guided tours
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TRANSCRIPT
The Condensed Version
March 1 , 2011
Guided Tours
Basic layout of a guided tour
Defined objectivesIntroductionContentConclusionEvaluation of learning
Objectives
Content you intend the audience to learnExamples:
The visitor will be able to identify the historical progression of basketball
Students will be able to identify the cultural affect of Penn State’s 1947 Cotton Bowl team
Visitors will be able to recognize artwork from the Impressionistic period.
Students will be able to identify sculpture based on its medium.
Learning Goals
How you will accomplish and measure your objectives
Examples: The visitor will be able to identify the historical
progression of basketball Discuss Dr. Naismith, and his intention with inventing
basketball. Explain the roots of the name basket-ball. Show antique replica of a 1920’s basketball and talk
about what “dribbling” originally looked like. Discuss women’s role in basketball, and how the game
was first played by women. Etc
Learning Goals
Examples: The visitor will be able to identify the historical
progression of basketball Apply PA State Standards for History: 8.3.12.A
Identify and evaluate the political and cultural contributions of individuals and groups to the United States history from 1890-present Cultural and commercial leaders
8.3.12.C Evaluate how continuity and change has influenced United
States history from 1890-present Innovations Social organization Women’s movement
Learning Goals
Students will be able to understand and identify sculptures based on its medium. Show 3 mediums; clay, metal, and wood. Talk about the similarities and differences between the 3,
i.e. how they are made, how valuable they might be, etc. Use hands on materials to feel the differences between
the 3 and describe other things that are made out of those materials.
Continue throughout the museum seeking to identify other artwork made out of the materials they’ve been learning about.
Learning Goals
Students will be able to understand and identify sculptures based on its medium.
PA State Standards for Arts and Humanities: 9.3.3.C
Know classification skills with materials and processes used to create works in the arts.
9.3.3.F Know how to recognize and identify similar and different
characteristics among works of art.
Introduction
Introduce the institution, its history, mission, and a brief overview of the museums exhibits/collections.
Introduce yourselfFind out something about your visitorsLet visitors know your planPoint out important areas (restroom, water
fountain, etc)Cover basic museum rules
Interpretive Techniques
LectureLecture DiscussionInquiry DiscussionGuided DiscoveryGuided InvolvementRandom
Interpretive Techniques
Lecture technique: How the majority of your collegiate professors
conduct class. Pros Cons
Interpretive Techniques
Lecture Discussion Technique: Similar to lecture technique, but now welcomes
questions and visitor participation in discussions. Ideal for adult groups, good college aged groups, and
acceptable for older adolescent groups. Pros Cons
Interpretive Techniques
Inquiry Discussion Technique: Tour is set up as more of a dialog, consisting of
questions, exchanging of answers, and discussion between guides and visitors.
Visitors explore ideas with guidance and direction of a guide.
Guides function as more of a discussion leader, rather than a lecturer.
Specific facts are less important than the general context, time period, culture, etc.
Appropriate for any age group. Pros Cons
Interpretive Techniques
Guided Discovery Technique: Offers visitors a structured activity that requires them
to make individual choices on what they wish to learn within the exhibits.
Best for children older than 7yrs old, through adults. Pros Cons
Interpretive Techniques
Guided Involvement Technique: Similar to Guided Discovery, but its highly structured . Visitors/students are given a task, often will work
together in small groups with direct supervision. Each activity occurs over short periods of time and
within limited areas. Pros Cons
Interpretive Techniques
Random: Self-guided walk through of the museum with a guide
present. Often used when visitors come to a museum and
request a guided walk-through (if a museum is capable and able to provide it), when very large groups request a tour, or when groups become difficult and frustrated guides walk with them to keep them together and move them out of the exhibits and museum in an orderly fashion.
Questioning Strategies
MemoryConvergentDivergentJudgmental
Questioning Strategies
Memory Facts, names, dates, etc.
“how many…” “what is the…” “name the…”
Questioning Strategies
Convergent questions Seek the most appropriate/best answer There is one best answer
Questioning Strategies
Divergent questions Open-ended questions that encourage multiple
answers. Questions demand imaginative thinking and
exploration of all possibilities. There is no “right” answer
“what if…” “how many ways…” “imagine that…”
Questioning Strategies
Judgmental questions Encourages each visitor to formulate an opinion,
value, or belief that is personal to them.
Questioning Strategies
Levels of questions Naming objects Discriminating characteristics of objects and events Classifying and grouping objects and events Making inferences
Drawing conclusions based on observations, forming a hypotheses, making a logical judgments, etc.
Evaluation and Judgment Choose, decide, evaluate, judge, assess, give your
opinion, tell which is preferable, etc.
Tour Aids
GamesImprovisationHands-on materialsProject-directed and data retrievalStorytellingAudio-visual aidsFilmsInteractive exhibits
Conclusion
Review/give a summary what was seen or done
Ask their most enjoyable part of the tour, what they remember the most, etc.
Encourage visitors to return. Cite future programming/events at the museum.
Self-evaluate. Did you accomplish your objectives?