Category / Leisure, Recreation & Tourism

How Web 2.0 might revolutionise our research

BU research

Many of you will be familiar with the revolution that the internet is undergoing, with its growth of social networking, web applications, blogs and wikis. What I had not appreciated, until very recently, is what the full implications are for how we go about our research. I am sure that colleagues in DEC and the MediaSchoolare well ahead of the curve on this, but for the rest of us, the penny is perhaps only just beginning to drop. I recently attended a fascinating conference hosted by the European Social Simulation Association in Salzburg. This is a group of researchers united by a common interest in using computer programs to simulate human behaviour, and its implications for human society. This was very much a new arena for me; I was really attending to learn something about the agent-based modelling approaches that are the flavour of the month in these circles. But what most impressed me was the way researchers are now using web technologies to access data to explore in their models. For example, although I’d heard of “crowdsourcing” before, I’d never really seen it in practice, and what it can deliver. I was most impressed by groups using tools such as Twitter, together with mapping applications such as Google maps, to produce highly informative maps showing the movements and wellbeing of large numbers of people. A great example is what the LSE is doing to map happiness – yes, really – http://www.mappiness.org.uk/. Another example, from the University of Leeds, has been using Twitter to map the movements of commuters in and out of the city. What is perhaps most astonishing is that large numbers of people seem keen to participate in these research projects. Potentially useful tools being used by this research community include open source mapping initiatives such as Open Street Map http://www.openstreetmap.org/ and Maptube http://www.maptube.org/, as well as Survey mapper http://www.surveymapper.com/current.aspx. You might find this reference useful if you’re interested in learning more – http://ssc.sagepub.com/content/27/4/524

Virtual conference and film making: two of the projects being looked at within the Leisure and Recreation Theme

Further to a meeting of colleagues interested in the Leisure and Recreation Theme in May an agenda for collaboration is gradually developing around a series of ideas.  These include: 

  • Organizing 2 academic/professional conferences,
  • Bidding for an ESRC Seminar series,
  • Exploring policy areas relating to healthy leisure, developing a Healthy Leisure, Healthy Living Research Group (and possibly others),
  • Running an internal seminar series next academic year
  • Developing events for the festival of learning
  • Holding an Internal Research conference looking specifically at Leisure and Recreation, highlighting work across university.
  • Creating a virtual poster conference for students and staff
  • Organizing a joint Workshop with the Centre for Qualitative Research featuring Robert Mugerauer, from the University of Washington.
  • Developing a short film project that will equip colleagues with the skills to produce short films to help disseminate research to students and the broader public. 

For more information on these and other ideas, to include yourself in the e-mail circulation list or to suggest ideas of your own please contact Sean Beer (sbeer@bournemouth.ac.uk)

Would you like to travel? Categories for the latest round of Winston Churchill Fellowships have been announced and there is something for everyone

Funding opportunities, PG research

The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust is looking for people who:

  • Would benefit from experience overseas so that their effectiveness in their career or field of interest was enhanced
  • Are in a position to disseminate their new knowledge and examples of best practice for the benefit of their communities and the UK

In the past the School of Tourism has been particularly successful in obtaining these fellowships with 4 members of staff (and 2 spouses) gaining awards. The funding is good, and being a fellow opens you up to a range of networks and opportunities that are often not normally easily accessible.

The categories for this year are listed below, and seem to cover most areas of interest in the University.  It is important to pitch you application correctly, and there are qualifications as to who may apply (you need to be a British Citizen), so please feel free to come and have a chat.  Closing date is 2 October 2012. 

Science, Engineering & Technology: Applications are welcome from right across this wide field, especially with respect to the popularisation of science, reverse innovation and smart growth. 

Environment, Food & Rural Affairs: Those involved in the countryside, food production, environment and conservation, including those interested in the natural environment and biodiversity and waste management. 

Education: Applications are sought from those working to improve the achievement of students aged 5-19, with particular emphasis on English, Maths, Science and Technology. We are also seeking applications from Deputy Head Teachers who are future Head Teachers, in a joint project with the Farmington Trust. 

Business, Industry & Commerce: We are especially interested in those running Social Enterprises who wish to learn from models overseas, particularly in emerging markets. We’re also keen to receive applications for projects focussed on making Corporate Social Responsibility more effective.  

Medical and Health: Applications are welcome from across this wide spectrum, especially from those with an interest in alcohol-related health issues and continuity of care, both medical and management.  

Communities that Work: This category is for those working in all areas of developing stronger and more effective communities. (This is the second year of a joint project with The Rank Foundation). 

The Creative Industries: Applications are welcome from anyone in this wide field wishing to research new and innovative ideas from overseas.  

The Arts and Older People: Those providing opportunities for older people in all aspects of music, dance, drama and the fine arts. (This is the second year of a joint 3 year project with The Baring Foundation). 

Prison & Penal Reform: Those involved in prison and penal reform and related sentencing issues, who are interested in projects that reduce re-offending and contribute to a just, humane and effective penal system. (A joint project with The Prison Reform Trust and supported by the ICPS) 

Open: Anyone with an appropriate project not covered by other categories, including Exploration (expedition leaders only), and Music Education (a joint project with The Finzi Trust), should apply here.

Further details at: http://www.wcmt.org.uk/

 

 

 

Innovative post graduate research in the School of Tourism

Yesterday saw an opportunity for PhD students from the School of Tourism to update colleagues on the progress of their research through a day conference based on a series of interactive poster sessions.  18 students presented their work on a wide range of subjects (see below) and then submitted themselves to questioning and interrogation from the audience.  This built on the presentations that student had done at the recent Post Graduate Tourism Conference at Exeter University and really highlighted the breadth and depth of research in this area within the University.

The Posters that were presented are listed below and some pictures of the day can be found on Dr Miguel Moital’s blog at, http://miguelmoital.blogspot.co.uk/

  • Zornitza YOVCHEVA – Information system design of Smartphone augmented reality for tourism
  • Ivana RIHOVA – Consumers as producers: customer-to-customer co-creation in the context of festival experiences
  • Nicolas GREGORI Y RIBES- Technology and social media enabled service development and design
  • Barbara NEUHOFER – Technology enhanced tourist experience 
  • John FOTIS – The impact of social media on consumer behaviour; focus on holiday travel
  • Gayathri KANAGASAPATHY – The heritage experience, a visitor perspective: a comparative study of heritage destinations in Malaysia
  • Gde Indr BHASKARA – The local community as a stakeholder group and its participation in UNESCO’s World Heritage Nomination process: Jatiluwih Rice Fields, Bali, Indonesia
  • Emma KAVANAGH – A narrative enquiry into the experience of maltreatment in high performance sport
  • Sean BEER – Human perceptions of the authenticity of food
  • Andrew HARES – Tourist understanding of and engagement with the climate change impacts of holiday
  • Julia HIBBERT – Tourism travel and identity
  • Jan HUTCHINGS – ‘In the Swim‘ – an ethnography on Masters swimming
  • Stephen CALVER – The influence of mass media on countryside leisure visit behaviour compared
  • Gregory KAPUSCINSKI – Tourism, terrorism, political instability and the media
  • Joanna HAWKES – ‘My Bones Won’t Break Me’: an auto-ethnographical exploration of premenopausal osteoporosis in a physically active female‘
  • Pamela WATSON – Grab Your Fork’: a netnography of a foodie blog and its community
  • Stacy WALL – Synergies in public health and tourism; an organisational ethnography
  • Amanda WILDING – The diffusion and adoption of sport psychology by track and field coaches

Leisure and Recreation Theme Meeting up

Fusion

In order to further develop some of the ideas that are driving the Leisure and Recreation Theme we are arranging to get together at 11am on Wed 23 May in TAG 02. 

The sort of things that we are currently exploring is: 

  • Hosting the Leisure Studies Association Conference. (Lead member of staff Dr Ian Jones).
  • Hosting the AEM conference 2013, (lead member of staff Dr Julie Whitfield).
  • Bidding for an ESRC seminar series.
  • Investigating the current government initiative relating to Healthy Leisure.
  • Establishing a Healthy Leisure, Healthy Living Research Group.
  • Possibly further dividing theme into work groups?
  • Running a seminar series (4-6) in the University, each session on a different aspect of University research relating to the theme.
  • Holding an Internal Research conference looking specifically at Leisure and Recreation, highlighting work across university.
  • Holding an internal PhD student conference or poster conference specifically on Leisure and Recreation highlighting work across University 

All input will be gratefully received, all are invited. Julie Northam will be e-mailing all those who have previously signed up to the Leisure and Recreation Theme to confirm attendance.  If you have not signed up please could you confirm attendance with Julie by e-mail so that we have an idea of numbers.

Bournemouth Researcher returns from field work in Brazil

Research news

Dr Miguel Moital of the School of Tourism has just returned from Brazil having undertaken the first block of fieldwork for a Santander funded project entitled, 

“The internationalisation of the Brazilian tourism, hospitality and events research: Barriers and opportunities to publishing in international (English language) journals”  

The economic growth of the past 15 years in Brazil has had a profound impact on the country’s tourism industry, further establishing tourism as an important economic activity. While Brazil attracted only just over five million international tourists in 2010, the country has a substantial tourism industry which is driven by a buoyant domestic market. The Tourism Ministry estimates that in 2009 there were 175 million domestic trips. 

As the tourist industry matures, so does the need to develop a more in-depth understanding of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of the tourism phenomenon. There has been substantial growth in terms of education provision, but academic research has remained somewhat parochial, with much being published in the growing number of Brazilian tourism journals and some in foreign journals, whether Portuguese or Spanish language journals (mainly South American, but also Spanish). Very few have been published in English language journals. The end result is that Brazilian research and researchers are little known by the International community. 

Therefore the aim of this research is to examine the barriers and look for opportunities to expand the international audience for research based on the Brazilian tourism, hospitality and events industries and in so doing develop a valuable international partnership.

 

Virgin Media Shorts Competition Opens to Entries (UK)

Funding opportunities, Uncategorized

The Virgin Media Shorts, which is a short film competition that champions undiscovered talent, has announced that its 2012 competition is now open to entries.

The competition is open to filmmakers and gives them the chance to show their work in cinemas, on TV, online and on mobile (via the mobile internet).  Prizes include: 13 film makers win a chance to show their work on 214 cinema screens nationwide; one winner will receive £30,000 to make their next film; and a People’s Choice winner will receive £5,000 of film funding and BFI mentoring.  Films must be in English or subtitled in English and be of a duration of up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds. The deadline for entries is 12 noon on the 12th July 2012.

A new text linking tourism and retail

BU research

Progress in Retail and Tourism Research: The psychogeography of liminal consumption is a new text published by Routledge that links the areas of Tourism and Retailing.

This book offers new perspectives on the intersection between tourism and retail research that is liminal to both fields yet central to the tourist experience, standing as an important and illuminating realm of consumer behaviour.

The Book was edited by Charles McIntyre (School of Tourism) and amongst the contributing authors in addition to Charles were BU Lecturers Christine Harris (Retailing within towns and city centres as a tourist retail attraction), Corinna Budnarowska (Fashion retail formats as tourist retail destinations and attractions) and Sean Beer (Co-author Food and farmers’ markets.)

All credit must go to Charles who as an editor was tireless and dogged in his determination.  Sometimes it just doesn’t only take time, it takes a lot more besides.

Looking to recruit a potential Post Doc – Food and Tourism

We are looking for a potential overseas Post Doc to work in the area of Food and Tourism.  In the first instance the candidate would work with collegues to secure the funding for this one or two year post, though we are looking at a funding route with a good success rate.

The specific package of work for the two years will be negotiated depending on the research interests of the candidate and the research team.

So if you have any connections with an individual that might fit the bill please get back to Sean for a chat. (sbeer@bournemouth.ac.uk )

Re-framing Bournemouth the Town: a symposium and exhibition

An artist and former student has approached the University with a view to organising a symposium and exhibition as part of the 2012 Arts festival.

The symposium will be called Re-framing Bournemouth and will specifically focus on the issue of the visual and conceptual perception of Bournemouth by both residents and visitors, as well as how the resort might be re-imagined for the future. Really it’s thinking about the tourist experience and residents re-experiencing their hometown from a visual and aesthetic perspective.

If this is something that might be if interest please contact John Brackstone (65801/ jbrackst@bournemouth.ac.uk ) in the School of Tourism for a chat.

Tourism: a catalyst for existential authenticity

BU research

Over the last 2 terms the School of Tourism has been hosting a series of seminars on various aspects of research and philosophy.  The first was on reality, the second on post modernism and the latest will be on existential authenticity.

Dr Lorraine Brown has recently done some work which is helping recontextualize our ideas of existential authenticity in the area of Tourism.  All welcome.  Be prepared for some lively discussion and Lemon Drizzle cake!

Wednesday 7 March 1.30-3.00

TAG02

Lorraine Brown

Subject: Tourism: a catalyst for existential authenticity.  .

Atlantic Calling Success

Research news

 I am sure that you will be pleased to know that Lloyd Figgins and David Whiddon became the first modern day, independent oarsmen to row non-stop from Morocco to Barbados in their 23ft rowing boat ‘Atlantic Calling’.  Their journey took them 60 days and 17 hours. 

Bournemouth University’s Centre for Event and Sport Research provided psychological and physiological support. They brought together people such as Olympic rower, Bobby Thatcher and David Alred (Jonny Wilkinson’s kicking coach) to help provide training and focus. UK celebrity and previous Atlantic rower, Ben Fogle even popped into the RNLI to see Atlantic Calling and provide advice. 

As a team they worked with the rowers to develop and deliver a bespoke sports science support package for the rowers prior to their departure.  This included technique analysis and development, strength and conditioning, injury rehabilitation, musculo-skeletal assessment and sport psychology support between March and November 2011.  The team included Emma Kavanagh, Joanna Hawkes, Amanda Wilding, Kelly Goodwin, Shelley Broomfield and Andy Callaway from the sports team along with other external expertise. 

This experience has proved beneficial to the University team as well as the rowers.  As Emma Kavanagh made clear, 

“As you can imagine we are all very proud of the guys and feel fortunate as a sports team to have had the opportunity to work on this project.” 

Weight loss for the rowers apparently stands at 1 1/2 stone for David and 2 stone 5lbs for Lloyd so they look a little bit different to when they departed! 

For more information on Atlantic Calling go to: 

http://www.atlanticcalling.com/Home.html

 

 

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Leisure and recreation: Follow up from first Fusion event – ideas on the way forward and the Atlantic rowers

The Leisure and Recreation session at the Fusion Event in December went well. There was plenty of interest and plenty of discussion and for those of you who would like to follow the Atlantic Rowers (one of the featured areas of research) go to www.atlanticcalling.com , at 7 last night they tweeted, “Over 1510miles done. Nearly half way! Big storm brewing.” And yes they have seen their first shark!
In terms of the theme a number of questions arose in the discussion which we need to address. I have outlined these below; please feel free to add comments.
1. Given the title Leisure and recreation how do we demonstrate the real breadth of what we do?
2. How do we promote ourselves to internal and external audiences in a coordinated way and maintain the spontaneity and authenticity of what we do?
3. How do we achieve a balance between research, education and professional practice?
4. How is it going to work in terms of boundaries and synergies? Much of the work that we do could come under more than one heading? This isn’t a problem , but how do we handle this?
5. How do we catch and collect a record of all the work that we are doing, because much is going on that we don’t know about?
6. How will this help clarify our identity?
7. Is there going to be some funding to address some of these questions?

The BU Challenges: the way forward

BU Challenges, Fusion

The BU Challenges (previously the Research Themes) were launched in December at the first of the BU-wide Fusion events. The Challenges are societally-led, encourage cross-School working and collaboration, and will be the main vehicle through which our research is presented externally in future.

To discuss how to take the Challenges forward and foster collaborative working, Matthew Bennett would like to talk to all staff interested in the Challenges. Matthew will spend an hour per Challenge either in the Costa in the Atrium or in the Costa in Studland House and invites you to join him to talk about the way forward for each theme.

The session times are listed below:

Research Theme

Date and Venue
Creative and Digital Economy 11 January – 2.00 pm to 3.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

 
Culture and Society 12 January – 2.30 pm to 3.30 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

 
Environmental Change and Biodiversity 16 January – 2.00 pm to 3.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

 
Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth 18 January – 11.00 am to 12.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Studland House

 
Green Economy and Sustainability 18 January – 4.00 pm to 5.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

 
Recreation and Leisure 19 January – 10.00 am to 11.00 amCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

 
Health, Wellbeing and Aging 25 January – 1.30 pm to 2.30 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Studland House

 
Technology and Design 23 January – 4.00 pm to 5.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

 

Research into public health and tourism strategies

BU research

Watch this excellent short video from BU’s Dr Heather Hartwell (School of Tourism and School of Health and Social Care) who describes unique research facilitating strategic direction for public health, in alignment with tourism strategies, aimed at creating conversation and collaboration

To see other BU videos on YouTube go to the BU YouTube page.

 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv8DM9zKU1c

Find out how BU research is helping councils improve the delivery of the Olympics and Paralympics

BU research

Watch this excellent short video from BU’s Dr Richard Shipway who discusses the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games and how his research has been used by local councils to improve the delivery of the games in the area.

To see other BU videos on YouTube go to the BU YouTube page!

 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy_B4Nbzvv4