Ocean Literacy at Hanauma Bay: A Mural of Discovery

Abstract

Hanauma Bay is a marine life conservation district. It is designed to protect and manage marine life and ecosystems through stewardship and education. Humans pose a direct threat to marine environments like Hanauma Bay. Visitors to Hanauma Bay often are unaware of how important the environment is to their own lives and well-being. To address this issue, this project was designed and evaluated to educate visitors to Hanauma Bay about ocean literacy. The project’s instruction was centered on an interactive tool designed to engage visitors and alter their attitudes and behaviors when interacting with the ocean. To evaluate the project’s strengths and weaknesses, usability testing and a learning assessment were conducted with the help of participants (n = 29). Participants in the usability study critiqued the design of the tool, as well as its ease of use. The learning assessment participants were given pre- and post-tests to gauge their understanding of the project and their willingness to change their behaviors after engaging with the instruction. The results of the learning assessment showed a positive change in attitude for most participants. The results suggest that even brief interactive experiences might spark people’s curiosity about the world around them. While the tool itself worked well and increased participants’ interest, some aspects of the instructional design needed improvement.