Newcastle University

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

In relation to heritage organisations/agencies, museums and art galleries, the aims of the 'Heritage Management for Tourism' module are to provide an introduction:

To an intellectual framework for understanding the definitions, concepts and philosophies surrounding heritage resources and heritage management;

To heritage management from a historical perspective, with examples from Europe, the USA and other parts of the world;

To current principles, policies and legislation in heritage management from different geographical contexts, especially in relation to international conventions through national legislation to implimentation by public, non-government and private bodies;

To international, national and local perspectives on the nature, values and roles of heritage in relation to the management of heritage resources for tourism;

To heritage management practical approaches and tools;

To a more detailed intellectual and practical framework for the communication and interpretation of heritage resources for tourism;

To a deeper understanding of the possibilities for communicating and interpreting heritage resources for tourism through new digital technologies and media; and,

To a deeper understanding of how heritage education and learning opportunities can be used in tourism.

To an opportunity to gain a deeper knowledge required to work in the heritage, museums and galleries sector in relation to heritage management and tourism on graduation.

Outline Of Syllabus

In relation to heritage management and tourism, the 'Heritage Management for Tourism' module provides an introduction to general heritage management principles and practices that will help to further the understanding of why these are needed to develop effective heritage tourism. In relation to this, it is useful to have a historical understanding of how heritage management has developed in different geographical contexts and to have an awareness of current international and national thinking, policies and legal frameworks. It is also useful to have an understanding of different perspectives of the nature, value and roles of heritage and how it can be used in tourism. After providing this background, the module will provide theories and approaches to heritage management planning, involving stakeholders in processes, in order to conduct impact assessments and to research, communicate and interpret information about heritage resources through a range of different media.

Topics to be covered in the module include: 1) definitions relating to different immovable and movable tangible and intangible heritage resources, and heritage management; 2) heritage management histories in Europe, USA and other parts of the world; 3) current principles, policies, conventions and legislation in heritage management, both internationally and nationally; 4) heritage perspectives, values and meanings; 5) heritage management approaches and tools, including stakeholder involvement and impact assessments; 6) researching various tangible and intangible heritage resources and the selection of different interpretive media to communicate information about them following the research; 7) using digital media and new technologies to communicate about heritage resources for tourists; and, 8) heritage education and learning for different groups of audiences within the tourism sector.

The module will introduce you to a range of theories and practices through the online material and activities. You will also be provided with a case study that should help you to contextualise and think about the use of the theories and practices within an actual context. The module topics, learning material, activities and case studies should provide you with enough information to explore examples from your own country. You will be expected to visit heritage sites, museums and galleries near you and critically examine and evaluate them against what you have learnt in the module.

This module can be taken as a stand-alone credit-bearing module, or it can be used as a 'building block', via the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS) regulations at Newcastle University, towards building a postgraduate qualification in Heritage Management and Tourism.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of this module a typical student will have:

Gained a deeper understanding of the various forms that heritage resources can take and the different values ascribed to them;

Acquired a knowledge of histories of heritage management, both internationally and in different geographical contexts;

Developed an understanding of current principles, policies, conventions and legislation from an international perspective and how these have been translated into policies, legislation and implementation programmes (at different levels) within their own countries;

Gained an awareness of the different organisations and agencies involved in heritage management and how they relate to each other;

Developed a working knowledge of various heritage management approaches and tools, including those to engage stakeholders and communities and to undertake impact assesments;

Acquired a basic knowledge and understanding of how to research the different tangible and intangible heritage resources and the various approaches and methods that can be used to interpret them;

Developed a deeper knowledge and understanding of the value and use of different key communicative media used in the heritage sector, from the more traditional mass media like newspapers, popular publications, radio and television used in heritage interpretation, through to the internet and new digital media products;

Become aware of the opportunities offered by these different communications media for those involved in the management of heritage for tourism; and,

Developed a deeper knowledge and understanding of the methodologies for preparing educational and learning programmes and materials for different target groups amongst heritage tourists.

Intended Skill Outcomes

By the end of this module a typical student will have:

Developed the cognitive skills to reflectively engage with different sources of information and literature in heritage, museum, art gallery and tourism studies in relation to 'Heritage Management for Tourism' issues in a questioning and well-informed manner;

Developed the cognitive skills to critically examine and evaluate theories and practices in relation to actual examples and case studies in different geographical, economic, social, cultural and political contexts;

Developed the cognitive and practical skills of analysis and appraisal by relating the information acquired through the module to specific problem-solving tasks in their own country; and,

Gained relevant subject-specific theoretical and practical skills, i.e., developed the ability to apply the professional knowledge gained above in a real-life work context.

Further enhanced the key skills, as indicated in the Graduate Skills Framework below.

In addition, by the end of this module a typical student will have:

Gained an understanding of the practical skills required to structure an impact assessment report;

Gained the practical skills needed to undertake detailed research into different types of tangible and intangible heritage resources;

Developed an understanding of the practical considerations needed to make informed decisions about what media to use to effectively communicate information about heritage resources;

Developed the skills to asses different digital and new technologies available for communicating with tourists and oversee the production of material using these; and,

Developed the skills needed to produce and evaluate education and learning activities and programmes.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The module will be divided into 8 Units, with 5 learning sessions in each (40 sessions in total). Each session will average out at three hours of expected work and should be able to be completed in one sitting on a single day. As the module will be delivered through an e-learning platform, students will learn through guided independant study.

The module will include:
• Reflective Learning Activities - based on online resources and activities to deliver the module aims and content and to facilitate the acquisition of the necessary knowledge and skills so that students can achieve the learning outcomes by ensuring that they engage with information, case studies and local examples;
• Skills Practice - based on online directed personal site and study visits, students will be expected to consider what they are learning against practical real-life contexts;
• Independant study - based on their own experiences, students will be expected to compare what they are learning in theory and practice with their understandings of the situations in their home country;
• Student-led Group Activity - based on the use of online discussion boards, students will be expected to engage with each other and share their learning experiences in relation to the learning outcomes, thereby enhancing group learning, critical debate, negotiation skills, and a certain amount of team work and the development of interpersonal skills;
• Assessment Preparation and Completion - based on four different online assignment activities to test what students are learning in theory and practice in relation to the learning outcomes along the way; and,
• Assessment Preparation and Completion - based on students completing and submitting one academic essay where they will be required to show that they have achieved a combination of the learning outcomes. In particular, through the essay, students will have an opportunity to show that they have developed an understanding of the literature and how it relates to work in practice.

All the teaching methods will require a high level of self-motivation, discipline, critical engagement and time management.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

In this module there is a substantial content in terms of theory, intellectual framework, historical context and policy development. The essay format of assessment will help the students to reflect on this material in a way that will help them to engage with the intended knowledge outcomes.

The module has been designed to introduce students to theories, histories, policies, legal frameworks and practices of heritage management for tourism. The two formative online computer assessment activities (total of 20% of the module mark), will help us and each student to monitor his/her understanding and progress as he/she works through the module. The academic essay assignment (80% of the module mark) is intended to give each student an opportunity to explore a specific set of issues in greater depth and to engage critically with the relevant literature. It also should help an individual student to: 1) develop valuable skills of research, writing, and analysis; 2) recognise and evaluate different sources of information; and, 3) build a solid foundation of knowledge in his/her area of interest while drawing from learning across the module as a whole.

General Notes

N/A