Copyright (c) 2013 California Polytechnic State University All rights reserved. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac Recent documents in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration en-us Wed, 01 May 2013 13:16:11 PDT 3600 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/29 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/29 Thu, 07 Jun 2012 08:41:53 PDT P. Brian Greenwood et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/28 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/28 Thu, 31 May 2012 14:52:10 PDT Approximately half (54%) of all American youth between the ages of 6 -17 play in at least one organized sport (SGMA: Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, 2004). By adulthood; however, only 15.4% of American adults report that they participate in the same organized sport (SGMA, 2004). While this deficit can be explained by an expansion of alternate activities available to adults or a lack of continued opportunities, there is evidence that adult participation in sports and other leisure activities is significantly influenced by the repertoire of activities they participated in as children (Scott & Willits, 1989; 1998). Sport managers wound benefit from a more thorough understanding of the reasons for initial involvement and the intentions to continue participation in guiding future retention efforts.

]]> Jonathan Casper et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/27 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/27 Thu, 31 May 2012 14:52:07 PDT The image of a University of Miami football player wielding his helmet as a weapon during a brawl with cross-town rival Florida International University was broadcast repeatedly across the national television airwaves in the fall of 2006. This most recent brawl during a collegiate football contest has again fueled the debate: does sport build or reveal character? Sport advocates, former athletes, and coaches unabashedly promote the benefits of sport. Yet, scholars and empirical research have consistently backed the notion that sport may just as well contribute in a potentially damaging manner to the development of children and adolescents if not taught, organized, managed, and led properly (e.g., Beller & Stoll, 1995; Ewing, Gano-Overway, Branta, and Seefeldt, 2002; Petitpas, Cornelius, Van Raalte, & Jones, 2005). Beller and Stoll went a step further in concluding, "As such, competitive athletics as it is taught and morally modeled in this country does not appear to cognitively develop young people" (p. 361).

]]> P. Brian Greenwood et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/26 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/26 Thu, 31 May 2012 14:52:04 PDT Many questions plague graduate students as they begin the transition from doctoral student to faculty member. While current mentors (e.g., advisors and faculty members) and future colleagues are integral to the process, it is also the responsibility of the preceding wave of recent graduates to act as informal guides, assisting students through the transition in an unbiased manner. Areas of particular interest to the soon-to-be professorate include: (a) preparing for the job search and faculty interview, (b) navigating the final stages of the dissertation process, and (c) the transition from student to professor. In addition to these key factors, the individual's integration into a new (a) location, (b) program/department, and (c) institution - including new ideas, ideals, and philosophies - are a vital part of an individual's metamorphosis (Marino & Yost, 1998). While the former tends to be addressed through various internal channels, the latter is often overlooked until the individual joins his or her respective faculty. As such, a panel of junior faculty members with diverse backgrounds and current appointments at various 'types' of academic institutions has been assembled to share their experiences and assist (i.e., mentor) doctoral students along this journey.

]]> Jessica Braunstein et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/25 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/25 Thu, 31 May 2012 14:52:00 PDT "I am a member of the Net Generation.And as my peers and I continue to flood the gates of the nation's colleges and universities, we remain a puzzle to many of the faculty and administrators who try to teach us. They either try too hard to transform education into the virtual language we understand or try too little to accommodate for the differences between the generations" (Windham, 2007, p. 44).

]]> P. Brian Greenwood et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/24 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/24 Thu, 31 May 2012 14:51:56 PDT The economic recession that gripped the United States in 2008 and 2009 has affected countless industries and businesses, yet one affected area is not as visible as others but could have a lasting impact. Youth sports have been hit hard by cuts in funding to public schools and community organizations. Although sport in general plays a vital role in our culture, the role of youth sports in developing individuals and benefiting society is often understated and misunderstood. For every professional athlete who garners media attention due to selfishness or criminal activity, there are countless youth from inner cities and rural enclaves who benefit from the values that well run sport programs offer. In October 2009, an international team of people led by the organization Up2Us delivered that message to the White House.

]]> P. Brian Greenwood et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/23 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/23 Thu, 31 May 2012 14:51:53 PDT Technology is evolving at a rapid pace and the traditional modes of course delivery in higher education are increasingly being examined and supplemented or replaced by online or e-learning strategies, platforms, and methods. Research has indicated that today’s multi-tasking college student desires flexibility both in scheduling and the delivery of course material. Based on these suppositions, online courses with enhanced technological components would be ideal for the “net” generation of students. The researchers augmented an existing online course for upper-level undergraduates with ipod Touches and a Facebook group page. The purpose of the study was to examine student use of a new technology for course delivery and to assess students’ perceptions of that technology and the online course delivery format in general. Although use of the ipod Touch was initially viewed positively due to the flexibility afforded to students, use of this mobile device waned during the semester, but the itunes U interface for lectures and Blackboard platform for course material continued to be viewed positively by students. Preliminary findings from the mid-semester focus group interviews and weekly blog entries supported the contention of a changing educational environment with students who perceive technological enhancements in a positive light due to the flexibility afforded to their busy multi-tasking lives. However, use of mobile devices such as the ipod Touch for academic use varied widely by student.

]]> Michael A. Kanters et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/22 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/22 Thu, 31 May 2012 14:51:50 PDT Team identification, the degree to which an individual feels psychologically linked to a team, has been a focal point in studies of sport fans and sport spectatorship (e.g. Fink et al., 2002; Jones, 1997; Wann & Branscombe, 1993; Wann & Dolan, 1994; Wann & Schrader, 1997). Although the development of team identification has been examined extensively in established sport markets, the purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between sport fan team identification and motivations for initially becoming a fan of a new mid-level professional sport in a new market. A convenience sample of spectators (N=351) at an American Arena Football League (AFL) game completed a survey designed to identify and measure this relationship. A simultaneous multiple regression analysis revealed significant and positive predictive value for team identification from the following reasons for becoming a fan: parents and/or family (β=.125, p< .05), born and/or live in area (β=.210, p<.001), players and/or coaches (β=.411, p=.001), and tailgating and party atmosphere (β=.123, p

]]> P. Brian Greenwood et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/21 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/21 Thu, 31 May 2012 14:51:45 PDT Youth have been a focus of recreation and leisure programmers for over a century. During that time, assumptions have been made about the value of recreation for young people. More recently, a resurgence of interest has occurred related to positive youth development. The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of an integrative review done to examine research conducted with youth as a focal point in four prominent U.S. based recreation journals over the past 21 years (1985-2005). We sought to discern thematic patterns in topical areas and to review the approaches and methods used. Systematic content and thematic analyses of the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, Therapeutic Recreation Journal, Leisure Sciences, and the Journal of Leisure Research were used. Findings showed that the research done about youth related to some aspect of recreation or leisure in the past ten years eclipsed what was done from 1985-1996. A variety of research methods were used with an equitable distribution of survey, literature reviews, experimental designs, and qualitative methods. The youth examined were primarily mixed gender groups, but boys were twice as likely to be studied as girls when single sex studies were undertaken. Most of the research was done with adolescent (ages 10-18 years) youth. Almost no research has been done in the recreation field related to early childhood (ages 1-4 years). The 11 major themes or topics that were studied in the past 21 years included: youth culture and leisure; leisure programming, treatment, and intervention; research, measurement, and evaluation; demographic factors; management, administration, and policy of youth programs; benefits of leisure for youth; youth and family leisure; recreation settings and leisure spaces; risk behaviors and delinquency; human development and developmental issues; and social behavior. In the integrative review, the focus on benefits and accountability relative to youth programs was obvious. The parallels between social change and youth development were also evident in the review. Recommendations for future research include more evidence-based work that links the program or intervention directly to youth development outcomes, as well as a focus on emerging topics such as physical inactivity and obesity in children, the influence of television and technology in general, youth sport, and the relationships youth have with nature and the outdoors.

]]> Jason Bocarro et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/20 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/20 Thu, 31 May 2012 14:51:34 PDT Competitive and aggressive sports provide recreational sport contexts for youth and adolescents across the globe. One of the most popular recreational sports worldwide is martial arts, a sport characterized as aggressive yet backed in the traditional form of the sport by a principled philosophy. The researchers engaged in naturalistic inquiry through full participant observation in a traditional martial arts club. The purpose of the research was to closely examine the teaching of traditional martial arts to determine whether lessons could be derived for competitive and aggressive sports like American football. Philosophical and psychological themes emerged from the research, including a counterbalanced ethic of nonviolence and restraint and achievement orientations reflective of the researchers’ sport backgrounds, respectively.

]]> P. Brian Greenwood et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/19 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/19 Thu, 31 May 2012 14:51:30 PDT The expansion of online education has led to concurrent growth in emerging technologies being implemented in an attempt to enhance the learning environment for today’s students. A qualitative approach was utilized through blog entries and a focus group to explore student use and perceptions of integrated technology in iPods and podcasting through iTunesU. The findings provide insight into the Net generation of students and their interaction with technological tools employed in online or distance education courses.

]]> Michael A. Kanters et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/18 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/18 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:45:18 PDT Jeff Jacobs et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/17 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/17 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:45:15 PDT This experiential workshop utilized various portable ropes course initiatives that could be used in either the backcountry or classroom environments. Participants learned how a challenge course class researched and built various portable ropes course elements for one of their projects. This session included brainstorming and active participation.

]]> Marni Goldenberg http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/16 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/16 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:45:12 PDT This workshop examined the WEA Newsletter, formerly the Legend, and recently changed to the Journal of the Wilderness Education Association. During the interactive workshop, participants examined past Legends and set standards and criteria for this new electronic journal.

]]> Marni Goldenberg http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/15 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/15 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:45:10 PDT The use of movies provides educators with a valuable tool for presenting information as learners are able to benefit from the powerful images being presented before them. The purpose of this study was to identify the value of the use of movies as a teaching tool. This was an exploratory study aimed at identifying characteristics of movie use as an educational device in recreation, parks, and tourism classes. In this study, respondents (n = 67) indicated that the use of movies in the classroom was supported, and the findings of this study suggest that most instructors provided advance preparation activities and reflection activities on the use of movies, and their relationship to the curricular topics. Additionally, future considerations regarding using movies as a teaching tool and the educational value associated with purposeful inclusion of movies into curricular efforts are identified.

]]> Marni Goldenberg et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/14 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/14 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:45:07 PDT The Appalachian Trail (AT) is a 2,175 mile–long National Scenic Trail extending from Maine to Georgia. Since its inception in the early 1920s, individuals, families, schools, and other organizations, just to name a few, have used the AT. Approximately 3 to 4 million visitors hike a portion of the AT each year (ATC, 2006). Throughout its 80year history and millions of hikers, much of the empirical research on the AT has focused on place attachment (Kyle, Graefe, & Manning, 2004; Kyle, Graefe, Manning, & Bacon, 2003). While Nisbett and Hinton (2005) explored motivations for AT hikers with disabilities, only limited research could be found on understanding motives among other AT users. In addition, researchers have indicated a need to further examine “types” of hikers (i.e., day, weekender, section, and thru) of the AT (Kyle et al., 2004). To better understand the AT hiker, the means-end theoretical framework was used.

]]> Marni Goldenberg et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/13 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/13 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:03:06 PST Marni Goldenberg et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/12 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/12 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:03:02 PST Marni Goldenberg et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/11 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/11 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:02:57 PST Marni Goldenberg et al. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/10 http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/rpta_fac/10 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:02:49 PST Means-end theory provides a useful approach for characterizing the relationship among the attributes or components of an experiential education course (the "means"), the benefits, or the outcomes associated with these attributes/course components, and the personal values (the "ends") these outcomes help to reinforce for course participants. The purpose of this article is to show how this "means-end" perspective can enhance our understanding of the outcomes associated with outdoor adventure programming. A self-administered questionnaire designed to identify the linkages among program attributes (i.e., course components), course outcomes, and personal values was administered to a sample of 216 Outward Bound course participants. Analysis of the data provided useful insights into the outcomes associated with Outward Bound course experiences and with specific course components. The results can assist experiential educators in linking outdoor adventure course outcomes to course components, and in marketing course programs to potential clients.

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