The role of interpretation during a short-term nature excursion

210 Pages·2017·2.68 MB·English

Antioch University
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Dissertations & Theses
2016
Making Meaning Together: The role of
interpretation during a short-term nature excursion
Kate Jurow
Antioch University, New England
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Jurow, Kate, "Making Meaning Together: The role of interpretation during a short-term nature excursion" (2016).Dissertations &
Theses. 289.
http://aura.antioch.edu/etds/289
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Making Meaning Together: The role of interpretation
during a short-term nature excursion

by

Kate Jurow

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Environmental Studies
at
Antioch University New England
(2016)
©Copyright by Kate Jurow 2016
All rights reserved
For Rich, Heart and Gary

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Table of Contents
Dedication ........................................................................................................................................ i
Figures........................................................................................................................................... vii
Tables ............................................................................................................................................ vii
Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... viii
Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... ix
Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1
Connecting to the Natural World: Interpretation, stewardship and organizational mission .... 2
Interpretation and the Nature Experience ................................................................................. 6
Purpose of Study ....................................................................................................................... 8
Chapter 2: Literature Review .......................................................................................................... 9
The Experience of Nature ......................................................................................................... 9
Nature Experience as Transaction .................................................................................... 10
Nature Experience as Self-change and Restoration .......................................................... 14
Themes and Dimensions of the Nature Experience .......................................................... 18
Nature Experience as Relationship ................................................................................... 21
Interpretive Theory and Nature Audiences ............................................................................. 23
Inspiring Stewardship ....................................................................................................... 23
Cognitive Effects: Learning in nature ............................................................................... 25
Examining the Nature Interpretive Experience: Personal interpretation .......................... 28
Interpretive Practitioners: Facilitating meaning and connections ..................................... 32
Summary ........................................................................................................................... 37
Tourism and Leisure ............................................................................................................... 37
Experience as Value .......................................................................................................... 38
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Magic and Extraordinary Experience ............................................................................... 39
Authenticity and Staged Encounters ................................................................................. 40
The Role of Attention ....................................................................................................... 44
Summary ........................................................................................................................... 45
Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 46
Chapter 3: Methods ....................................................................................................................... 47
Study Design and Role of the Researcher as Participant ........................................................ 47
Researcher’s Role as a Nature Interpreter ........................................................................ 49
Research Methods Overview .................................................................................................. 50
Study Criteria .......................................................................................................................... 51
Excursions ......................................................................................................................... 51
Participants ........................................................................................................................ 52
Sample Size ............................................................................................................................. 52
Validity ................................................................................................................................... 53
Delimitations and Limitations ................................................................................................. 55
Delimitations ..................................................................................................................... 55
Limitations ........................................................................................................................ 56
Data Collection ....................................................................................................................... 57
Field Protocol .................................................................................................................... 57
Field Observations ............................................................................................................ 58
Additional Instruments: Interpretive Methods Checklist .................................................. 58
Interviews .......................................................................................................................... 59
Data Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 59
Coding Process.................................................................................................................. 59
Chapter 4: Findings ....................................................................................................................... 63
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Overview: Excursion Characteristics ...................................................................................... 64
Experience Setting: Excursion landscapes ........................................................................ 64
Participant Characteristics ................................................................................................ 64
Process Overview.................................................................................................................... 67
Codes and Coding ................................................................................................................... 68
Coding Nomenclature and Application ............................................................................ 69
Code Groupings: Categories and clusters ......................................................................... 70
Interview Discussions ....................................................................................................... 71
Visitor Themes .................................................................................................................. 71
Guide Codes and Clusters ................................................................................................. 87
Researcher Observations ......................................................................................................... 99
Social Interactions ........................................................................................................... 100
Guide Interpretive Techniques ........................................................................................ 102
Visitor Empowerment ..................................................................................................... 103
Emotional Affect ............................................................................................................. 104
Summary ............................................................................................................................... 105
Chapter 5: Socially Shared Cognition ......................................................................................... 106
Social Elements of a Group Nature Experience ................................................................... 109
Learning in a Social Context................................................................................................. 111
Classical Learning Theory: Constructivism and the sociocultural context .................... 112
Socially Shared Cognition: Recent perspectives and models ......................................... 113
Making Meaning ............................................................................................................. 119
Socially Shared Cognition: Informal and interpretive settings ............................................. 121
Meaning-Making Conversations ..................................................................................... 124
Social Interactions in a Guided Nature Experience .............................................................. 127
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Social Factors and Interpretation Theory: Dominance of a cognitive model ....................... 130
Chapter 6: Discussion ................................................................................................................. 135
Role of the Guide .................................................................................................................. 136
Touristic and Interpretive Literature ............................................................................... 137
Connecting Visitors to Nature ........................................................................................ 141
Mediating an Emergent Experience ................................................................................ 143
Facilitating Experience: Experience as value ................................................................. 144
Empowering Visitors ...................................................................................................... 144
Summary ......................................................................................................................... 145
Role of Interpretation ............................................................................................................ 146
Implications for Practice ....................................................................................................... 147
Nature Guide Role: Fostering community ...................................................................... 148
Nature Guide Role: Facilitating meaning-making .......................................................... 150
Altering Group Conformation and Dynamics................................................................. 150
Organizational Role: Fostering community .................................................................... 152
Organizational Role: Training and development ............................................................ 152
Future Investigations ............................................................................................................. 153
The Future of Interpretation .................................................................................................. 155
Bibliography ............................................................................................................................... 159
Appendix A: Study Instruments.................................................................................................. 181
Interview Questions .............................................................................................................. 181
Visitors ............................................................................................................................ 181
Guides ............................................................................................................................. 182
Interpretive Methods Checklist ............................................................................................. 183
Appendix B: Codes ..................................................................................................................... 185
v
Appendix C: Permissions ............................................................................................................ 193

vi
Figures

1-1 Interpretive Experience Black Box…………………………………………………...2
2-1 Conceptual Framework of Meanings, Interpretation and Connections……………...33
5-1 Components of a Social Theory of learning: An Initial Inventory…………………118
5-2 Social Interactions in a Guided Nature Experience (1)……………………………..127
5-3 Social Interactions in a Guided Nature Experience (2)……………………………..128
5-4 Social Interactions in a Guided Nature Experience (3)…………………………… 128
5-5 Social Interactions in a Guided Nature Experience (4)…………………………….129
6-1 The Interpretive Experience Black Box ……………………………………………154
Tables
4-1 Visitors and Guides per Excursion………………………………………………….. 65
4-2 Code Categories……………………………………………………………………….69
4-3 Code Examples and Nomenclature……………………………………………………69
4-4 Code Application Example……………………………………………………………70
4-5 Definition of Coding Terms…………………………………………………………..71

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