Technology in Interpretation

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              The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point has a long tradition of training environmental educators and interpreters with the skills they need to be successful.  To continue this proud tradition, and to provide students with new opportunities to connect the interests of visitors with the meanings inherent in the resources, computer skills training should be incorporated into the curriculum.  As computers continue to become ever more prominent in society, the importance of learning technology skills takes on a much greater precedence.  The purpose of this Interpretive Technology Project is to integrate computer skills into the interpretation courses at UWSP. 

It is imperative that students receive high quality training in computer skills that will assist them in becoming more effective and efficient interpreters.  Interpretation strives to connect the meanings of natural and cultural resources with the interests of visitors.  The College of Natural Resources at UWSP has taught interpretation courses for over 30 years.  Through the dedication and talent of instructors over the years, Stevens Point has become one of the leading training intuitions in the country for environmental education and interpretation.

In the early 1980’s, very few businesses, schools, or homes owned a personal computer.  Today, just 20 years later, computers have revolutionized the way people work and play.  They have become intertwined with all facets of life, and the interpretation profession is no exception.  Interpreters are using computers to create multimedia exhibits, present illustrated talks, design sign panels, posters, and other presentations, and manipulate graphics, sound, and videos.  These tools provide interpreters with opportunities to be more effective in their profession, as long as they can overcome the limitations that are part of any new technology. 

Since the beginning of the Computer Revolution, educators have been trying to standardize computer skills training in the schools.  Unfortunately, national standards have yet to be accepted, and students are entering college without the basic computing skills necessary to succeed.  The Interpretive Technology Project will strive to fill in this gap of knowledge, focusing on skills directly related to the interpretive profession.  At the same time, it will encourage alternative types of learning for students that have grown up in the Digital Age.  To analyze the success of the technology course modules, focus groups will be used to determine students’ attitudes and perceptions toward the training.  Surveys will be sent out to professional interpreters and supervisors to determine which computing skills they deem to be most important.  The results of these analyses will be used to modify and improve the interpretive technology modules in the future.

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