New approaches to the study of tourist experiences in time and space

Nowadays, a growing number of researchers are investigating subjective attitudes of people toward their environment with ever-increasing spatial and temporal resolutions. It seems that researchers' interest in daily experiences is not merely a passing research fad, but rather that individuals in current societies find more interest in their own momentary experiences. They talk about their affective states, they spend considerable portions of their income on intangible experiences, and they instantly share personal ‘moments’ through various online social media platforms. These trends are even more apparent in the tourism and leisure industries which aim to generate positive experiences among individuals. This research note points out new directions in the exploration of experiences during tourism and leisure activities. It discusses a new relevant concept, subjective momentary experiences on one hand and presents novel methodological opportunities on the other. In order to portray these new trends, a case study that describes the episodic experiences of festival attendants in a high tempo-spatial resolution is presented.     

Economic values for recreational planning at Horton Plains National Park,Sri Lanka

Although recreational planning in national parks has long taken visitor characteristics and perceptions into consideration, economic valuation to date has not been part of such planning. Our study applies economic valuation for recreational planning in the Horton Plains National Park (HPNP) in Sri Lanka. The study, using a pretested questionnaire, interviewed 188 respondents in order to identify existing visitor satisfaction levels as well as visitor perceptions on available facilities. The existing visitor satisfaction at HPNP was 54%. Two alternative recreational scenarios were, therefore, developed based on visitor perceptions on how to enhance visitor satisfaction at the park. A hypothetical travel cost method and contingent valuation method (CVM) were used to estimate (1) the welfare benefits in terms of consumer surplus and (2) the demand in terms of willingness to pay (WTP) for the proposed recreational scenarios. The sample size for the economic study was 352 respondents. The per-visitor welfare benefits were financially valued at Sri Lanka Rupees (SLR) 3794 (USD 1 = SLR 130) and SLR 7045 for scenarios 1 and 2, respectively. These values show a 15 to 30 times increase from the existing value of the welfare benefits. The net present value of benefits also increased from SLR 516.8 million to SLR 5296.92 million and SLR 9835.73 million under scenarios 1 and 2, respectively. Under CVM, the estimated mean WTP values were SLR 132.00 and SLR 190.32 under scenarios 1 and 2, respectively. These values can be used as a tool for revising pricing policies at HPNP. Visitors' response to the proposed recreational scenarios suggests the need for planners to institute proper recreational schemes to enhance the welfare benefits of visitors. The study underscores the role economic valuation can play in policy decisions relating to recreational planning in national parks.     

Discourse analysis in German-language human geography: integrating theory and method

In the context of various conceptual turns in German-language human geography over the past decades (e.g., linguistic, cultural, and material turns), which have been adopted largely via writings from English-language human geography, theoretical perspectives in these two academic communities have been converging. However, there are still aspects that are quite distinctive for debates in the German-language context. We argue that, for example, in the case of poststructuralist approaches, a distinct development has taken place, which emphasizes the links between theoretical, methodological, and methods-oriented empirical research, e.g., through the operationalization of linguistic methods. Following Michel Foucault's notion of ‘discourse’, these empirical analyses are often referred to as ‘discourse analyses’. This paper gives an overview of the field of discourse analysis in German-language human geography and discusses possible reasons for the different ways in which discourse theories have been emerged and developed in English-language and German-language geography. We argue that there are three developments which make ‘discourse analyses’ in the German context distinct: (1) the significance of theoretical debates on the role of the subject, (2) the intensive interdisciplinary networks within the wider context of German-language social sciences and linguistics, and (3) closely related to the second point, the strong emphasis on questions of methodical implementation.     

The limitation of human knowledge: Faith and the empirical method in John Wesley's medical holism

In his medical and scientific works John Wesley provided an interpretation of the universe that was structured, though not pre-ordained, by God. The empirical method he adopted was measured in terms of efficacy and judged according to rationalistic standards. Its practical success, however, was used by Wesley to underpin his vocation of practical piety, which developed out of a holistic view of nature inspired by the spiritualism of Primitive Christianity. Accordingly, the providential ordering of Man and nature meant that safeguarding physical health became a spiritual act, though Wesley separated the discourse of religion and terminology of medicine. This distinction was essential because it ensured intellectual integrity whilst leaving a protective space for religious faith. He made this move on the one hand but saw no contradiction in bringing the discourses of religion and medicine together to serve his mission. For Wesley, social and personal improvement did not rely exclusively on enlightened thinking or religious faith. Rather it depended on showing how rationalism and faith could display separate strengths within an overall framework of holism.     

气候对中国古代塔砖材料性能劣化影响的研究

在气候影响下,塔砖材料性能的劣化加剧了中国古塔结构的损伤,减少了古塔的结构寿命。为此,课题选择两个极具代表性的中国古代砖塔—1500年历史的嵩岳寺塔和1200年历史的法王寺塔进行同一性研究,欲证明两塔在地理位置、环境气候、形制、塔体古砖制造原料和制造工艺等方面均具有很强的相似性和同一性。采用X射线荧光光谱法分析了两塔塔砖的材料成分,采用压汞法对两塔塔砖材料的孔隙率、孔隙结构和孔隙分布特征进行了实验。两塔塔砖材料实验结果的差异证明:在公元5世纪到公元8世纪的300年气候影响下(该气候为自然营力而非实验室人工模拟),塔砖材料孔隙率的增大是导致中国古代塔砖性能劣化的主要原因,大约30%左右的孔隙从小于1000nm孔径发展扩大到10000～50000nm孔径是塔砖材料孔隙率增大的主要表现形式。因此,预防小孔径孔隙(小于1000nm)在气候影响下发展扩大的防治措施应该成为中国古代砖塔保护工作的研究重点。同时,对因塔砖材料性能劣化而产生的古塔塔体的表观特征进行了分析,分析结果有利于中国古代砖塔的保护。     

Moving with the Times: An oral history of a geography department

The 30-year story of the geography department at Oxford Brookes University is presented as an oral history in the words of the experienced full-time staff. The department has gained a reputation in the UK and beyond for innovative active-learning methods and its story is an example of how a pedagogic culture can develop in a geography department. The story can also be read as a case study of a workplace in higher education, or as a contribution to the history of education. Most importantly, though, it offers insight into the key factors concerning the development of innovative teaching practice.     

Professional Standards and Values for University Teachers of Geography

This paper introduces the theme of 'teaching geography to non-geographers'. It is set against the context of learning and teaching with the 'Other' in geography. At the outset a working definition of a 'non-geographer' is provided. The resource and pedagogical implications arising from teaching geography to non-geographers are then outlined. Finally, the contributions to this broader debate from the five case studies that comprise this JGHE symposium are summarised.     

Professionalising Teaching: enhancing the status of teaching,improving the experience of learning and supporting innovation in higher education

Extant literature on professions suggests that there is a readily recognisable set of characteristics of a profession, but this is a contested issue, particularly in the area of recognising the professionalism of those who teach and support learning in higher education. In the UK, the Institute for Learning and Teaching was set up as a result of the Dearing report to recognise the experience and expertise of those working in these areas. The ILT offers a model for professionalising teaching, to which continuous professional development (CPD) is key. Geographers and those who teach related subjects are already in the vanguard of this activity.