[NHCOLL-L:4127] Scripting exhibitions online course in January

[Helen Alten]

Northern States Conservation Center announces a new online course for 
the start of 2009:

MS 235: Scripting the Exhibition
Instructor: Karin Hostetter
Dates: January 5 through 30, 2009
Price: $425
Location:  www.museumclasses.org

Description:
So much to say and so little space in which to say it. That is the 
dilemma when scripting an exhibition. How do you say what needs to be 
said in the space available? How do you layer your message, so that 
different levels of information can be acquired by visitors depending 
on their interest and the time they spend in their exhibit. How small 
should you go in font size to get all the facts included? Discover 
the value of themes, tangibles, intangibles, and universals in 
writing exhibit text that visitors really want to read - and 
remember. Participants should come with an idea of an exhibit or 
panel to script.  It can be an existing exhibit that needs to be 
re-written or an exhibit in the planning that needs a script.

Course Outline:
         Week 1
                 Types of Labels and Panels
                 Determining the Audience
                 Determining and Writing the "Big Idea"

         Week 2
                 Tangibles, Intangibles and Universals in Writing
                 Information versus Take Home Message
                 Sub-themes

         Week 3
                 Writing to Different Levels of Attention and Knowledge
                 "Grabbing" the Audience

         Week 4
                 Formative Evaluation
                 Hints and Resources on Label Design
                 Final Scripted Labels Posted

Logistics:
Participants in Scripting the Exhibit work through sections on their 
own. Materials and resources include online literature, slide 
lectures and dialog between students and the instructor through online forums.

Scripting the Exhibit runs four weeks. To reserve a spot in the 
course, please pay at 
<http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html>http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html 
If you have trouble, please contact Helen Alten at 
helen at collectioncare.org or Eric Swanson at eric at collectioncare.org


The Instructor:
Karin Hostetter is owner of Interpret This, a consulting company 
specializing in interpretive writing, program development and staff 
and volunteer training. A museum educator at museums, zoos and nature 
centers for over 30 years, she was Curator of Education for the Heard 
Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary (McKinney, TX) and the 
first paid volunteer coordinator at the Denver Zoo. Among her 
award-winning education curricula are several programs she developed 
for the education department at the Denver Zoo over her 12 years on 
staff. Over the years, Ms. Hostetter has been responsible for small 
animal exhibits and animal care at both the Heard and the Denver Zoo. 
She worked with wild animal rehabilitation and public education 
animals, work that included training volunteer animal handlers. Karin 
co-founded the Zoos, Wildlife Parks, and Aquaria special interest 
section of the National Association for Interpretation. Ms. Hostetter 
taught the National Association for Interpretation's two-day 
volunteer management course for volunteer coordinators and served on 
their panel about volunteer programs. She authored a series of 
articles for the National Association for Interpretation's Legacy 
magazine, providing guidelines for developing and maintaining a 
volunteer organization. She has worked with volunteers for nearly 15 
years. Ms. Hostetter now consults with organizations on structuring 
and improving volunteer programs. And she volunteers herself. She 
also continues to teach in two museums, preferring preschool and 
family programs.
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