Historic Southern Indiana

Interpretation For A Changing Audience
Spring Mill Inn
Spring Mill State Park
Mitchell, Indiana

EVALUATION FORM RESULTS

1. WHICH BEST DESCRIBES YOUR POSITION?

    (27) Interpreter/Tour Guide/Naturalist     (10) Volunteer
    (17) Administrator      (2) Other

2. PLEASE EVALUATE THE SESSIONS YOU ATTENDED:

a. Historic Sites Jeopardy
    (6) Excellent     (29) Good     (4) Fair     (3) Poor

b. Historic Sites as Learning Tools
    (11) Excellent     (21) Good     (4) Fair     (0) Poor

c. Audio Description: What Is It and How Does It Work - Part I
    (1) Excellent     (9) Good     (1) Fair     (0) Poor

d. Adapting to Different Audiences
    (13) Excellent     (18) Good     (4) Fair     (0) Poor

e. Changing Fashions: A Retrospective of Styles Over the Years
    (7) Excellent     (7) Good     (13) Fair     (8) Poor

f. Audio Description: What Is It and How Does it Work - Part II
    (1) Excellent     (9) Good     (1) Fair     (0) Poor

g. The Internet as a History Tool
    Session cancelled.

h. An Update on the Underground Railroad Initiative
    (15) Excellent     (16) Good     (3) Fair     (0) Poor

i. Limestone Tour Field Session
    (11) Excellent     (10) Good     (2) Fair     (0) Poor

j. Creating Quality Leather Products
    (7) Excellent     (4) Good     (3) Fair     (0) Poor

k. Call for Papers
    (5) Excellent     (17) Good     (0) Fair     (0) Poor

l. Blacksmithing
    (8) Excellent     (3) Good     (1) Fair     (0) Poor

m. How to Develop and Present a Story
    (31) Excellent     (7) Good     (2) Fair     (0) Poor

n. Constructing Musical Instruments
    (10) Excellent     (5) Good     (0) Fair     (1) Poor

o. The Therapeutic Potential of Museums
    (10) Excellent     (15) Good     (3) Fair     (0) Poor

p. Revisions in The Indiana Way
    (12) Excellent     (8) Good     (5) Fair     (0) Poor

q. Past and Future Milestones in Indiana History
    (18) Excellent     (5) Good     (1) Fair     (0) Poor

3. EVALUATE THE FOLLOWING WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES ON A SCALE OF 1-4, WITH 4 BEING EXCELLENT & 1 POOR. CIRCLE THE CORRECT NUMBER; IF YOU DID NOT ATTEND THE ACTIVITY, CIRCLE N/A.

a. Dinner/Historic Sites Jeopardy
    (16) 4     (25) 3     (3) 2     (2) 1     (10) N/A

b. Auction
    (13) 4     (12) 3     (10) 2     (2) 1     (14) N/A

c. Awards Program & Display
    (6) 4      (19) 3      (10) 2     (1) 1     (12) N/A

Comments on above activities:
-How about silent auction? Auction & awards program need to be re-evaluated to become more engaging. It would be nice to announce the nominees of each category before announcing the winner.
-Sitting with a "team" does not mean networking. Put e-mail on participant list and add addresses for speakers.
-Auction may need to be hyped again with reminders; T-shirt man, etc.
-Dinner choices this year were much improved in my judgment. I greatly enjoyed the Sites Jeopardy. Auction was interesting and fun, as usual. Awards program was most positive also, with all winners very deserving.
-Historic Sites Jeopardy was a little weak. Auction was fun--items so-so.
-It would be nice if the awards program received more attention, such as being presented before Tuesday morning's plenary session, when the most people are present.
-Dinner/Historic Sites Jeopardy was a good way to break the ice.
-This is the first time I have attended but feel there was little interest in the auction.
-Needed to not tell the recipient of the Interpreter of the Year that she was 2nd choice.
-I thought the food was better than last year. Where were all the sites at the auction--a lot of no shows?
-Jeopardy needed more judges--team #1 was overlooked.
-Auction needs to be more effectively promoted, needs "livening up".
-Bob Allen is great!
-Introductions of participants before Jeopardy.

4. Circle the answer that most closely identifies your feeling about the statement.

SA=Strongly Agree, A=Agree, U=Undecided, D=Disagree, SD=Strongly Disagree

a. I liked the format of this workshop.
    (14) SA     (29) A     (5) U     (1) D     (0) SD

b. There was sufficient time for informal sharing & networking with colleagues.
    (14) SA     (27) A     (5) U     (3) D     (0) SD

c. The speakers were knowledgeable and well prepared
    (20) SA     (29) A     (3) U     (0) D     (0) SD

d. The handouts & materials were helpful.
    (13) SA     (27) A     (7) U     (2) D     (2) SD

e. I will be able to use information presented at this workshop in future interpretation at my site.
    (10) SA     (30) A     (9) U     (2) D     (0) SD

f. I learned skills which will help improve future interpretation at my site.
    (12) SA     (31) A     (4) U     (4) D     (0) SD

g. The workshop was well planned & organized.
    (19) SA     (25) A     (6) U     (1) D     (0) SD

h. The quality of the facilities (accommodations, meals & meeting rooms) was good.
    (31) SA     (17) A     (3) U     (0) D     (0) SD

5. DID THE WORKSHOP MEET YOUR NEEDS IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS?
Explain & list any ideas for changes in the space below each.

a. Skills development & practical ideas
    (42) Yes     (7) No

b. Content knowledge (history, interpretation)
    (46) Yes     (3) No

c. Motivation
    (38) Yes     (8) No

d. Networking/sharing ideas with colleagues
    (41) Yes     (7) No

6. ON THE WHOLE, HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE WORKSHOP?
    (13) Excellent     (28) Good     (10) Fair     (0) Poor

7. WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU ENJOYED MOST OR FOUND MOST HELPFUL?
-Networking with other colleagues in the historic field. Getting new perspectives.
-Call for Papers - session.
-The Limestone Tour-very informative.
-Greatly enjoyed the Limestone Tour, which was new and different, and both informative and interesting. Update on the Underground Railroad was outstanding also.
-I mostly enjoyed the session on Changing Fashions and Limestone History & Field Tour. Also, this has been a great opportunity to meet others from around the state. This was my first workshop & I haven't met many others from other sites.
-How to do Audio Description.
-Dennis Latta's session on adapting to audiences.
-Storytelling session.
-No one thing. All were helpful.
-Call for Papers--most helpful. Constructing Musical Instruments--enjoyed the most.
-Always enjoy NPS people. James Madison is inspiring and also gets the brain humming.
-Limestone Tour! I visit a pioneer cemetery with students and adults. Now I know more interesting history.
-Therapeutic Potential of Museums. We could all learn something from Lois. Maybe we could ask her back next year & she could share more of her knowledge with us.
-How to develop storytelling.
-High quality of presentations overall, in particular Dwight Pitcaithley's contributions. Historic Sites as Learning Tools--inspiring. Audio Description--very good--lots of interaction. Changing Fashions--great art history & sociology lesson! Scholarly. Underground Railroad--wonderful flip side to Indiana History (KKK).
-Limberlost speaker was very good. Adapting to Different Audiences gave me lots of new ideas to use.
-James Madison.
-Dennis Latta "Adapting to Different Audiences" & Stephanie Holman "Storytelling". I can't choose between them.
-How to Develop & Present a Story.
-Offering the workshops on more than one session time. Great idea.
-Handouts of programs & networking.
-Adapting to Different Audiences.
-Adapting to Different Audiences.
-Adapting to Different Audiences--great!!!
-Networking.
-I enjoyed the opportunity to meet with people from other sites.
-#1 Trip to Elliott's Limestone Mill. #2 Dennis Latta's group was great.
-Adapting to Different Audiences & Blacksmithing.
-Limestone Tour.
-The storyteller-James Madison & the leather worker.
-The fact that many sessions were offered at more than one session was great! It offered so much more flexibility.
-The way the presentations were organized in concurrent sessions allowed participants to enjoy many presenters and topics.
-Auction. Lois Silverman is always a joy to listen to. Wealth of various ideas.
-How to develop & present a story.
-Call for Papers session.
-Hands on--breaking into small groups.

8. WHAT DID YOU ENJOY LEAST, OR FIND LEAST HELPFUL?
-The timing of the Awards Program & Auction. These events could have started earlier & perhaps some visual aides would help Awards Program.
-The session on Museums as therapeutic facilities was most interesting and an excellent concept. However, in terms of my site, its application is rather limited.
-Some presenters weren't as well prepared as others. Also, the description of the sessions didn't always match up with the actual session.
-Some of the sessions were interesting but not useful (Changing Fashions, Leather, Musical Instruments). Others that I had most looked forward to were either cancelled (Internet as a History Tool) or not as described (Changing Fashions, Making Musical Instruments).
-All were good to excellent.
-Adapting to Different Audiences. I couldn't hear or see the speaker! I had to play by ear during the activity given us.
-Did not enjoy Jeopardy--probably need to be more competitive!
-Adapting to different audiences. I have been doing this.
-Storytelling--was very entertaining but not educational.
-Call for Papers--haunted house & Medical History Museum might have been a bit more selective & put the mission of their sites in perspective with activities.
-Lois Silverman
-Changing Fashions--not what I wanted or expected.
-Changing Fashions was not what I thought it would be. Assumed it was on clothing styles.
-While the program on "Changing Fashions" was most interesting, it did not relate to my programs.
-Thought Changing Fashions was fashion styles not body styles!
-Changing Fashions.
-Food--to much!
-Most sessions were dull and did not relate to the job of an interpreter or Indiana.
-Changing Fashions--not what I was looking for. Nothing to do with fashions of time period for our working place.
-Changing Fashions wasn't helpful and was not what I expected at all.
-Changing Fashions--interesting, but rather superficial--not bad in itself, but disappointing because it could have been so much more effective and relevant.
-Most activities focus on "colonial" times--many of our sites are not of this period.
-Need more hands on options for various types of sites.
-Changing Fashions session.
-Slides are not good. Can't see well enough in a large room.

9. PLEASE JOT DOWN ANY IDEAS FOR NEXT YEAR'S WORKSHOP!

Speakers
-More speakers from different sites. Their experiences.
-Dr Madison, of course.
-Recall Dr James Madison again.
-Naturalist.
-Need to know they must speak plain, their voice needs to carry so everyone can hear.
-Judy O'Bannon or celebrity.
-The Best!!!--James Madison. Stephanie Holman--many great idea/resources.
-James Madison.
-James Madison, Dwight Pitcaithley.
-Less lecturing more things to do & say to improve interpretation.
-Judy O'Bannon.
-Only people who work as interpreters and are good speakers.
-James Madison.
-Tom Gross.
-More hands on sessions with practical application tips.

Topics
-"How to re-think interpretive tours" (going beyond status quo).
-How to train & evaluate tour guides.
-Positive re-enforcement for poorly paid volunteers.
-Some connection to Forestry (centennial-2001).
-Continue Call for Papers or maybe a (What's happening/happened where).
-Something associated with spring & the natural world.
-Tour of the park.
-Ways to deal with rude visitors. Ways to train volunteers or newly hired. Ways to deal with visitors whom have been drinking and there are only women on the site.
-More outdoor interpretation. Each site has an outside area!
-Working together with our community.
-Making our interpretation better, more interesting, practical applications.
-More storytelling techniques by Stephanie Holman--give update.
-General museum, care & maintenance of collections, etc.
-Genealogy--fundamentals.
-How the money works: the State Historic Site budget process.
-Sometime it would be nice to see "The Village" in action & see the gardens in bloom but I realize March is convenient for museum people.
-Presenting interpretations to different age groups.
-Indiana History and things related to Indiana History.
-Giving a Good Interpretation. What works, what could work better. Controlling groups, audience "assessment", ie: how to adapt on your feet to differences in groups make-up.
-#1 Prehistory! #2 How about relating Indiana history to word history of the same periods?
-Enhancing public relations, fundraising. Web sites for historic resources.

Social Activities
-Take advantage of the locale (with specific tours of area sites). Next year (Brown Co & Bloomington area: TC Steele, Wylie House, IU Art Museum, Mathers Museum.
-Tour of the park.
-Dinner that is immediately followed by award ceremony in the same room. People already there.
-Skip Bo or Password.
-Dance.
-Slides & brief introduction of various sites of workshop attendees.
-Some changes are in order.
-A teeny bit more time to ourselves would be appreciated.

Format Changes
-If dinner is not possible, have awards ceremony on the same night as jeopardy.
-Roundtables to foster more discussion. Sister sites?--pair up locations to informally compare & contrast.
-Elm Room--column in the line of vision interfered with program.
-Go to Steele; maybe some art galleries; Bloomington? Continue maybe the Limestone-especially quarry since OSHA changed our plans!
-More hands on activities.
-Would like to have more hands on. The auction is getting old.
-Jeopardy is fun but not organized.
-Have more handouts. Didn't get any.
-No comment.
-Do more to get sites to intermingle. For most of us that are new--we kind of feel left out.
-Bring back the nature hikes.
-It's fine.
-Don't change anything.
-Why not select another state inn? Spring Mill is a practical location, but many others would also work. This would encourage a more diverse crowd to show up. It would also allow state employees and volunteers to experience more of our state's wonderful locations and resources. Spring Mill is an okay place, but CHANGE IS GOOD.
-Rotate conference location. Let each site report on upcoming events at their site. Calendar of events.

8600 University Boulevard - Evansville, IN 47712-3596 - 812/464-8600