Cultural Ecologies

BACKGROUND: This work explores how interactive devices can be harnessed for capacity building in much broader and currently, poorly understood ways. A digital (walking trail) phone app was created to examine how different places can be reanimated by blending physical and digital environments. Willox et al (2012) examine how 'community-created media' have the capacity to reveal people's lived experiences. Burgess (2006) discusses how cultural resources can be recombined in novel ways, calling this a form of 'vernacular creativity'. Building on these studies, this work was created to document the methodological processes through which a cultural model for considering "place" might be newly reimagined through the application of digital innovations. CONTRIBUTION: Such digital innovations have thrown up new questions about how we might harness the potential of emerging technologies to shape possible futures that connect with the aspirations and agendas of the disenfranchised. The co-creative emphasis in this work offers a way to explore how community-generated media might function to sustainably collect, preserve and represent cultural heritage material. SIGNIFICANCE: Mass market apps such as Pokémon Go demonstrate the capacity of technologies to transcend the digital, physical and social realms. Working in a similar context, Cultural Ecologies seeks to redefine and recontextualise public and popular interactions with places through digital innovations such as augmented reality. The work was funded by RMIT University's Office of the Dean Learning and Teaching Investment Fund ($34,000) and by the state government arts initiative Creative Victoria Virtual Creative Professionals in Schools Program ($35,000). This work is featured in several publications published internationally. Reviewers noted the project's 'outstanding contribution' to mobile learning practice and innovation, and a strong project that 'leverages the unique affordances of mobile geolocation'.

背景：本研究探索如何以更广泛且目前尚缺乏深入认知的方式，利用交互式设备开展能力建设。我们开发了一款数字化（徒步路线）手机应用程序，旨在探究通过融合物理与数字环境，如何让各类场所重焕生机。Willox等人（2012）研究了“社区创作媒介”具备展现人们真实生活体验的路径与价值。Burgess（2006）探讨了文化资源如何以新颖方式进行重组，并将其称为“本土创意创作(vernacular creativity)”。本研究基于上述研究成果，旨在记录一套方法学流程，通过应用数字创新手段，重新构想“场所”的文化解读模式。贡献：此类数字创新催生了新的研究议题：我们应如何利用新兴技术的潜力，打造契合弱势群体诉求与发展议程的可行未来。本研究强调协同创作思路，为探索社区创作媒介如何可持续地收集、保存并呈现文化遗产资源提供了可行的研究路径。意义：《精灵宝可梦Go(Pokémon Go)》等大众市场应用程序证明，技术具备跨越数字、物理与社会领域的潜力。本研究在类似的应用场景下开展，项目名为“文化生态(Cultural Ecologies)”，旨在通过增强现实(Augmented Reality, AR)等数字创新手段，重新定义并重构公众与热门场所的互动模式。本研究获皇家墨尔本理工大学(RMIT University)教务长学习与教学投资基金（34,000澳元）以及维多利亚州政府艺术项目“校园虚拟创意专业人才计划(Creative Victoria Virtual Creative Professionals in Schools Program)”资助。该研究成果已发表于多篇国际学术期刊。评审专家指出，本项目对移动学习实践与创新做出了“杰出贡献”，是一项充分利用移动地理定位独特技术优势的优质项目。