ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF MOBILE TECHNOLOGY, SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE OUTDOORS

This is the first book to explore the numerous ways in which mobile technologies and social media are influencing our outdoor experiences.Across the fields of outdoor education, outdoor recreation and leisure, and nature-based tourism, the book considers how practices within each of those domains are being influenced by dramatically shifting interactions between technology, humans, the natural world, and wider society. Drawing on cutting-edge research by leading scholars from around the world and exploring key concepts and theory, as well as developments in professional practice, the book explains how digital technology and media are no longer separate from typical human and social activity. Instead, the broader field of outdoor studies can be viewed as a world of intertwined socio-technical assemblages that need to be understood in more diverse ways. The book offers a full-spectrum view of this profound shift in our engagement with the world around us by presenting new work on subjects including networked spaces in residential outdoor education, digital competencies for outdoor educators, the use of social media in climbing communities, and the impact of digital technologies on experiences of adventure tourism.This is essential reading for anybody with an interest in outdoor studies, outdoor education, adventure education, leisure studies, tourism, environmental studies, environmental education, or science, technology, and society studies. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of Contributors Series Editors’ Foreword Reference Foreword Preface Chapter 1: Introduction: Where Did We Start, and Where Will This Book Take Us? In the beginning ... The book Outdoor education Outdoor recreation Nature-based tourism Overlappers and outliers So, where to next? References Part I: Outdoor Education Chapter 2: Mobile Technology and Social Media in the Assemblage of Outdoor Pursuits: A Theoretical Stance on Complexity and Uncertainty Technological architectures in the outdoors Assemblage theory: An essential theoretical lens for the field? An empirical example: Digging for the Upside Down in residential outdoor education Digging for the Upside Down: An examination of fluidity and complexity through an assemblage approach Summary: Where to from here? References Chapter 3: A Postdigital Lens on Outdoor Research Disentangling ‘postdigital’ The evolving space of postdigital in outdoor research Context and project Outcomes A shift to postdigital outdoor research? Manifesting the postdigital for outdoor research References Chapter 4: Outdoor Education, Technology, and the Anthropocene A philosophical need within outdoor education: A sustainability worldview Knowledge Values Dispositions Agency Conclusion: Local landscapes, far more often, as a way of life References Chapter 5: Managing Digital Technology in Outdoor Education Introduction Frameworks on Technology Management in Related Fields The Development of the DTOE Framework The DTOE Framework V3.0 Perspectives (A) The Outdoor Educator (A.1) The Organisation (A.2) The Student (A.3) The Experience (B) Consequences (C) Intended or Positive Consequences (C.1 and C.2) Unintended or Negative Consequences (C.3 and C.4) Applications of the Framework Ongoing Limitations and Future Developments Conclusion References Chapter 6: Digital Competence in Outdoor Education Introduction Digital competence in the 21st century Digital competence Digital competence in outdoor education Application and examples Digital divides Chapter summary References Chapter 7: Technological Affordances in Understanding Biodiversity: Life, Place, and Time Connecting biodiversity, place, and technology Place (Drumcondra, Ireland) Digital technology: Let’s try to avoid the binary debate! Biodiversity and education Recognising biodiversity in our locality (awareness of biodiversity) The trail camera Calculating biodiversity Using QR codes to learn about biomes Final thoughts Notes References Chapter 8: Assembling Mobile Technology and Outdoor Education Practice: Affordances, Pitfalls and Pedagogical Pathways Technological tensions The complexities of digital technology and outdoor education Relational views on technology, society and education Assemblage theory, outdoor education and mobile technology Reaching outwards: Practice as assembling References Chapter 9: Youth, Identity, and Social Media: The Promise of Outdoor Education as a Context for Identity Development Adolescence Identity Development Social Media and Identity Development OE and Identity Development Conclusion References Chapter 10: Smartwatches, Bodies, and Landscapes: Experiencing the Mountains as Cyborgs Digital technology in outdoor adventure education The cyborg as a way of being with technology Experiencing the mountains as cyborgs Incidents 1 and 2 Incident 3 Incident 4 Implications for educators and concluding remarks References Chapter 11: The Digital Canoe Trip: Do We Return to Our Old Teaching Styles After COVID-19? The canoe trip The webinar Learning outcomes The downsides of the webinar Post-pandemic: What is the new normal? Why did we leave the webinar model? What could an exemplary canoe webinar look like? Is a real-time hybrid webinar as good (or even better) as a real trip? References Chapter 12: Bridging Outdoor Education, Digital Technology and Well-Being through Pedagogical and Psychological Perspectives Introduction and overview Technology as a connection between nature and culture: The human ‘natural’ condition is cultural Communicating the cultural meaning of outdoor education: A challenging task What does well-being stand for? Well-being and the outdoors: How might the use of digital technology make a difference? The relational dimension as a main feature of outdoor education programs Conclusions, implications for practice, and suggestions for further research Note References Part II: Outdoor Recreation Chapter 13: A Case for Using Mobile Technology to Facilitate Inclusion in the Outdoors for Those Who Live with Disabilities and/or Chronic Illness: Crossing the Digital Crevasse The digital crevasse Crossing the crevasse People living with partial sight or blindness People living with hearing loss or deafness People living with chronic illness People living on the autism spectrum People living with intellectual disabilities Implications for practice Universal design MT usage guidelines Considerations for social media Conclusion References Chapter 14: The Power and Peril of Smartphones and Social Media in Avalanche Terrain The mountains are calling Are you beeping? Historical use of mobile technology in avalanche terrain Early tools and technology in avalanche terrain Modern tools and technology in avalanche terrain A wealth of information: The power of smartphones and social media in avalanche terrain Snowpack and avalanche information Mountain weather information Terrain and route information Emergency communications A poverty of attention: The peril of smartphones and social media in avalanche terrain A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention Put the sword away: Overcoming binary perspectives on digital technology in the outdoors A decision tree for the use of mobile technology in avalanche terrain Give attention to the world before us References Chapter 15: Social Media and Research in a Climbing Community: Gleaning Insights The knot: Social media and route names The approach: An overview of the postdigital literature The anchor: Key theoretical concepts The gear: Methodology The route: Outdoor climbing context The climb: Discussion of findings Internalized sexism Entitlement The grassroots: Researching resistance through social media The rappel: Concrete implications for research and practice References Chapter 16: The Art of Dotwatching in Ultra-Distance Cycling: When a Human Becomes a Dot Introduction What is dotwatching? A brief history of the activity in the context of ultra-distance cycling Outlining a conceptual lens: The postdigital The physical – virtual collision: A postdigital stance on Dotwatching Knowing a dot: Support from the invisible peloton Crossing the boundary: Narratives of interference, care, and grief New terrain for the postdigital scholar? References Chapter 17: Becoming an Outdoors Person: Identity Transformation through Nature Activity and Social Media in Norway Valdres, Norway and the significance of the outdoor self Fredrik: From “inept drunkard” to “outdoors person” Stine: Becoming more than a mother Doing the outdoors “right” Social comparison, self-image and the outdoors Conclusion References Chapter 18: Use of Digital Technologies for Hiking: A Quantitative Study of Four Spanish Protected Areas Introduction Evolution of hiking in Spain Hiking and mobile applications Route-finding apps Geolocation apps Tracking apps Impact of social networking on hiking Bluetooth devices Method Study design and sampling Quantitative analysis of the data Results Descriptive analyses of the dimensions of frequency and companionship of practice Descriptive analysis of the use of apps in the three phases of a hiking route (before, during and after) Discussion Conclusion References Chapter 19: The Promises and Perils of Danish Nature App Developers Introduction Nature apps as media The content of nature apps Background and methodology Methodology Challenges of anonymization in social research The multifaceted developers Motives and beliefs Challenges and evolution Discussion Rounding up Acknowledgments References Chapter 20: Trail and Mountain Running Vlogging: Dizziness, Disorder and Joy Outsider and outdoor culture Conquest of cameras ‘We’re going meta’ Commodification or celebration? Public suffering Vlogging and value(s) References Multimedia Chapter 21: Communication and Cultural Significance in Two Danish Outdoor Facebook Groups: “Check Out My Campfire, See My Big Catch – I Am an Outdoor Person!” Friluftsliv and social media Literature and theoretical perspectives Values and cultural trends in outdoor life: Introducing friluftsliv Use and functions of private social media groups for outdoor life What we did: Design and methods Selection of groups, extraction, and storage of material Methods and analysis Findings Content and communication in the groups Asking a question Sharing a narrative Invitations and events Information and jokes Discussion Virtually seeking and sharing knowledge Self-presentation and identity-management Aestheticization of landscape and experiences Concluding remarks and reflections References Chapter 22: Navigating Outdoor Activities in Polluted Air: Embodiment of Particulate Matter and Mobile Applications South Korea’s adaptation story of outdoor activities in polluted air Embodiment of air PM mobile apps – MiseMise Embodiment of PM apps Sensorial experiences of PM Interrogating the data and government Conclusion Notes References Part III: Nature-based Tourism Chapter 23: Using Social Media to Examine Ambassadorship in Tourism The growth of social media in tourism Last chance to become an ambassador There’s a fine line between sharing and bragging (on social media) Methodology Findings Conclusion and future directions for research on ambassadorship References Chapter 24: Virtual Meeting Spaces and Sustainable Arctic Communities: All Who Wander Are Not Lost Exploring virtual new horizons Background A priori expectations Planning Preparations, tools, and methods Organizers Participants The applications Gather.town Wander Alcove vTime XR Spatial Workshop activities and outcomes Lessons learned References Chapter 25: The Absence of Everydayness in Social Media Images from Hiking Trips: Sharing the Epic Social media in visitor monitoring Sharing epic landscapes from Kilpisjärvi Conclusion References Chapter 26: Digital Tools and New Technologies: Opportunities or Threats to Participatory Sport Events? Between tradition and innovation Two participatory sport events Findings and discussion The use of history in the Vasaloppet and Birken Digital tools and technologies Generational and gender perspectives Conclusion Note References Chapter 27: Big Data in Adventure Travel A bird’s-eye view of adventure travel UGC and Web 2.0 Social big data: Applications in adventure tourism Text UGC data in adventure tourism Geotagged UGC data in adventure tourism Role of data science Understanding the higher phenomena: Big data in the digital age Big data – a bird’s-eye view Device data in adventure tourism Transaction data in adventure tourism Big data in adventure travel Data-driven management of natural areas through understanding adventurers’ experiences Data-driven storytelling and digital maps Mobile apps Data-driven measurement and analysis of health, fitness and performance Safety and disaster management Using big data for understanding the impact on the natural environment Recap and implications for practice References Chapter 28: Reflections on the Impact of the Digital Shift in Nature-Based Adventure Tourism: Connected Disconnections in the Arctic Why did we stop? What’s going on here? Positionality Analytical approach Connected (dis)connections “I have service here and can even send a ‘snap’!” Empowering connections Disconnecting to reconnect Conclusion and connections to the future References Part IV: Overlappers and Outliers Chapter 29: Equity, Social Media and the Outdoors What do we mean by the term equity? What does this have to do with SoMe and tech? Who is winning and who is losing within this world of rapidly changing social arrangements? Theoretical framing: A Bourdieusian boost? SoMe and inequities in outdoor education, recreation, and tourism: Transforming the fields What can I do to make outdoor education, recreation, and tourism more equal, in terms of their relationships to mobile technology and SoMe? Closing thoughts References Chapter 30: Trekking and Digital Technologies: Nudging Outdoor Habits in New Directions? Nature, technologies, and health Turgåing as an outdoor walking habit Research perspectives and conceptual framework Digital technologies Social transmission Nudging Study design Signs and discourses Discourses and the position of turgåing References Chapter 31: Technology Creep and the Beneficial Burden: Cautionary Tales for Outdoor Educators Introduction Burden versus disburden: A shift to the concept of beneficial burden Technology as a barrier to experience, knowledge, place, and skill Moving forward with technology Note References Chapter 32: Understanding Relations Between People, Nature and the Digital: Why and How to Conduct Non-Digital-Centric Research? Digital environments When there is no phone signal A non-digital-centric approach is not romanticism Final remarks Acknowledgments Note References Chapter 33: Hyperreality, Social Media, and Increasing Opportunities for Young People to Engage with Nature Hyperreality: Theoretical underpinnings and trajectories Nature as hyperreal The image and Instagram Parents (their money) are the agents of consumption Practice implications: What now? And finally Note References Chapter 34: Outdoor Play Mediated through Pokémon: Facing the Snorlax In the beginning Pokémon and Pokémon Go Playing games and writing stories Jason and Charlie face the Snorlax Richard and Isaac play with Pokémon Learning through Pokémon Pokémon for practice References Chapter 35: Physical Activity and Health Monitoring with Wearable Technologies: A New Fitness Trend with Concerns for Reliable Output and Data Security Introduction Where is the user’s right to privacy? Are your data reliable? Why this study? Methodology Sampling and data collection Participants Data analysis Findings Implications for practice Acknowledgment References Chapter 36: Using Cellphones for Visualizing the Social and Environmental Relations of Community Gardens: “Keeping My Eyes Everywhere” Research context and background Urban political ecology Framing the visual Visual methods and ethnographic embodiment Gardens and gentrification Ethnographic and visual data analysis Findings and considerations Notes References Chapter 37: Western and Indigenous Ideas of Sustainability, the Tragedy of the Commons, and Mobile Technologies: Sustaining our Inner Environments The connections between sustainability, our inner environments and mobile technologies Who are we? Mobile technologies, social media and outdoor education What is sustainability, and how does it link to our use of mobile technologies? Kaitiakitanga Summary of sustainability and kaitiakitanga Examples of unsustainable practices So, what does this mean for our relationship with mobile technologies? Who owns our thoughts and attention? What should we do as educators, leaders and guides? References Chapter 38: Mobile Technology, Social Media, and the Outdoors: Stepping into the Future with Excitement and Apprehension Forces of influence Mixed realities Artificial Intelligence Final thoughts References Index