Mini-analysis: National Park Service

Mini-Analysis of Distance Course

Topic: National Park Service (NPS)

Audience: The audience for this course is anyone who is interested in the National Park system or planning a vacation and would like to know what recreational options are offered by the site.

What types of questions were included in the survey?
I used SurveyMonkey to create a short survey to query friends and family about their National Park knowledge and experiences. The survey questions focused on determining what the participants currently know about the NPS system, how often they visit and the types of activities they are most interested in when they do visit. Below is the list of questions included in the survey:

How much do you know about the National Park Service and the vacation possibilities it offers?

• Which of the following sites are part of the National Park Service? (This was followed by a list of different types of NPS sites.)
• How many times have you visited a National Park site in the past 3 years? If you have visited the same location more than once, count each visit separately.
• How long do you usually stay when you visit a National Park site? If you have not yet visited a National Park site, how long do you estimate you would stay?
• If you were to visit a National Park site in which activities would you be most likely to participate? (This was followed by list of activities. The participants were allowed to enter their own suggestions in a text box connected to the Other response.)
• Do you have any plans to visit a National Park site in the next 3 years?
• If yes, which site(s) do you think you will visit?

How many people took the survey?
A total of nine people took the National Park Experience survey. They represented four different states, (NM, SD, TN and TX), all of which offer several National Park sites.

I initially contacted six people by email to request they take the survey and asked them to forward the survey link to additional friends and family that might be interested. I will keep the survey, http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=1D9hzJWyTgrDYs6jPhMY4g_3d_3d, open in case there are additional respondents. Please feel free to also take the survey if you are interested in the NPS. Any additional information collected can still be incorporated in the final product.

What did the mini-analysis reveal?
The survey analysis revealed that many people do not know how expansive is the NPS system. When asked to self-evaluate their knowledge of the National Park Service system, the participants were almost equally split. Five (56%) of the respondents felt they new a “fair amount” about the NPS, while four (44%) felt they only new a little about it. While 100% of the participants recognized that Parks were part of the NPS system, only five (56%) knew that Memorials and Historical Trails were included. One-third (three) of the respondents, did not know that Monuments and Seashores were also parted of the system.

The average visit to the a NPS location lasts between four to eight hours for the respondents, but the activities they are interested in varies quite a bit. The most popular activities, selected by 78% (seven) of the participants, were walking tours and viewing exhibits/displays. Photography and audio tours were also popular activities for six (67%) of the group. Two additional activities of driving tours and gift shops were suggested for the Other category.

The number of recent visits to a NPS site during the last three years varied a great deal between the participants. One-third (three) had made three to four visits, another three (33%) had not made any visits, two (22%) respondents had made one to two visits. One person (11%) had made five to six visits during the same time frame.

However, five (56%) of the respondents do plan to visit a NPS site in the next three years. Two (22%) people plan to visit the Smokey Mountains National Park, while Crater Lake, Yosemite, and Mount Rushmore can each expect a visit from one (11%) of the respondents.

How will the mini-analysis results influence the course design?
Based on the survey results, the course should include:

• Information on the different types of sites included in the National Park Service such as historic trails, memorials, and seashores.
• Information on the different types of activities offered at the sites with focus on what are common activities for most sites and where specialized activities are held.
• A “design your next visit” exercise should focus on a trip lasting four to eight hours.
• An exercise related to locating the NPS sites in your state or within driving distance.

Anne Gossett