Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Virtual Tourism: Identifying The Factors That Affect A Tourist's Experience And Behavioral Intentions In A 3d Virtual World, Yu-Chih Huang

All Dissertations

Given the increase in the use of technologies within the tourism industry, particularly the rising interest in virtual worlds such as Second Life, the purpose of this study is to identify the factors related to the 3D virtual tourism experience and behavioral intentions after visiting a virtual tourism destination. Two theories, the Technology Acceptance Model and Self-Determination Theory, were used to guide this study, both of which were found to be useful frameworks. Basecamp Maasai Mara in Second Life was selected as the research site, designed and developed through a collaborative effort at Clemson University. The results revealed that technological …

Exploring The Effectiveness Of Environmentally Sustainable Practices In Municipal Government: A Case Study Of The City Of Knoxville’S Department Of Parks And Recreation, Anthony Michael Brown

Masters Theses

Sustainability practices produce programs and services that meet current needs while preserving the environment and natural resources for the future. City parks and recreation departments are facing budget shortfalls and increasing expectations from customers. Governments are now embracing sustainability practices to create financial savings while also fostering relations with customers.

The purpose of this single case study was twofold: (1) to examine the effectiveness of one city department’s strategies in outsourcing its environmental sustainability program through a performance contract with Ameresco; and (2) to examine the perceptions of key department employees about the effectiveness of the sustainability initiative. A …

An Integrated Approach To Assessing The Resilience And Sustainability Of Community Based Tourism Development In The Commonwealth Of Dominica, Patrick Holladay

All Dissertations

Despite millions of dollars invested in developing community-based tourism to diversify economies, reduce poverty and improve quality of life in the Caribbean, little is known about what conditions lead to resilience and sustainability of tourism dependent communities. Sustainability from a resilience theory perspective is the likelihood an existing system of resource use will persist indefinitely without a decline in the resource base or social welfare. Undertaking activities to enhance resilience and sustainability improves a systems' ability to persevere, adapt, and learn to meet challenges caused by unanticipated events such as stock market collapse, political upheaval, or natural disaster. This study …

Characteristics And Professional Qualifications Of Ncaa Divisions Ii And Iii Athletic Directors, Kaleb Russell Center

Masters Theses

Athletic directors (ADs) in institutions of higher education are the chief administrators of their respective athletic departments. The purpose of this study is to describe the current demographic, educational, and professional characteristics of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II and III ADs. Forty-five Division II ADs and 105 Division III ADs responded to a survey of 725 institutions, returning response rates of 15.5% and 24.1% respectively. Findings for social and educational demographics mirror those of previous studies. Subjects in both divisions studied athletic administration in post-graduate work, but studies in education were also common. Experiences in coaching and athletic …

Not Yet A Woman, Not Yet A Mom: The Leisure Experiences Of Pregnant Adolescents, Brianna Clark

All Dissertations

Pregnant adolescents are a unique group, they are not yet women, and not yet mothers. Adolescent pregnancy continues to be a social issue that has been given much attention; however, little research exists concerning the leisure of pregnant adolescents. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine pregnant adolescents' leisure experiences from their own standpoints. Standpoint theory, leisure constraints theory and ecological systems theory were used to frame the study. This phenomenological study gained an in-depth understanding of the leisure of nine pregnant teens enrolled in a school for pregnant and parenting teens located in a small city in …

Effectiveness Of A Leisure Education Program On Volunteer Attitudes, Intentions, And Knowledge By Postsecondary Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Mattie Playne

All Theses

Research supports numerous benefits of volunteering, yet individuals with intellectual disabilities do not participate in volunteering as frequently as people without intellectual disabilities. According to the Leisure Ability Model, leisure education can be an effective way to promote recreation participation through volunteering. The purpose of this study is to examine effectiveness of a leisure education program designed to support independent volunteer participation by students enrolled in a university LIFE program. The future intentions of participation in volunteer activities and attitudes towards volunteer participation of four university LIFE students were examined before, during, and after the leisure education program using single …

The Role And Influence Of Leisure Activities And Companions During A Study Abroad Experience, Cindy Hartman

All Theses

In an attempt to create rigorous study abroad programs, international educators frequently debate the design of study abroad programs. Design elements include intercultural contact, level of immersion and the balance of structured and unstructured activities (Sutton, Miller, & Rubin, 2007). International education researchers have found that unstructured free time, or leisure, during study abroad programming gives students opportunities to connect with the host culture and leads to attitude changes in how students feel about themselves as well as how they perceive the host country and its citizens (McCabe, 1994; Meyer-Lee & Warfield, 2006; Nyaupane, Teye & Paris, 2008). However, no …

Assessing The Park Visitor Behavior At Los Osos Skate Park, Kristen Mcclay

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

Skateboarding began in California over 50 years ago and has grown internationally. The purpose of this study was to assess the behavior of park visitors at Los Osos Skate Park. This park was fully supervised and this study can serve as a tool for park management. The researcher observed the skate park during operating hours throughout April 2011. The subjects of this study were park visitors actively skateboarding, or passively watching. The dominant demographic for skateboarders were adolescent males. This study found peak times were weekdays afterschool, adult park visitors display the most positive behavior, and middle school park visitors …

A Formative Experiment For The Development Of Intercultural Competence In Students Engaged In Undergraduate Travel And Tourism Studies, Cinzia Mancini-Cross

All Dissertations

Globalization is reaching impacts never thought of before and intercultural competence, once the prerogative of restricted circles, has become a necessary attribute for all of those who intend to be successful in the world of enterprise including the travel and tourism sector. Yet, travel and tourism academic institutions face systemic shortcomings in offering intercultural education and training for their students. This research examined how an educational approach called a Formative Experiment (Reinking & Bradley, 2008) helped undergraduate college students develop intercultural competence. The purpose of the Formative Experiment was to design and evaluate an instructional intervention aimed at facilitating the …

Overnight Park Visitor Constraints To Participation And Interests Potentially Served In Interpretive Programs, Jessica Goodrich

All Theses

Interpretive programs are offered by parks and public lands to inspire the visitors to further appreciate the heritage resources presented and protected within parks. These programs and services add an additional dimension to park visits, may increase enjoyment, provide visitors with a richer understanding of heritage resources, create opportunities to influence visitor behaviors in ways helpful to managers, and possibly provide motivations for visitors to extend their stay. Any potential desired outcome resulting from the strategic use of interpretative programs requires participants, and the broader the audience, the wider the influence. Consequently, a study of the variety of reasons that …

An Assessment Of The Changes In Ymca Basketball Coaches’ Behaviors And Attitudes Towards Youth Development Principles Associated With Youth Sports, Stephany L. Ganeles

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

Youth sport administrators and coaches strive to create a positive atmosphere to help young athletes develop as individuals. Yet, many youth sport organizations are challenged with few resources or expertise in developing training models for coaches. The YMCA of San Luis Obispo is a progressive organization committed to developing an effective training model for coaches. The purpose of this study was to assess the changes in YMCA basketball coaches’ behaviors and attitudes towards youth development principles associated with youth sports. This study was conducted through follow-up surveys with YMCA youth basketball coaches. Through the follow-up surveys it was found that …

An Examination Of Social Media Technology And Its Impact On The Pursuit And Allocation Of Personal Leisure Time, Kelsey A. O'Lea

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

The emergence of Internet has created a seemingly endless portal for leisure activity and participation; since the establishment of social media technology, leisure time spent online has been on the rise. The purpose of this study was to examine how social media technology has impacted the way people allocate and pursue their personal leisure time. This researcher of this study distributed an online questionnaire to current undergraduate students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo through convenience sampling methods. The questionnaire was comprised of three sections: SNS usage, smart phone usage, and the impact of that usage on specific areas of …

The Prevalence Of Evidence-Based Practice By The Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist In The Intervention Planning Process For Client Treatment, Linda Mrkic

Online Theses and Dissertations

Currently, there is a paucity of research examining the extent to which Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is being used by the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of EBP used by the CTRS in the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) southern district of the United States. This observational study investigated the use of EBP in the intervention planning process for client treatment. A sample of five hundred randomly selected CTRS from the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) were surveyed, and 102 completed the survey, yielding a 20.4% response rate. …

Public Dollar Private Owners; Tax Subsidies For New Stadiums In Professional Sports, Grant J. Bunnage

CMC Senior Theses

The growing popularity of North American professional sports over the last twenty years directly coincides with the recent trend of urban communities using tax dollars to publically subsidize professional football, baseball, and basketball stadiums. Communities across North America invest substantial amount of public tax dollars in private facilities in light of a consensus among policy analysts that the economic impact of the new stadium is greatly exaggerated. The economic impact of new stadiums has been extensively researched, the focus of this paper rather, is to examine the impact publically subsidized facilities built in the last twenty years have on the …

A Narrative Inquiry Into The Learning Experiences Of Deaf Individuals In Tennis, Robbie Jane. Carmichael

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Deaf individuals do not have equal access to participating in sports as their hearing counterparts in the United States. Tennis is one sport to which this lack of access applies. The purpose of this qualitative, narrative research study was to add to the research literature by illuminating the learning experiences of Deaf individuals in tennis in the United States. This study was built on a tripartite conceptual framework consisting of motivation, interaction, and the flow experience. The study explored how tennis influenced other aspects in the lives of Deaf individuals. These other aspects included exposure to the game, learning opportunities, …