that mobile technology use among younger demographics isn’t going to decrease anytime soon, so we need to leverage this interest and pair it with our own conservation initiatives. Why not use the technology that kids already enjoy - mobile gaming - and apply proven methods of the gaming industry to engage youth in nature education. With game creation becoming easier for the everyday user, why not take this one step further and empower users to create their own personalized games based on their location’s programming goals. We need children of today to become the environmental advocates of tomorrow.
About the Presenter:
Mary Clark is a dynamic leader with a passion for creating education technologies that change the world. Not only is Mary a visionary female entrepreneur who brings a unique perspective to product development, but she also worked for years as a teacher and brings her own personal experiences (from writing science textbooks to understanding systemic gaps in education) to her executive role. She holds a B.Sc. (Honors) and B.Ed. from the University of Alberta, as well as an M.Ed. (with a focus on education technology) from the University of British Columbia.
Please send any questions about the conference to Amanda Berlinski.