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 i 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 ii 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 iii 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 ....................................................................................