Full course description
Course summary:
Social media has a unique and increasingly important role to play in interpretation by offering a public process for telling interpretive stories. The participatory nature of social media opens opportunities for a collective search for meaning in an artifact, place, or experience, and an evolution of the traditional interpretive program into a storytelling process that is crafted largely by the participants. Sharing capabilities make it possible for great stories to spread quickly, not just to groups of friends, but to millions of users. With the ability for comments on social media posts, users can add their knowledge and experiences related to the original post to create a common story with multiple points of view.
This course will instruct learners in the basics of social media and how to create posts that will engage their followers interpretively.
Course objectives:
After completing this course, learners should be able to:
- Define social media.
- Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using social media interpretively.
- Explain how to apply interpretive principles to social media.
- Recognize how to appropriately engage with virtual visitors in an online environment.
- Determine the appropriate social media platform to use for your organization's audience and goals
Course topics include:
- What Is Social Media?
- Using Social Media Interpretively
- The Challenges of Using Social Media
Elements of the course:
- Informational text
- Real-life examples
- Interactive practice activities
- Informal assessment quizzes
- Final assessment
This course is self-paced, allowing learners the flexibility to complete the course as quickly or slowly as they need.
After completing all course content and activities, you will complete a final quiz to demonstrate your understanding of key course concepts. Upon successful completion of the quiz, you will be awarded a certificate of completion.
Course creators:
This course was designed and developed jointly by the National Association for Interpretation and the Eppley Center for Parks and Public Lands at Indiana University.
Recommended background
It is recommended that students taking this course have experience in interpretation. There are no required prerequisites, but it is recommended that students complete the free Foundations of Interpretation course prior to taking this one.
How to access:
Upon enrolling, you will receive instructions and the link to the Canvas course. Note: When you register, you will receive an email invitation. Be sure to accept that invitation, or Canvas will not allow you to open the course modules.
Enrollees can move through content modules at their own pace within the course timeframe.