Study Tour at Teochew Association

23rd May 2009 ( Saturday ), 9.00 am

On one fine morning, with such refreshing breeze of air I have been walking from the Masjid Kapitan Keling. Just for a few minutes, I mange to reach Han Jiang Ancestral Temple or Teochew Association earlier. To step in the temple really brings such a mix feeling of excited, nervous, engrossed, inspired, enthusiastic and passionate. I was the first to arrive there. Then within any minutes, the crowd keep coming in the hall.

We have done our first study tour at Teochew Association and the talk being given by Miss Lim Gaik Siang. The talk will be divided into 5 sessions that are:

a) Tools used to interpret this site
b) Logistic involve in setting up tools
c) Strength and weaknesses of each tools
d) Reception of visitation towards these tools
e) Discussion.

Purpose:

a) Help visitors to appreciate the site
b) Inspires visitors on value of the site
c) Generate interest of visitors in heritage conservation
d) Sharing experience with other site


A. Tools used to interpret this site

i. Power Point

PowerPoint is a presentation software program that is part of the Microsoft Office package.
PowerPoint uses a graphical approach to presentations in the form of slide shows that accompany the oral delivery of the topic. A PowerPoint presentation is a great means of addressing a large group of people when having to give a speech of your services or your product.

Why used power point?

Sometimes it is better to use a visual presentation when giving your presentation as this is more effective in making people believe in you and your product. This is much more beneficial to prove your worth to people who need to see things to believe in it!

Plus to this it can be tailor made to target different type of audience like school students, university students, working people, and working people. Different type of people requires different way of presentation. This is to ensure the audience well understand to the presentation.

One of the best ways of giving the finishing touches to your presentation would be to use templates to get an idea of what suits you and your presentation. Then of course, to get even better results, it would be better to use stylish photographs in the PowerPoint presentation. You could choose photographs that you have already taken about your product or services.

This is only possible if the existing photograph has any relevance to the matter you intend to give in your presentation. If you have no photographs, then it is better to take digital photographs with your camcorder, which you can then use in the PowerPoint presentation.

The main reason for using photos in your PowerPoint presentation is to make yourself, your presentation and the information you give to the audience more valuable and memorable.

When best to be used?

This type of interpretation will best use for the group of visitors that at least have plenty time at your site. For at least 30minutes and above at your site will best to used this type of interpretation tools.

ii. Bilingual Video

Video is one of the most misused elements in interpretation at this point in my opinion. One use, probably the main use now, of video is for orientation. Most are much too long. If people are standing when they watch it the video should not be longer than seven minutes, preferably five. If they are seated twelve minutes works best. Most I have seen are too long because they are not tightly edited or more commonly try to do more than orient visitors.

Remember people came to see a site not sit and watch a video - they may have been sitting in their car or on a bus for some time before they got to the site. Sitting through a long introductory program is not a good way to start their visit. More important than as orientation -- and I am leaning more and more toward advocating graphics and brief text for orientation - video allows us to show how things were used. (William H. Mulligan, Jr)

For example, it may not be possible for budgetary and other reasons to have a person or persons demonstrate a particular craft or skill whenever you are open on demand for visitors - blowing up a stump for example. Video can do this inexpensively and dependably. Play-only video units are very inexpensive and can be attached to small TVs in multiple areas providing active interpretation on a regular basis. There are maintenance concerns, to be sure, but these are not impossible to resolve. (William H. Mulligan, Jr)

iii. Bilingual Brochure

Every historic site or product needs to produce a high quality brochure as its first priority. The brochure should answer all the basic questions about the site referred to the Ws and the Cs and H question which are:

W = What, Who, Where, When and Why
C = Consequences, Cause and Context
H = How

HOW the reader can become involved in your efforts and HOW they can find you. You need to present what happened at your site, who was involved, why it is important, etc.

Pictures are good, especially period pictures, but be sure they reproduce well - poorly reproduced pictures send a very negative message. Pictures with people in them are almost always more effective than pictures without people. If you want to attract families a picture of a family at your site is a good thing to include. (William H. Mulligan, Jr)

Always include a membership application, or at least an address to which dues or a contribution can be sent, anyone who is reading your brochure is a potential member or supporter for your project. You can print and distribute a lot more copies of a promotional brochure if you are not using money for a separate membership brochure. You need the best brochure you can afford so focus funds on a single brochure. (William H. Mulligan, Jr)

The brochure must include a map and directions from the nearest interstate or major highway if it is to be effective. People need to know how to find you. Very few will call and ask for directions. Make every step involved in finding your site as easy as possible. If there are several ways to get to your site, choose the most direct - usually the one with the fewest turns - for your brochure. (William H. Mulligan, Jr)

Last, and this probably doesn't need to be said, but I'll say it any way - make sure your brochure is designed to fold and fit into the standard size brochure rack. You need to get your brochure out as widely as possible, it must fit in the standard racks, and there are no exceptions to this. Also, put an interesting image on the part that will stick up out of the rack - something relevant to your site, of course, but as interesting as possible. (William H. Mulligan, Jr)

iv. Bilingual Poster

It is like a brochure interpretation. How ever it usually is being place at the site itself. Using poster at your site must concern certain things. Such as the material used and the location the poster will be hanging. It must be weather shield. This is to ensure the quality of poster will last longer and the information will still can be read.