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Meeting, Moving, Mastering - A Text Analysis Of The Aesthetic Attractions Of 'Wild Swimming', Dagmar Dahl, Åsa I. Bäckström

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Why are people fascinated by swimming in nature? This article addresses the aesthetic experiences of wild swimming as expressed by five wild swimming authors in their books. Drawing from aesthetic philosophy, we analyze the ways in which the appeal of wild swimming is described on three levels: the allure of water in the environment, the sensory encounter between water and the body, and the experience of moving in water. Furthermore, with reference to Seel’s concept of nature aesthetics (1996), the experience of wild swimming is analyzed in terms of contemplation, correspondence, and imagination. We can conclude that the special intensity …

In This Issue (14:1), Stephen J. Langendorfer Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

In This Issue 14:1 introduces and overviews the research and education articles and position statement associated with the first issue of the fourteenth volume of the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education.

Towards A Globalised Vision Of Aquatic Competence, Rita F. Pinto, Juan Antonio Moreno Murcia

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Human interaction with the aquatic environment has always taken different forms to meet the needs of pleasure, survival, therapy or performance. The diversity of existing aquatic spaces presents itself as a challenge, due to their variety, dynamism, unpredictability and unrepeatable conditions. These factors potentiate an infinite number of possibilities for human response in interaction with the aquatic environment, with aquatic competence being the one that will be able to sustain all types of interaction. Thus, the aim of the proposal has been to present a new approach to the contextualisation of aquatic competence. After a literature review on the concept …

Revisiting The Metaphorical Concept Of “No Strokes First - All Strokes First”: Part One - Beginning Strokes, Robert Keig Stallman Ph.D., Alex Mwaipasi, Ebbe Laakso Horneman, Nils Olof Vikander, Bente Wäinösdatter Horneman Laakso, Haakon-Paavo Laakso Nysted, Toni Ongala

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The aim of this article is to address the familiar question “Which swimming stroke should be taught first?” The discussion is usually focused on breaststroke versus crawl. Provoked by these naïve discussions of which stroke should be taught first (as if stroking equals swimming, which it emphatically does NOT), the question was answered metaphorically in an earlier article “No Stroke First – All Strokes First” (Stallman, 2008a). Here in Part I we identify and describe six strokes, all of which might be a candidate for any learners ‘very first’ stroke. We describe them as beginning strokes. Having identified and learned …

An Exploratory Study Of Aquatic Walking On Symptoms And Functional Limitations In Persons With Knee Osteoarthritis: Part 1, John M. Coons, Brandon Grubbs, Vaughn W. Barry, Ryan T. Conners, Sandra Stevens

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This paper represents Part 1 of a study that explored the effects of an underwater treadmill (UT) walking program on pain and function in adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The Western Ontario & McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), numerical rating scale (NRS), timed up-and-go (TUG), and 10-m walk were assessed in 6 adults (62.7 ±14.2 years) who participated in an 8-week (3x/wk) UT walking intervention based on the Arthritis Foundation’s Walk With Ease (WWE) program. Walking pace was self-selected, and walking duration of each session was increased from 10 to 45 minutes throughout the study. Knee pain and function were …

An Exploratory Study Of The Effects Of Aquatic Walking On Function And Muscle Activity In Knee Osteoarthritis: Part 2, John M. Coons, Brandon Grubbs, Conor Theiss, Vaughn W. Barry, Sandra Stevens

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This paper presents Part 2 of a study that investigated the effects of an 8-week (3x/week) underwater treadmill (UT) walking intervention on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) outcomes in 6 adults with KOA (62.7 ± 14.2 years). The Knee Outcome Survey (KOS) for activities of daily living and muscle activity during a 10-m walk and a 20 cm step down were measured before and after the intervention. The following KOS measures improved after the UT walking program (p < 0.05; g > 0.8): stiffness, swelling, weakness, walking, going up stairs, going downstairs, kneeling on the front of the knee, squatting, and sitting with the …

The Real-Time Classification Of Competency Swimming Activity Through Machine Learning, Larry Powell, Seth Polsley, Drew Casey, Tracy Hammond

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Every year, an average of 3,536 people die from drowning in America. The significant factors that cause unintentional drowning are people’s lack of water safety awareness and swimming proficiency. Current industry and research trends regarding swimming activity recognition and commercial motion sensors focus more on lap swimming utilized by expert swimmers and do not account for freeform activities. Enhancing swimming education through wearable technology can aid people in learning efficient and effective swimming techniques and water safety. We developed a novel wearable system capable of storing and processing sensor data to categorize competitive and survival swimming activities on a mobile …

Roles Of Religious Guides In Tourism: A Qualitative Study From Japan, Ricardo Nicolas Progano

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage travel has become an important element in contemporary tourism, as visitors flock to sacred locations (UNWTO, 2015). However, some aspects of pilgrimage travel remain relatively understudied, with one of them being the roles of guides in these locations. Based on previous academic works, the present study aims to bridge this gap by analysing the role of religious figures who engage in guiding activities aimed at the general public. For this, Shippōryū-ji, a Shugendō temple located in Japan, is presented as the case study. As previous research on the subject is scarce, a qualitative approach was deemed suitable. Utilising interview …

An Exploration Of Different Motivations Between Stakeholders And Visitors Of The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, Colin Mccormack

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Visitors have different motivations associated with parks and protected areas, and the people who run those areas are also different from visitors due to their unique positions. This is especially true for the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (POHE), where stakeholders – ranging from park managers and Department of Transportation planners to volunteers of nonprofits and historical societies collaborate to manage sections along the 822-mile extent of the trail. Building on previous work itemizing the diversity of motivations for visitation to parks and protected areas, this study investigates similarities and differences in stakeholder and manager Recreation Experience Preferences by clustering …

Acceptance Of New Travel Norms Among Potential Umrah And Hajj Pilgrims: An Empirical Investigation, Siti Sara Ibrahim, Mohd Hafiz Hanafiah, Muhammad Azlan Shah Badar

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper investigates how Umrah and Hajj travellers’ needs and wants are influenced by their acceptance (behaviour) of new norms practices (social distancing, hygiene standards, wearing face masks) in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cross-sectional survey utilises the purposive sampling method with 216 respondents. Partial-least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLSSEM) was used to confirm the study model and test the hypotheses. Additionally, this study validates the role of age in influencing the new norms of travel behaviour through the PLS-SEM multi-group analysis (MGA). Path Analysis results revealed that psychological needs, safety needs and selfactualisation influence the new norms of …

Waste Management Practices Of Small Hotels In Dehradun, Arakhita Behera, Surendra Singh Jatav

Journal of Tourism Insights

Waste has emerged as a major issue in the modern society. Due to urbanization, the volume of waste is speedily rising. If the origin of waste creation makes no effort, then all wastes are either disposed of or burnt which results in waste of land, air, water, and energy as well as the growth of undesirable animals, plants and microorganism. Through the associate and involvement of the local population, waste may be managed locally in a sustainable manner. Waste management may be an expensive endeavor if not carried out appropriately. In most of the developing nations, 20-50 percent of urban …

The Arts And Changing Rural Places, Bernadette Quinn Dr

Blog Posts

This blog post reflects on how recent changes to rural Ireland is influencing the arts. It recognises that rural places are very vibrant and dynamic, and that this offers many opportunities and challenges from an arts perspective. The blog also reflects on a panel discussion that the FADE project team hosted on ‘The arts and changing rural places’ at the Arts Council & Local Government’s biennial Places Matter conference in March 2022.

The research activities conducted for this publication were funded by the Irish Research Council.

Ramble: Travel Journal Application Concept, Christine Elizabeth Curulla

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this project is to provide an easier and more engaging way for study abroad students to document their experiences. I wanted to collect data on the effectiveness of student journaling while abroad, and identify ways to improve the process through a mobile application.

Ramble is a social app I designed that provides a new question or prompt each day to encourage more frequent, fun journaling while traveling, and connection with others at home and abroad. Ramble solves problems that accompany traditional journaling by making the journaling process more accessible and requiring less time from the user.

An Importance-Performance Analysis Of Local And Destination Visitors To Monocacy National Battlefield, Mckenzie Mosher, Colin Mccormack, Caleb Scruggs, Chris Zajchowski, Jessica Fefer

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The purpose of this study was to understand the evolving visitor experience at Monocacy National Battlefield (MONO) in Fredrick, Maryland and, specifically, the way this National Park Service site serves both its’ destination and local visitors. Using an Importance-Performance Analysis, segmented by visitors’ county of residence, we demonstrate key differences in the visitor experience across visitor type. Following survey design with MONO managers and approval from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, onsite sampling occurred over 21 visitor contact days, stratified by day of the week and time of day, in summer and fall of 2021. 469 visitors were …

Socio-Cultural And Economic Impacts Of Religious Festivals On Sustainable Local Community Livelihoods In Kerala: The Case Of Palakkad, Dr. Bindu V T Nair, Aiswarya Babu N

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Festivals depict the heritage, culture, and traditions of a particular region. They create a state of exhilaration and enthusiasm. Kerala is a state in southwest India with its own distinct culture and traditions. The state is also known for its religious pluralism. This study attempts to understand the perceived impact of religious festivals on the local community livelihoods in Palakkad, a district in central Kerala. Twelve temples in which religious festivals are held annually, with attendance in the range of thousands, were selected. The selected temples are famous for hosting specific religious festivals which attract a large number of visitors, …

Employment With The Northwest Territories Aquatics Program: A Significant Life Event?, Sebastien Denize, Audrey R. Giles

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

For over 60 years, the Northwest Territories Aquatics Program (NWTAP) has employed university students from southern Canada with little to no exposure to northern Canada to run seasonal swimming pools and waterfronts in isolated northern communities. In this article, we examine the impact that working for this program had on nine former employees’ lives and whether or not working for the NWTAP could be categorized as a significant life experience. We used thematic analysis of the data from retrospective semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires and identified four themes: (1) employment by the NWTAP enhanced the employees’ self-confidence, independence, and self-efficacy; …

Effects Of A Demand-Valve Scuba Regulator On Cardiorespiratory Response During Submaximal Exercise Under Normobaric Conditions: A Preliminary Investigation, Christopher R. Kovacs Ph.D., Camille Dhom B.S.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

SCUBA diving fatalities are often related to cardiac events triggered by stress linked to equipment. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a SCUBA regulator on cardiorespiratory exercise at a submaximal workload. Ten participants (mean = 21.5 yrs; s.d. = 1.16) completed two submaximal exercise tests at 1 ATA; one while breathing normally and a second while breathing directly from a demand valve SCUBA regulator. Total time to test completion (TOT), heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and arterial oxygen levels were all assessed. No significant differences between conditions were found …

Eyes Save Lives Water Safety Program For Parents And Caregivers: Program Design And Pilot Evaluation From Southern California, Rachel Love-Smith, William A. Koon, Lauren Tabios, Scott M. Bartell

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Despite expert consensus and evidence-based preventative strategies against drowning, limited formal study exists on translating recommendations into practical and effective interventions. This paper describes the design of an education-based drowning prevention intervention and reports results from a pilot evaluation of the program’s effect on self-reported water-safe behaviors, attitudes, self-efficacy, and knowledge. Parents and caregivers attending children’s swim lessons in July and August 2018 participated in a brief water-safety education program. A pre-post-test design evaluated "Theory of Planned Behavior" indicators to assess for changes. We found significant increases in scores related to water safety knowledge, attitudes on maintaining arms reach distance …

Hosts And Guests: Surfers' Experiences Of Travel And Tourism In The First Wave Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lindsay E. Usher

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people experienced travel disruptions and tourism destinations felt the economic sting of low visitor numbers. Using online interviews, this study followed 29 surfers over the course of 6 months to explore their experiences of the pandemic as travelers and hosts within tourism destinations in the US, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, the Caribbean, and Latin America. It examines the effect of the pandemic on their travel plans, travel experiences, and tourism destinations where they lived. Many participants experienced travel disruptions and had to go through different decision-making and behavioral …

Reflections On Co-Creating, Developing And Evaluating Virtual Reality Fieldtrips (Vrf): The Student’S Perspective, Catherine Gorman, Jennifer Stewart, Louise Bellew

Conference papers

To ensure graduates have the skill to work within the tourism industry, and spurred on by the paradigm shift in teaching due to Covid 19, this research focused on developing innovative solutions using technology. Using virtual assessment techniques, industry co-created evaluation, and integrated assessment, it explored how virtual field-trips can be developed as part of remote teaching methods. To provide context to the topic of sustainable tourism and technology, a student-led virtual seminar with industry was undertaken linking with TU Dublin Green Week 2021. In place of a fieldtrip using Google Earth and Screen-casto-matic, students created videos incorporating the sustainability …

Interpreting Summer In The Parks In The National Capital Area Of The National Park Service, Brendan J. Kane

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Washington D.C. has witnessed many watershed events throughout the history of the United States of America. One of these events was the Summer in the Parks (SITP) program organized by the National Park Service (NPS) from 1968-1976. Summer in the Parks was a community-based series of events including concerts, park visits, and exhibitions designed to quell racial tensions and promote park usage. Researchers have begun chronicling SITP, but have yet to explore how the story of SITP is conveyed by park interpreters to visitors and subsequently what themes are shared to inform public understanding of the historic relationship between NPS …

Profiling Food Festivals By Type, Name And Descriptive Content: A Population Level Study, Muhammet Kesgin, Rajendran S. Murthy, Rick Lagiewski

Articles

Purpose: This research aims to classify and describe food festivals and examine the patterns in food festival naming and festival descriptions in online media. Design: This research represents the first population-level empirical examination of food festivals in the United States using a purpose-built dataset (N=2626). Methodology includes text mining to examine food festival communications. Findings: Food festival size varies across local and regional spheres within the country. Food festivals employ geographical (place-, destination-based) associations in their names. Food festivals’ descriptions and online communications showcase a welcoming environment predominantly emphasizing family-oriented and live entertainment experiences. Food festivals across the country show …

Efficacy Of Flotation Aids Attached To The Pelvis And Thighs Of Beginning Swimmers, Yasunori Watanabe, Shin-Ichiro Moriyama, Kohji Wakayoshi

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The study aimed to experimentally verify the efficacy of wearing flotation aids to add buoyancy from the pelvis to the side of the thigh on the swimming performance of beginning swimmers who were capable of swimming around 25 meters at a time. The study recruited seven male university students who were members of the Physical Education Department and who lacked experience in specialized swimming instruction. The study found statistical difference in prone flotation between the use of flotation aids (7.27±1.92 sec) and without flotation aids (3.50±0.72 sec). During swimming for distance in a 5 min. swim test, we found statistical …

Do Water Safety Lessons Improve Water Safety Knowledge?, Michael J. Tipton, Joseph Muller, Cristian Abelairas Gomez, Jo Corbett

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

A person, usually a child or young adult, dies by drowning every 90 seconds around the planet. Most drowning prevention initiatives do not assess the efficacy of the intervention. In this study, thirteen- to fourteen-year-olds had their level of water safety knowledge (covering cold shock, rips and tides) assessed before, just after, and 3-6 months after one, 25-minute water safety lesson on these topics. We evaluated the knowledge gained and retained on water safety “awareness” (i.e., knowledge of risks) and “confidence” in terms of knowing what to do in an emergency. The results demonstrated that the lesson significantly increased water …

Advances In Global Services And Retail Management: Volume 2, Cihan Cobanoglu, Valentina Della Corte

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This is the second volume of the Advances in Global Services and Retail Management Book Series. This volume has the following parts:

• Part 1: Hospitality and Tourism
• Part 2: Marketing, E-marketing, and Consumer Behavior
• Part 3: Management
• Part 4: Human Resources Management
• Part 5: Retail Management
• Part 6: Economics
• Part 7: Accounting and Finance
• Part 8: Sustainability and Environmental Issues
• Part 9: Information Technology

ISBN: 978-1-955833-03-5

Hospitality and Tourism

• Significance of VR in the spa: A spatial analysis
  • Irini Lai Fun Tang, Schultz Zhi Bin Xu, and Eric Chan
• Social media marketing in rural hospitality and tourism destination research
  • Samuel …

The Economic Impact Of Paradise Cove Aquatic Center In Richmond, Kentucky, Lauren Kilburn, Michael Bradley, James Maples

Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

One of the most effective ways for rural communities to improve the local economy is by exploring opportunities related to tourism. When communities focus their resources on expanding and improving the tourism industry, it leads to additional opportunities for these communities to increase their revenue, provide jobs and revitalize the local economy. Like many other agencies, the Richmond Parks and Recreation Department has gradually expanded the tourism industry within the City of Richmond in Madison County, Kentucky. To help continue the expansion of this industry, Paradise Cove Aquatic Center opened in 2008. This decision was made because waterparks were becoming …

Impact Of A Summer Nutrition And Physical Activity Intervention To Attenuate Obesity In Urban African-American Youth, Jermaine B. Mitchell, Antonio J. Gardner, Zachary Wahl-Alexander, Ben Schwamberger, Douglas Craddock Jr., Carol N. Agomo, Myia C. Lang

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Improved eating behaviors and daily participation in physical activity such as swimming might abate the likelihood of African American youth becoming obese. Yet many African American youth neither consume the recommended daily servings of nutritious foods nor know how to swim. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a culturally tailored multicomponent summer intervention to reduce obesity and unintentional drownings among underserved African American youth. Children (n = 145) participated in a three-hour, community-based intervention for four weeks. Measures of children’s attitudes perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms toward swimming, nutrition, and physical fitness were …

Choose Your Own Adventure: A Comparative Analysis Of Storytelling Elements In Selected Immersive Experience Attractions, John E. Balido

Experience Industry Management

Stories are powerful tools used to both connect and communicate through a multitude of mediums. Movies, marketing campaigns, and experience design in theme parks are modern examples of storytelling, using various practices to bring the narrative to life. The purpose of this study was to analyze the manipulation of storytelling elements to create and build an immersive adventure experience in selected theme park attractions. A comparative analysis was conducted on theIndiana Jones Adventure and the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance rides at Disneyland using an instrument that analyzed both experience design and storytelling practices. Findings concluded that the practices …

Applying Interpretation Principles To A Non-Western (Japanese) Training Context, Naoko Yamada, Jeffrey Skibins, Betty Weiler

International Journal of Tour Guiding and Visitor Attraction Research

Interpretive guides play an indispensable role in achieving tourism and sustainability outcomes. Although interpretation theory and best practice principles are supported by literature, they have been primarily developed in Western countries. Little work has been done to evaluate the cross-cultural applicability of using Western-based interpretation in training non-Western interpretive guides. This study evaluates the use of Western-based interpretive competencies in a Japanese training context. The efficacy of the training was assessed using quantitative and qualitative pre- and post-training data from all 42 trainees. Training programs were successful in improving trainees’ perceptions of the importance of links between individual roles and …

Getting In: Safe Water Entry Competencies, Kevin Moran Dr, Jennifer Blitvich, Lauren Petrass, Keith Mcelroy

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

In high income countries, jumping and diving into water are a small but persistent cause of death and serious injury especially among male youth and young adults. Although water entries maintain a high media profile, little is known about what entry competencies and underlying water safety knowledge youth bring to this practice. Undergraduates enrolled in aquatics (N= 76) completed a survey before attempting 7 entry jumping and diving tasks. While safety attitudes and self-reported behaviours were generally good, considerable variation in practical entry competence was evident. Most completed a deep-water compact jump (87%) and PFD jump (88%) with …