Bloomington, IN November 03, 2011

The Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands is proud to announce the release of the National Park Service Interpretive Field School Feasibility Study Report.  This report is the culmination of a four-month long feasibility study the Eppley Institute conducted on behalf of the National Park Service. The study was conducted to gather information for an interpretive field school to be based at the Stephen T. Mather Training Center in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.

The interpretive field school is an idea that originated with former Mather Training Center Training Manager, David Larsen. His vision for the field school was to create a place where NPS interpreters and graduate students could experiment with public engagement techniques in a collaborative and "safe" environment.

This report provides a comprehensive review of the potential for implementing this interpretive field school in the National Park Service. It begins with the origin of the field school idea; explains the research methodology of the study process; presents a literature review of policy documents and related works for their potential influence on the interpretive field school; provides a review of existing field schools and training programs; describes the advantages and disadvantages of potential instructional parks; provides results of stakeholder interviews and surveys; discusses logistics, costs, funding possibilities, and the prospect of university partnerships; and concludes with recommendations for the National Park Service to consider to further determine the need, purpose, and operational approach of an interpretive field school.

Recommendations are made for specific consideration by the National Park Service recognizing that the final choice to implement the field school requires further deliberation by decision makers. The report offers conditions that are most likely to be required if the National Park Service is to implement an interpretive field school, based on facts and conclusions drawn from the feasibility research. The function of this report is to help decision makers understand these conditions, and frame the possible approaches for implementing an interpretive field school.

To view the report in its entirety, please click here.

Established in 1993 by Indiana University's Department of Recreation and Park Administration, the Eppley Institute partners with recreation, park, and public land organizations to enhance access, choice, and quality of natural, cultural, and recreational experiences.

For more information on the National Park Service Interpretive Field School Feasibility Study Report or any of the Eppley Institute's interpretive courses, contact Nona Capps at:
Telephone: (812) 855-0864
Email:        nfcapps@indiana.edu

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