Country Walks: A multimedia and cloud computing approach to navigating short country walks

Abstract

This research involved the production of a sample website which demonstrates that an open source Content Management System (CMS) can be developed in order to bring together a number of different cloud computing resources such as global positioning data, mapped routes, images, videos and podcasts. The second empirical phase of the study consists of quantitative data and qualitative interviews taken from a self-selected sample group of users who made selections from the resources of the sample website in order to navigate a sample short circular country walk. Quantitative evidence supports the conclusion that the availability of these resources may be used to enhance the successful navigation of a short country walk by increasing participants’ sense of confidence about successfully completing a walk using one or more of these resources. The research found that there are a number of factors which influence users’ choices of resources which are used for enhancing confidence in navigating a short circular country walk. These may be divided into two categories, personal characteristics (pertaining to the character and knowledge of the walker) and external factors such as the quality of the mobile device used in terms of screen size and readability.