Understanding Measurable Objectives
James Little
Interpretive Consulting Services
It is important to understand the ‘ecology’ of your interpretive program components. The goals, objectives, and theme are all interrelated. As you work towards developing and refining your measurable objectives for the program, keep in mind the objectives record the essence of what you are achieving through successful delivery of your interpretive theme.
Remember that the goal of interpretation is not having visitors just remember facts: see the NAI as well as Tilden’s definition of interpretation:
Interpretation is a purposeful approach to communication that facilitates meaningful, relevant, and inclusive experiences that deepen understanding, broaden perspectives, and inspire engagement with the world around us.
—National Association for Interpretation, 2021
Interpretation is the revelation of a larger truth that lies behind any statement of fact.
—Freeman Tilden, 1957
[Interpretation is] an educational activity which aims to reveal meanings and relationships through the use of original objects, firsthand experience, and by illustrative media rather than to simply communicate factual information.
–Freeman Tilden, author of Interpreting Our Heritage
According to these definitions, simply communicating factual information is not interpretation. Likewise, your objectives should not be focused on how many facts visitors remember. Interpretation does more. The measurable objective for any interpretive presentation needs to relate to the interpretive theme, and changing attitudes and/or behavior, either through a change in thinking or action.
Interpreters strive to deliver themes that inspire visitors to change attitudes and behavior, not focus on recall of facts. The use of facts can certainly support a program, but the measurable objective should not be just to know facts.
It is helpful to understand the difference between cognitive and behavioral objectives. Although Environmental Education programs deal primarily with cognition, interpretive programs deal more with behavioral objectives.
People forget facts, but can remember the big idea, the theme. Your successful delivery of the theme, connecting to visitors in a relevant way, helps them to make meanings that are personal and can inspire them to change their way of thinking about the subject (example-native plants) or inspire them to take action (example-attend the next program and help plant native plants.)
Whether or not the visitors memorized the names of several native plants at the park or their habitats is not your objective. You are going further. You might use facts about native plants in your park to help prove your points, and support your theme. But this is not a Botany course, it is an interpretive program. Your objective is not to have them memorize a list of plants. Your objective is to inspire them to think differently about native plants and take action in regards to native plants, moving visitors towards stewardship of the resource.
In an ideal world, we could do pre-tests and post-tests of visitors to determine changes in thinking and behavior at various points on a timeline. In most settings, this rarely happens due to constraints in funding and staffing.
Your challenge is to create a practical measurable objective that can function in a real world setting.
Here are examples of a measurable objective that show a change in thinking or behavior.
After attending an interpretive program:
• Visitors demonstrate their inspiration towards helping bats by 50% taking home bat box plans.
• Visitors demonstrate their motivation towards helping butterflies by 50% taking home a handout with more information on butterfly conservation.
• Visitors demonstrate their enthusiasm towards native plants by 50% signing up to help plant native plants at the next program.
• Visitors demonstrate their sense of stewardship towards native trees by 50% attending the next program to help plant native trees.
• At least 25% of visitors make a donation of $5 to support the planting of native trees.
• At least 25% of visitors sign up to become members after learning about the value of native plants.
For your presentation goals and objectives:
Be sure your measurable objective shows a change in thinking or behavior that illustrates moving towards stewardship of the resource.