Exploring the Use of Digital Technologies to Engage with Nature:
A Cross-Cultural Perspective
This study examines the use of, as well as attitudes of individuals using digital technologies to connect with and gain knowledge about the natural world. It investigates the ways in which digital technologies are affecting experiences with nature, especially how culture ideologies play a role in people's digital technology use when interacting with nature.
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Ultimately, this research seeks to pave the way for a harmonious integration of digital technologies used when engaging with the natural world, ensuring fulfilling and meaningful interactions for all individuals.
Screen Capture of a flythrough in the virtual lobby space.
Context
Background
Digital technologies have become increasingly important tools for engaging with nature, providing new opportunities for people to interact with natural environments in ways that were previously unavailable. . Differences in using technology, levels of nature-relatedness, and cultural values and norms can all influence how people use digital technologies to interact with natural environments.
It is important for designers and researchers to consider these factors when developing and evaluating digital technologies for engaging with nature to ensure that they are effective and accessible for a diverse range of people. Further research is needed to explore the complex relationships between digital technologies, culture, and nature engagement to fully understand how these factors interact and influence each other and to address diverse cultural needs in digital technology use for nature engagement.
Method
This study aims to investigate how individuals are using digital technologies to engage with nature, and to identify some unmet needs of current usage. In addition, it investigates whether and how diverse cultural backgrounds influence the interactions, including if culture impacts on sense of connection to nature, people’s attitudes towards engaging with nature, motivations for engaging and their satisfaction differences, as well as their device usage for nature-related interactions.
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A survey was conducted to gather insights in related fields.
On the one hand, a survey enables comparison of responses by using ratings/scales. On the other hand, a survey has the convenience of gathering data from a large number of participants to gain a diversity of responses.
Findings
Connectedness
(scoring 1 low connectedness-5 high connectedness)
Overall
Oceanian & North-East Asian
Using Digital Technologies to Learn about Nature
Motivation Difference
Satisfaction Difference
Reasons of Difference
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Device Difference
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Possible Cause for Device Difference
Potential Improvements
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Conceptual Design
It is a software application concept which aspires to help people with their nature visiting activities.
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input personal settings such as their background, times of visit, language mode and preferred types of information and therefore to better assist with their experience.
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select the recommended routes based on their personal settings or to set up by themselves. They will also be able to connect with other devices such as a smartwatch, or another smartphone to conveniently share the experience.
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off-screen voice assistance, which introduces related information about local species, photography tips based on calculations from their personal settings.
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record the beautiful sound of nature or take photos if a drone is connected, to help the users to make the temporary joy more sustainable.
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share the fresh photos and updates with friends by either using the voice assistance or manually sharing in the app.
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simple and clear structured interface and provides authentic and straight-forward information.
