The unit Ecotourism and Interpretation is a second year unit that examines the importance of interpretation when managing natural areas for both recreation and ecotourism. The unit highlights the importance of interpretation as a key tool used to promote understanding and hence, protection of natural areas. The assessment for this unit consists of four individual assignments with each assignment sequentially adding a specific knowledge and skill set needed to complete the final major project. A personal diary in which students account for every moment of their time for a fortnight encourages them to think about their lifestyles - how much money, time and resources they put into each activity. The second assessment is one on interpretation in which students explore the various ways that views, opinions and situations can be interpreted by different people. A short, provocative American text from 1957 is used as a catalyst for discussion and interpretation. The third assignment, which is a study of an existing ecotourism company, applies both the principles of interpretation and the understanding of lifestyle gained in the first two assignments in order to establish the successfulness of the chosen company. And all of these skills are then used by each student to develop his/ her own ecotourism proposal.
This sequential development of assessment allows students to gain a rich understanding of how to tackle a big project and the steps necessary to understand the issues involved from the bottom up.