Technology Applications in Interpretation for Field Trips Huang-Wei Su Shw99@seed.net.tw Department of Tourism, Eastern Junior College ABSTRACT Interpretation service is an important work in the management of an attraction. The purpose of interpretation service, for the tourists, is to help the visitors to know, to understand, and to appreciate a recreation area such that visitor can get plenty and pleasant experiences, and inspiration. In order to perform the interpretation service better, this article proposes some technologies as assistants to deliver information before the field trip to the destination in a new vision. Technologies, such as multimedia, virtual reality, and Internet, would provide more exciting and more convenient interpretation services for more people, and reduce the burdens of interpreters. This article reviewed literatures to describe the technologies applications for interpretation. These Technologies allowed the student to gain knowledge and experience prior to the actual field trip. Students were given a glimpse of what is to come. The instructional design provides strategies that an interpretation designer or a teacher can use to make interpretation responsive to the needs and interest of visitors. Key words: Technology, Interpretation, Recreation, Tourism, Field trip INTRODUCTION In the tourism industry, tourists are not satisfied with the popular and common trips. They request themes, which have a purpose and contain deeper and individualized interests when they are planning for a trip. It is more similar to a school field trip than a common group tour. With obvious purposes, school field trips probe directly to the essence of places and allow individuals to effectively experience the interests presented by the school courses. This literature review discusses some technologies multimedia, Virtual Reality, and Internet, by which a field trip can be better prepared in specific subjects in advance. Thus, a trip can be better experienced. Four sections will be presented to illustrate the effectiveness of technologies on virtual field trips: 1) interpretation, 2) technology, 3) the use of technologies and virtual field trips.
Interpretation A national park manager is responsible to guide the visitors to enjoy, appreciate, and understand the resources and the value of it in the national park. In order to accomplish this mission, it is important to have an interpretation plan for each national park. Mahaffey (1970) stated interpretation is a process of activity, which communicates the concepts between the human and the environment. It evokes human to understand the knowledge of environment and the role of individual in the environment. (p.35) Individual does not know about the environment before he visits there. Information about the recreation area needs to be delivered to individuals. There are several interpretation media, which were applied in the national parks. Sharp (1982) divided the interpretation media into two categories: one is personal or attended service, and the other is nonpersonal or unattended service. In relations to technology, there are kinds of services: 1) the use of multimedia devices, 2) signs and labels, 3) publications, 4) self-guided trails, 5) auto tour, 6) exhibits. Technology During the fast progress of technology, the computer performance has increased dramatically that many interpretation program could be present in front of the visitors. There are some technologies, which were used as media of interpretation. Multimedia Multimedia technology and applications is not a single subject or idea. It consists many technologies and ideas with a history that is as old as communication and as new as the latest microprocessor. What is multimedia? What can multimedia be applied in the communication? According to Hillman (1998), Multimedia is a technology that combines text, pictures, sound, full-motion video, and interactivity into interesting, informative, and often entertaining productions. (p.1) It has taken the computer form communicating information as text to telling stories using pictures, sound and video. Multimedia has taken computer users from intimidating mainframe terminals to high-technology desktop systems that offer fun, adventure, and interactive learning.
Virtual Reality From the trip of the real world, let s move to the virtual world. Before the application on school field trips, knowing the features and the limitations of Virtual Reality is necessary. Many people use the term Virtual Reality. Some of them think it is just a 3D animation. Some of them think it is a head mounted computer game. Isdale (1998) restricted Virtual Reality to a computer mediated system. According to Aukstakalnis & Blatner (1992), the definition of Virtual Reality is a way for humans to visualize, manipulate and interact with computers and extremely complex data" (p.3) Thus, Virtual Reality provides the applicants with visual, auditory or other sensual output through computers. The user can also manipulate the objects within the world and interact with the virtual world. Isdale (1993) emphasized interaction with the world will be the most important and critical feature of Virtual Reality, because it is a good instrument for two-way communication instead of one way communication, which cannot get feedback and further information. Now, Virtual Reality is already widely utilized, not just as a toy for entertainment, but as solid helpful tools in any field a person can imagine. Isdale (1993) notes present and near-future use of Virtual Reality: Some applications provide ways of viewing from an advantageous perspective not possible with the real world, like scientific simulators and telepresense systems, air traffic control systems. Other applications are much different from anything we have ever directly experienced before. These latter applications may be the hardest and most interesting systems. (p.2) Since Virtual Reality is instrumental in so many areas, school field trips are another good activity for both teacher and student to apply as an information supplier. Teachers and students can also use Virtual Reality to research potential field trips before leaving the school campus. Virtual Field Trip From the pest to present Today, virtual field trips have been around since the late 1980s. Buettner & Moll (1996) declared that it has become a regular thing for adventurers, explorers, and even scientists to link school children to the remote places of the world by satellite dishes and computers (p.36). Buettner & Moll also noted, Even the teacher who is in a school that is woefully under equipped with computers can take advantage of this rich experience (p.36). To aid the teacher who has insufficient funding or means, virtual field trips are highly interactive and offer a wide variety of resources to
supplement the trips. Sykes & Reid (1999) wrote, In an age marked by the rapid integration of computers in schools, the ultimate technology looms on the horizon -- the age of virtual reality in schools (p.61). Virtual field trips are made up of students exploring their school work immersed in virtual reality, gaining a deeper understanding of their subjects (p.61). Traditionally, teaching methods that have encouraged student s passivity have not persuaded students to be more active in learning. Virtual Reality technology makes it possible for students to have a self-guided personal experience with their studies, engaged in the self-construction of knowledge. Some of virtual field trips Computer software companies are using many media enhancements to support students at all grade levels to make learning fun and a little simpler. Knowles (1999) admitted that as more students have access to computers during science labs and activity periods, more educators could take advantage of a variety of science software programs to supplement their curriculum. Virtual field trips allow students to explore places that are even beyond all limitations. Students now can explore the core of the Earth to the outer reaches of space. Finally, the following list contains titles and descriptions of software that take students on virtual field trips. Worlds of the Reef After surfacing from the earth s dust, students can dive deep into the sea or ocean via Worlds of the Reef: A Multimedia Expedition to the Rainforests of the Sea. In this next interactive field trip, students can discover the magic of what may seem like another world: coral reefs. This program presents students with the entire experience of underwater diving. Knowles (1999) mentioned, From suiting up with proper gear to watching out for sharks, this program lets students navigate their way through the reefs simply by clicking on multidirectional arrows and the occasional magnifying glass for a close-up view (p.42). Knowledgeable divers point out interesting sights along the way, like a green sea turtle or a night red shrimp. These virtual divers are not abandoned in reefs. Knowles (1999) reported that an authority, David Bellamy, president of Coral Cay Conservation, appears in this Virtual Reality and provides an engaging introduction about coral reefs. Then, with a teacher s assistance or just plain curiosity, students can visit the different aspects of the reef through virtual reality graphics, film and video sources from the BBC Natural History Library and the Coral Cay Conservation. There's even a feature to link by
satellite with other reefs around the world. Real-world field trips Virtual field trips not only take students deep within the bowels of the earth or the waters of a coral reef, but also students can experience real-world field trips. Students participate in the initial planning to the post-trip reporting and assessment. Goldsworthy (1997) declared, Designing a field trip involves all the classic hallmarks of an ill-defined real world problem solving task replete with embedded content-area skills ranging form mathematics and map reading to research and writing (p.26). It is a complex learning task, as any teacher who has planned a field trip knows, with overlapping knowledge domains and problems with multiple, equally correct solutions. When students plan field trips, each task has real consequences (e.g., the trip doesn t take place or we don t eat); this is intrinsically motivating. A teacher may find it difficult to give up the control the students. But, if teachers are to overcome some of the barriers of traditional instruction, they must give up some control. Goldsworthy (1997) pointed out that the students in one case initiated the project; the teacher s role was simply to keep things rolling, help students when they got stuck, inject a little classroom organization, approve deals and forms, and drop occasional hints about what technological tools might be useful or what may have been forgotten. CONCLUTION Learn from experiencing real field trips are like the Keller s (1983) ARCS model. Attention strategies are for arousing and sustaining curiosity and interest. Relevance strategies link to learners needs, interests, and motives. Confidence strategies help students develop a positive expectation for successful achievement. Satisfaction strategies provide extrinsic and intrinsic reinforcement for effort. Students are able to make plans when preparing for field trip, learn while taking field trips, and record all data after the field trip is over. However, real field trips are limited due to money or destination. Technology is a good interpreter to inform students the information of destinations. Students, through Virtual Reality, cannot only take a field trip to a volcano, but also can experience the volcano s inner core and get a very close look at the molten lava. Teacher can use Virtual Reality field trips to enhance a student s learning experience. These will allow the student to gain knowledge and experience prior to the actual field trip. Students are given a glimpse of what is to come. The instructional design provides strategies that an interpretation designer or a teacher can
use to make interpretation responsive to the needs and interest of visitors. Virtual Reality is visual and auditory, but a real field trip will provide students with the learning experiences of a lifetime. REFERENCE Aukstakalnis, S., & Blatner, D. (1992). Silicon Mirage: The art and science of Virtual Reality. Peach Pit Press. Auld, L., & Pantelidis, V. (1999). Virtual Reality. T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) 27(4), 48 Buettner, D., & Moll, C. (1996).Teacher triendly technology: journey to the unknown. Learning 24(4), 36-38 Gallagher, J.G. (1996). An evaluation of what quality means when developing multimedia applications for educational use. 13theIntenational Conference on Technology and Education (ICTE ), New Orleans, Louisiana. Goldsworthy, R. (1997). Real-world field trip. Learning and Learning with Technology 24(7), 26-29 Grant, W. (1993). Wireless coyote: a computer-supported field trip. Communications of the ACM 36(5), 57-59 Hillman, D. (1998). Multimedia technology and applications. International Thomson Publish Inc. Isdale, J. (1998) What is Virtual Reality? [Available online: http://www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~cph/vr/whatisvr.html Keller, J. M. (1983). Motivational design of instruction. In C.A. Reigrluth (Ed.). Instructional design theories and models: An overview or their current status. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Mahaffey, B. D. (1970). Effectiveness and preference for selected interpretive media. Environmental Education 1(4), 35-42