Activities to Measure Understanding during the Visitor Experience

CULTURAL PROGRAM FACILITATOR

Personal connections made with Indigenous artists are powerful. You may want to include activities on site that help you gauge the growth in understanding that is occurring for your guests.

The following are activity examples and ideas.

Object-Inquiry Activity

Prior to a visit with the artists, place an object outside the studio that visitors will encounter during their experience. Ask people to observe the object and say what they think it is (you could use sticky notes for guesses). Invite guests into the studio to learn about the various objects, tools and art forms. Guests will then return to the object as they leave and the facilitator can ask them if they can now identify what it is and what it is used for.

Inquiry Activity

Create a “Wonder Wall” where guests can write their questions and inquiries. Alternatively, you could write a question on the wall (e.g., “Why do you think Indigenous peoples began adorning ordinary objects with art?”) Have guests write their ideas on the wall and encourage them to talk with artists, ask questions and discover the answer for themselves.

Tool-Comparison Activity

In a facilitated session, compare traditional tools with modern ones used for the same tasks. Ask guests to match the tools from the past with their modern-day counterparts.