Manta Naturalist Course

The Kona Coast on the island of Hawaii is a world-class destination for those who seek ocean adventures. One activity that sets Kona apart from other worldwide tourist destinations is the opportunity to observe manta rays in the wild. Manta tour guides act as authorities about manta rays while conducting tours, however, there is no official course for these guides. To fill this need, the Manta Naturalist Course for Manta Tour Guides and Operators was developed and delivered in February 2015.

The purpose of this instructional design project was to develop and evaluate the first module in this naturalist course for manta tour guides offered through Hawaii Community College, Office of Continuing Education and Training in Kona, Hawaii. The course includes two face-to-face classroom sessions along with an online component. The course content can be found at http://laro18.wix.com/mantanaturalist and the learning management system is Laulima at https://laulima.hawaii.edu/portal. The Dick and Carey Model offered the framework for instructional design and Keller’s ARCS Model (Attention, Relevancy, Confidence, Satisfaction) was employed throughout the development. Using Web 2.0 tools, this presenter combined original content with an emphasis on underwater video of manta rays with meaningful online connections in a curated collection. Special emphasis on visual design was placed on the course web site. Design choices based on theory were compared with practical application. Based on feedback, modifications were made. Lessons learned and recommendations for future courses will be highlighted.