Modules

Module title: Natural Area Tourism
SCQF level: 11:
SCQF credit value: 20.00
ECTS credit value: 10
Module code: TSM11116
Module leader: Stephen Taylor
School The Business School
Subject area group: Tourism and Languages
Prerequisites

There are no pre-requisites for this module to be added
2019/0, Trimester 1, Face-to-Face,
Occurrence: 001
Primary mode of delivery: Face-to-Face
Location of delivery: CRAIGLOCKHAR
Partner:
Member of staff responsible for delivering module: Stephen Taylor
Module Organiser:


Learning, Teaching and Assessment (LTA) Approach:
Learning & teaching methods including their alignment to LOs;
Adopting a critical stance from the outset, with an enduring emphasis upon the theme of sustainability, the focus is upon encouraging students to develop a sophisticated grasp of the realities of the issues associated with developing and managing natural area tourism.

The combination of key lecture inputs closely aligned to a series of workshop/tutorials developed around the core themes of the module is intended to provide both a coherent focus to the syllabus coverage but also to engender deep learning on the part of the students.

LO1; LO2 and LO3 are based upon the initial lecture and workshop themes and the assessment vehicle here is an essay focused upon a critical treatise of the broader issues associated with the development of natural area tourism. This provides the critical foundation for the second part of the module which seeks to explore the issues and strategies associated with the effective management of natural area tourism developments. This provides the context for LO4 and LO5 which are assessed through a project that students will use as a focus to develop and integrate their learning associated with the management dimensions of specific types of natural area tourism development (i.e. adventure; nature based; wildlife; and ecotourism).

A participative approach to teaching and learning will be adopted in the tutorials. These sessions will make use of lecture input, case studies, small and large group discussions, class exercises and presentations.

Learning will be supported throughout by module materials, a recommended text(s), directed reading of articles, books and other resources. Students are given weekly directed reading and will be expected to prepare for classes in advance by reading a selection of cases and articles.

Embedding of employability/PDP/scholarship skills;
The assessment strategy for the module is explicitly designed to support and enhance the development of the students’ organisation skills, powers of critical analysis; their reflectivity and other core employability skills.
Assessment (formative and summative)
As noted above, the assessments are designed to provide a vehicle for students to explore and develop their understanding of the module’s syllabus. Each assessment is designed in a manner that facilitates students to adopt a specialist interest based upon one or more of the specific forms of natural area tourism covered in the module
The focus is upon encouraging students to develop and adopt a critical stance with regards to the complexities and challenges, now and in the future, associated with effective management within the context of natural area tourism. This is supported by the design of the two coursework elements. Component 1 is a 3,000 word essay (weighting of 40%) that covers assessment of LO1; LO2 and LO3. Here the emphasis is upon students demonstrating a grasp of the broader issues associated with natural area tourism developments. Component 2 is a 3,500 project, with a weighting of 60%, which is more concerned with issues associated with effective management practice in the context of natural area tourism (LO4 and LO5).
Formative Assessment:
The University is currently undertaking work to improve the quality of information provided on methods of assessment and feedback. Please refer to the section on Learning and Teaching Approaches above for further information about this module’s learning, teaching and assessment practices, including formative and summative approaches.

Summative Assessment:
The University is currently undertaking work to improve the quality of information provided on methods of assessment and feedback. Please refer to the section on Learning and Teaching Approaches above for further information about this module’s learning, teaching and assessment practices, including formative and summative approaches.

Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH))
Mode of activityLearning & Teaching ActivityNESH (Study Hours)
Face To Face Tutorial 12
Face To Face Lecture 12
Independent Learning Guided independent study 176
Total Study Hours200
Expected Total Study Hours for Module200


Assessment
Type of Assessment Weighting % LOs covered Week due Length in Hours/Words
Essay 40 1-3 7 HOURS= 0, WORDS= 3000
Project - Written 60 4-5 14/15 HOURS= 0, WORDS= 3500
Component 1 subtotal: 40
Component 2 subtotal: 60
Module subtotal: 100

Description of module content:

This module is designed to enable students to understand the challenges associated with developing and managing natural area tourism and how these might be effectively tackled. It commences by exploring and critiquing the anthropocentric and ecocentric perspectives which underpin human stances in relation to tourism and the natural environment. Adopting a global perspective, natural area tourism (NAT) is located within tourism more generally and the specific context of alternative tourism. Ecotourism is critically examined with a view to assessing its role and viability as a means of economic development. The module seeks to identify and critically examine the process of developing and managing tourism in natural areas across its full scope (i.e. adventure; nature based; wildlife; and ecotourism) with a particular emphasis upon the specific sustainability issues associated with each.
Learning Outcomes for module:

LO1: Demonstrate a critical understanding of the scope, role and potential of natural area tourism and the wider topic of sustainability.
LO2: Critique the key issues surrounding the development of specific natural area tourism projects.
LO3: Critically appraise the sources of environmental impacts from tourism activities in a range of different ecosystems.
LO4: Evidence a sound understanding of the theory and practice associated with visitor planning and stakeholder management.
LO5: Critique the range of management strategies and actions which might be adopted in relation to natural area tourism generally and to specific types of natural area tourism.

Indicative References and Reading List - URL:

Core - NEWSOME, D., MOORE, S.A., AND DOWLING, R.K. (2012) NATURAL AREA TOURISM: ECOLOGY, IMPACTS AND MANAGEMENT: CHANNEL VIEW PUBLICATIONS, 2nd ed.
Recommended - MOWFORTH, M. AND MUNT, I. (2009) TOURISM AND SUSTAINABILITY: ROUTLEDGE, 3rd ed.
Recommended - SWARBROOKE, J., BEARD, C. AND POMFRET, G. (2003) ADVENTURE TOURISM: THE NEW FRONTIER: BUTTERWORTH HEINEMANN, 1st ed.
Recommended - PAGE, S. AND DOWLING, R.K. (2002) ECOTOURISM: PRENTICE-HALL, 1st ed.
Recommended - MASON, P. (2008) TOURISM IMPACTS, PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: BUTTERWORTH HEINEMANN, 1st ed.
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