Family Experiences with Learning Opportunities

Analysing family experiences with the learning opportunities provided at the three attractions, it was found that families referred to these offers as either development opportunities for their children or knowledge based education. On average, 74 percent of respondents were satisfied with the learning opportunities at the attraction visited and thought that they were adequate for their families by encouraging basic and/or advanced learning. By contrast, 26 percent indicated that they did not recognise any learning opportunities or were not satisfied, because learning opportunities were perceived as unsuitable for young children. It was also examined that the outcome of learning was dependent on the age of children on the one hand and the commitment of adults on the other hand.

Some families, especially those with pre-school children, referred to the learning opportunities offered at the attractions as personal development for children rather than education. Comments were made about generating common understanding and improving their children‟s abilities:

“We brought our kids here so that they can see wild animals for the first time. We wanted them to understand what these animals are like.” (Oamaru father of two pre-school girls (2&3), Orana)

“It is good for the kids to learn how to be around animals, walk to them and be respectful and not to be afraid of them.” (Christchurch grandmother of two boys (1&2) and one girl (4), Willowbank)

“This is better than in any classroom or watching something on TV about the Antarctic, because kids can actually feel and touch all the stuff like the storm and the snow.” (Waipara father of two boys (3&7), Antarctic Attraction)

Statements relating to the personal development of young children at the attractions were most frequently made by Willowbank families. This is not surprising since children at pre-school age were most often found at Willowbank compared to Orana and the Antarctic Attraction (see section 5.2.2). From watching families at the visitor attractions, these comments can be

95 verified. Especially at Willowbank, small children were often observed wandering around experimenting with how to touch and feed the animals and actually making quick progress in the right interaction with animals.

Learning at visitor attractions also encompassed the opportunity used by adults to guide the children by instilling values, traditions, and skills (generativity). They taught their children (through role modelling or role taking) about healthy lifestyles, ethics, deportment, and moral values:

“I take the boys here so they get out of the house and get some fresh air and exercise. I want them to get used to being in nature, because that‟s good for them.” (Christchurch mother of three boys (1, 2&4), Willowbank)

“I used to come here with my parents when I was a kid and I always enjoyed it as far as I remember. So I wanted to bring my kids too and allow them to have a good time.” (Hanmer Springs father of two twin girls (5), Orana)

Generativity must be understood as a two-way process: an exchange between the generations. Visits also provided opportunities for parents to learn about their children:

“It was great watching my youngest one feed the giraffe. Interesting to see her match her understanding of giraffes with being close to one in real life. I could see her adjusting her concepts of giraffes.” (Christchurch father of one girl (6) and one boy (8), Orana)

Experiences with knowledge-based education opportunities at the attractions were usually commented on by families with school children approximately six years or older, who were more patient and able to understand information about exhibits at the visitor attraction. Knowledge-based education refers to listening, reading, and understanding movies, talks, and information boards supplied by the attractions. Although mentioned by several respondents at all three attractions, especially adult family members at the Antarctic Attraction enjoyed the educational opportunities provided by the attraction:

“This attraction offers an excellent educational insight into Antarctica. It shows you stuff that you normally don‟t learn and it opens eyes to an environment completely different from ours.” (Christchurch uncle of one girl (13), Antarctic Attraction)

In analysis of the data it emerged that adults showed different levels of involvement in the learning opportunities for their children, which may be related to the importance ascribed to education as a motive for the visit. A Coromandel mother of two girls (4&8) at Orana explained that the amount of information her children received was dependent on the

96 involvement of adult family members who talked to them about the exhibits and conveyed information adequate for their ages:

“Information signs contain the main facts and not too much information so that also children may read them or you can read the information to kids in which case it is up to you how much information the children receive.”

Several adults were observed at the attractions reading information about the animals posted on signs to children trying to make it sound as interesting as possible.

For some adults at Orana and the Antarctic Attraction who expected children to learn, learning was a purposive element of the visit:

“We brought our children here today in order to show them the little penguins. They live close to our home, but we never see them. We wanted the kids to learn a little bit about these animals, they‟re our neighbours.” (Timaru father of two girls (5&13) and one boy (8), Antarctic Attraction)

Such comments were only made by respondents who were also motivated to educate their children at the attractions. The intentions largely remained unrecognised by the children, because they were preoccupied with having fun. Basic learning as well as knowledge-based education often happened in tandem with fun and entertainment, which made it a pleasurable experience for children and adults:

“After the girls had the donkey ride, they were quite amazed what a donkey is actually like and that you can ride on it. They didn‟t know before, because they have never seen one in real life. The kids actually learnt something, but didn‟t even recognise it because it was fun for them.” (Wellington father of two girls (4&5), Willowbank)

“I most enjoyed learning about life in the Antarctic. It wasn‟t boring at all, because we were doing something all the time: clicking through pictures on the computer, ‟riding‟ the snow mobile, watching the movie, and a lot of other stuff.” (Taupo father of three boys (6,7&10) and one girl (12), Antarctic Attraction)

“I enjoyed the feedings very much, because it was informative and entertaining at the same time.” (Christchurch mother of two girls (3&7), Orana)

Presentations held by keepers at Orana, Willowbank, and the Antarctic Attraction were thought of as especially family friendly, because they provided the opportunity for young and old family members likewise to develop their knowledge in an interesting and entertaining way:

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“The keeper presentations were wonderful. We learned a lot about the animals and how to protect their species, but the information was also conveyed in an interesting and exciting way like seeing the tigers jump to get their meat.” (Greymouth father of one girl (9), Orana)

It can be deduced that children as well as adults enjoyed entertaining education, which may be summarised as “edutainment”.

Apart from families who experienced learning and education at the attractions, families, especially at the Antarctic Attraction, found that some of the learning opportunities were unsuitable for some children. Adults pointed out that children preferred interactive learning, which they felt was not sufficiently provided:

“They need more age appropriate signage and interactive stuff for little ones.” (Christchurch father of two pre-schoolers (3&5), Antarctic Attraction)

“There could be better interpretative information for the kids. The learning opportunities are not really appropriate for young kids.” (Christchurch mother of one girl (6) and one boy (7), Antarctic Attraction)

A few families from all three attractions also stated that the visit did not have any educational values either for adults or children. According to comments made by respondents, experiencing no learning or education was due to impatient children or a focus on entertainment and fun during the visit:

“Our grandson is too eager to do attraction things, so he didn‟t want to read and listen to information and I had to run after him so I couldn‟t read them either.” (Christchurch grandmother of one boy (6), Antarctic Attraction)

“We actually haven‟t thought about any learning opportunities so I would say no, we didn‟t learn something. We just had great fun and enjoyed the day.” (Christchurch mother of two girls (6&7), Orana)

It can be concluded that most families experienced the learning opportunities provided by the attractions as procurement of knowledge and/or as personal development of the children by generating general understanding, improving the abilities of children and guiding them. The amount of information that children received was often dependent on the involvement of adults to educate the children.

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