interpretation

A Note from the Editor
As many of you may have heard, the National Association for Interpretation (NAI) is
undergoing reorganization and restructuring. This is a difficult and important process,
and the ramifications could have ripple impacts for years to come. Because the process
and impacts from it are so important, it has as its basis, research.
There were over 25 surveys and 15 focus groups conducted to ensure that decisions
are made accurately and thoughtfully, and will result in the desired outcomes. According
to the fact sheet put out by NAI, in addition to the data collected through the various
methods, “The Board has held extensive discussions and appointed a task force to
address the issues with the present organizational structure.” This process has taken
well over a year and is not yet complete. From this process, some preliminary results
have been put forth, including the goals for the organization and some basic tenants
for moving forward. This draft document has been widely circulated and additional
feedback and comments are being solicited to further refine the reorganization.
For the National Association for Interpretation, these changes and the impacts
from them are critically important to the organization, its members, and the profession
itself—and “getting it right” is not an option, it is a must. Because it is so critical to “get
it right,” all of this work is a prime example of the importance and value of research.
These changes were not suggested because someone wanted to do it, or because someone
liked the idea, or because someone thought it would be successful. They are suggested as
the result of careful data collection and analysis.
On the whole, why do we treat the practice of the profession of interpretation
any differently? Are the goals we have for our individual parks and programs any less
important? Are the training programs we use for new interpreters any less critical?
Decisions such as how a program should be developed and delivered are often made
based on individual preferences, agency requirements or status quo standards. The
survival of interpretation depends on the critical examination of what is done, how it is
done, and what results from it. Research is the foundation of the practice of the science
of interpretation, and it is the only way that we will advance the profession.
I look forward to the future developments of our field through your quality
submissions to JIR.
—C