An Analysis of How Interactive Technology Supports the Appreciation of Traditional Chinese Puppetry: A Review of Case Studies

From the perspective of safeguarding Chinese Cultural Heritage, this paper discusses how to enhance the appreciation of traditional Chinese puppetry through the support of interactive technology. The author analyses extensive, yet current case studies, based on the findings described in the interactive systems for puppetry performances and interactive technology for puppetry appreciation. The author summarises four aspects of how to enhance the appreciation of, and engagement with, traditional Chinese puppetry: (1) maintaining originality is necessary for the design phase; (2) it is crucial to explore how to use interactive technology in order to design a way for adults to appreciate this form of art; (3) it is also necessary to determine ways to support adult audiences in grasping the cultural significance and folk customs of traditional Chinese puppetry; and (4) the study’s further main research goals are to investigate ways to use emotional expressions, digital storytelling and other methods in conjunction with interactive technology to help multi-cultural users comprehend traditional Chinese puppetry

Locally focused and digitally oriented: examining eco-museums’ digitization in a service quality management perspective

Purpose: Eco-museums safeguard the cultural authenticity and the historical identity of the place in which they operate. Conventional organizational models and management practices are generally employed to achieve this institutional aim. Conversely, innovative solutions – such as digitization – are overlooked. Adopting a service quality management perspective, the article intends to examine the role of managerialization and professionalization in triggering eco-museums’ digitization. Methodology: An empirical analysis involving 126 eco-museums operating in Italy as of 2018 was designed to investigate the implications of managerialization and professionalization on the eco-museums’ propensity to embark on a digitization process. Two different forms of digitization were examined: 1) the presence of eco-museums in the digital environment; and 2) the exploitation of digital tools for service delivery. The mediating role of two “soft” Total Quality Management (TQM) practices, i.e. people centredness and strategic focus on visitors’ experience, was contemplated in the empirical analysis. Findings: The research findings suggest that managerialization and professionalization have ambiguous effects on eco-museums’ digitization. Nevertheless, they indirectly contribute to a greater digital presence of eco-museums and to a larger use of digital tools for service delivery through an increased use of soft TQM practices. Practical Implications: Managerialization and professionalization are likely to foster the digital transition of eco-museums, which advances their ability to protect and promote the local cultural heritage. Soft TQM practices intended to achieve people-centredness and to enhance the visitors’ experience should be exploited to stimulate the eco-museums’ digitization. Originality: The article examines the triggers of eco-museums’ digitization, providing some food for thought to scholars and practitioners

Supporting cultural heritage professionals adopting and shaping interactive technologies in museums

Increasingly, cultural heritage professionals (CHPs) (including curators, museum directors, and education officers) are becoming more involved in designing interactive technologies. Specifically, growing access to and availability of digital technology enables CHPs, who may have limited experience with interactive technologies, to create content for and integrate these technologies into their museums. With these developments, there is a growing importance in investigating how CHPs build understandings of these tools in context; this is particularly since curators aim to learn how those tools can support their audiences. In this paper, we highlight how CHPs formed understandings for integrating an interactive tool to support an intended visitor experience into the museum environment through experimentation. Inspired by lessons learned, we propose design recommendations for interaction designers and HCI experts in designing tools and resources that support CHPs to experiment with various ways these technologies could service their interpretation goals

O uso da tecnologia digital na valorização da herança cultural dos refugiados

A presente dissertação – tendo por base o uso das tecnologias digitais, como sejam as plataformas digitais, crowdsourcing, e, eventualmente, a realidade virtual e a realidade aumentada – tem em vista uma proposta concreta e inovadora às questões decorrentes dos fenómenos migratórios e comunidades refugiadas. Para o efeito, procuramos desenvolver um edifício conceptual que lhe sirva de base e direção, privilegiando três núcleos essenciais: as referidas tecnologias digitais, a herança cultural (e, mais especificamente, o Património Imaterial), e a comunidade refugiada (designadamente a Síria). Com igual objetivo, empreendemos um mapeamento de projetos existentes no mesmo universo temático e com objetivos similares.This dissertation - based on the use of digital technologies such as digital platforms, crowdsourcing, and eventually virtual reality and augmented reality - aims at a concrete and innovative proposal to the issues arising from migratory phenomena and refugee communities. To this end, we seek to develop a conceptual building that will serve as its basis and direction, focusing on three core areas: digital technologies, cultural heritage (and, more specifically, Intangible Heritage), and the refugee community (namely Syria). With the same objective, we undertake a mapping of existing projects in the same thematic universe and with similar objectives

Designing interactive technology for cross-cultural appreciation of intangible cultural heritage: Chinese traditional painting and puppetry

Ph. D. ThesisDigital heritage is becoming a significant component of cultural heritage, and cultural organisations are increasingly using interactive technologies to showcase and safeguard heritage assets. However, few studies focus on using interactive technology to enhance the appreciation of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) amongst cross-cultural audiences. This dissertation explores the design of interactive technologies to support the cultural appreciation, learning, and experience of Chinese ICH. In addition, the research seeks to explore the value of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) design strategies in supporting the appreciation of ICH. The research uses HCI design strategies to specifically explore how interactive technology might be effectively utilised in two case-study contexts, supporting traditional Chinese painting and traditional Chinese puppetry. To this end, in stage one of the research, a qualitative study involving interviews, workshops, and fieldwork for design was undertaken with potential cross-cultural audiences and both Chinese and international painting and puppetry practitioners. Based on the results of these studies, several suggestions were developed for safeguarding ICH across cultural boundaries. In the next stage of the research, two interactive applications were designed and deployed that supported cross-cultural audiences’ appreciation of traditional of ICH. One application explored Chinese painting, the other Chinese puppetry. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, studies were conducted that examined the efficacy of both applications and offered suggestions for a holistic approach to cross-cultural appreciation through the use of interactive applications. The analysis focuses on the use of element-based archiving to increase aesthetic appreciation, gestural/tangible interfaces for cultural engagement, and the use of interactive access to inspire self-expression and collaborative appreciation. Finally, this research relies on practical methods to deconstruct cultural elements from the HCI perspective and enhance the cross-cultural appreciation of Chinese ICH. It thus provides a framework for assisting non-Chinese people to better understand the cultural significance of Chinese ICH. The findings have design implications for both HCI researchers and digital heritage researchers