1:45 PM - 3:15 PM
[O08-P31] Universal Design and Geological Information -Intrepreting Messages of the Earth to Everyone-
Keywords:Geotourism, Interpretation, Universal design
This presentation is a joint project of two student-groups; one in a class of “Geopark Studies” and the other in social welfare course. In “Geopark Studies” class, students learn 1) Muroto’s land formation processes and 2) Muroto’s unique topography, geology, and natural environment. Those basic knowledge of Muroto help students to study local culture, lifestyle, history and industry established on Muroto’s nature. Students actually implement field works and interview with locals for further understandings in those topics. In the school year of 2021, a group of students studying about Muroto’s geo-tourism has worked with a group of students learning a way to support people with disabilities in order to develop a universal designed guided tour.
Muroto UNESCO Global Geopark offers several guided tours for visitors, however those tours are not available for people with disabilities. The guided tour’s main target is visually impaired people. Students in “Geopark Studies” class develops tour route and tour contents (interpretation) and students in social welfare course are for supporting tour participants during a tour. Since Cape Muroto has a walking trail along the coast, it is the best place for universal-designed guided tour in terms of risk management.
The aim of universal-designed guided tour is that tour participants fully use the 5 senses but eyesight to feel the Earth dynamism. Tour participants walk with a guide along the coast and touch stones, listen to wave sounds, feeling sea breeze and sunlight temperature. Beach of Cape Muroto is mainly composed of sand and mud stone and gabbro is also observed there. Tour participants touch stones and think what the stones is like. A guide tells them how the stones have formed relating to Earth movements. A guide also tries to make participants feeling connections with the dynamic Earth movements.
Muroto UNESCO Global Geopark offers several guided tours for visitors, however those tours are not available for people with disabilities. The guided tour’s main target is visually impaired people. Students in “Geopark Studies” class develops tour route and tour contents (interpretation) and students in social welfare course are for supporting tour participants during a tour. Since Cape Muroto has a walking trail along the coast, it is the best place for universal-designed guided tour in terms of risk management.
The aim of universal-designed guided tour is that tour participants fully use the 5 senses but eyesight to feel the Earth dynamism. Tour participants walk with a guide along the coast and touch stones, listen to wave sounds, feeling sea breeze and sunlight temperature. Beach of Cape Muroto is mainly composed of sand and mud stone and gabbro is also observed there. Tour participants touch stones and think what the stones is like. A guide tells them how the stones have formed relating to Earth movements. A guide also tries to make participants feeling connections with the dynamic Earth movements.