Leisure Studies Commons^™

Recognizing Campus Landscapes As Learning Spaces, Kathleen G. Scholl, Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi

Faculty Publications

American higher education institutions face unique twenty-first century changes and challenges in providing good, holistic learning spaces for the diverse and evolving needs of today’s college student. Continued enrollment growth, societal and technological changes, financial challenges, and a need for increased universal and open access create ever more diverse, changing and complex US university systems. In 2009, 20.4 million students were enrolled in 2- or 4-year colleges and universities. By 2019, enrollments are expected to rise 9% for students under age 25, and rise 23% for students over the age of 25 (Snyder & Dillow, 2011). Questions of where, when, …

Development And Psychometric Evaluation Of Scales To Measure Professional Confidence In Manual Medicine: A Rasch Measurement Approach, Mark D. Hecimovich, Irene Styles, Simone E. Volet

Faculty Publications

Background: Health professionals in athletic training, chiropractic, osteopathy, and physiotherapy fields, require high-level knowledge and skills in their assessment and management of patients. This is important when communicating with patients and applying a range of manual procedures. Prior to embarking on professional practice, it is imperative to acquire optimal situation-specific levels of self-confidence for a beginner practitioner in these areas. In order to foster this professional self-confidence within the higher education context, it is necessary to have valid and reliable scales that can measure and track levels and how they change. This study reports on the development and psychometric analysis …

Simulated Learning In Musculoskeletal Assessment And Rehabilitation Education: Comparing The Effect Of A Simulation-Based Learning Activity With A Peer-Based Learning Activity, Mark Hecimovich, Simone Volet

Faculty Publications

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders and diseases are leading causes of pain, physical disability, and doctor visits throughout the world. Health professionals must be trained to assess, treat through rehabilitation and monitor patients with these disorders. Yet, due to overcrowded curricula, some health education programs struggle to accommodate more than minimal training in musculoskeletal conditions. Consequently, educators in these professions must consider how traditional instruction could be complemented effectively to enhance students’ preparation for the diverse musculoskeletal disorders and pathologies they may encounter. The purpose of this study was to explore the benefits that can be obtained from laboratory practice in musculoskeletal …

Surfing Injuries Requiring First Aid In New Zealand, 2007-2012, Kevin Moran, Jonathon Webber

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

In an island nation such as New Zealand with easy access to surf beaches, surfing activities are very popular and, while generally perceived as a healthy form of outdoor recreation, they do have attendant risks. This study reports on nondrowning, surfing-related incidents that required medical first aid on beaches during five summer seasons from 2007-2012. Retrospective descriptive analysis of data from lifeguard first aid reports found that 16% (n = 1,327) of injuries were the consequence of surfing activity. More males than females were treated for surfing injuries (68% male, 31% female). Lacerations (59%) and bruising (15%) accounted for most …

Organized Camp And Character Development 2013, Veronica Ripp

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between organized camp and character development. In particular, it looked to determine to what extent organized camp affected campers' character, including how much change in character campers' experienced in a week at camp, what aspects of character were most influenced, and what factors about camp had the most impact on campers' character. The study was multimodal in design, using the Values in Action Inventory for Youth (VIA-Youth) as a pre and posttest for quantitative analysis and camper interviews, staff interviews, and researcher observations for qualitative analysis. Seven completed VIA-Youth pre …

Too Much Puff, Not Enough Push? Surf Lifeguard Simulated Cpr Performance, Kevin Moran, Jonathon Webber

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The purpose of this paper is to report on the technical competency of volunteer surf lifeguards to perform CPR on a manikin in light of their lifeguard experience, age, and gender. The CPR skills of surf lifeguards on patrol at the beginning of the 2010-11 summer season were tested on manikins by observation of CPR procedures and electronic recording of compression and ventilation skills. Almost all lifeguards (n=252) made the appropriate initial checks for responsiveness (98%). Compression skills were generally performed accurately with few technical errors (such as incomplete release). Most lifeguards (87%) over-ventilated the lungs (> 600ml) on each …

Surf Lifeguard Perceptions And Practice Of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (Cpr), Kevin Moran, Jonathon Webber

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

While the importance of lifeguards in providing immediate and effective basic life support (BLS) in drowning has been well reported, not a lot is known about how lifeguards perceive the relative value of CPR as a lifeguard skill, their training in it, and the likelihood of resuscitation being successful. A self-complete questionnaire was completed by 252 volunteer surf lifeguards at 16 surf beaches in the Greater Auckland,NZ region. Results show that most lifeguards (65%) had received training in the 3 months before the survey, 83% were willing to perform CPR, few (9%) had used CPR in an emergency, and many …

Tracing The Evolution Of Chiropractic Students’ Confidence In Clinical And Patient Communication Skills During A Clinical Internship: A Multi-Methods Study, Mark Hecimovich, Simone Volet

Faculty Publications

Background: Anecdotal evidence points to variations in individual students’ evolving confidence in clinical and patient communication skills during a clinical internship. A better understanding of the specific aspects of internships that contribute to increasing or decreasing confidence is needed to best support students during the clinical component of their study.

Methods: A multi-method approach, combining two large-scale surveys with 269 students and three in-depth individual interviews with a sub-sample of 29 students, was used to investigate the evolution of change in student confidence during a 10-month long internship. Change in levels of confidence in patient communication and clinical skills was …

The Influence Of Teacher-Initiated Reminders On The Attainment Of Students' Aerobic Fitness Goals, Ross Chakrain, Jennifer J. Waldron

Faculty Publications

Goal setting in the physical education classroom can be a successful technique to enhance motivation, increase effort, and improve performance. A critical component of effective goal setting is providing feedback. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to examine the influence of teacher-initiated reminders of the goal on the attainment of self-set aerobic goals in physical education classes. This study was quasi-experimental in nature and used a nonrandomized pretest-posttest, control group design to carry out the procedures. Participants were from two fifth grade classes: one class was designated the experimental group (n = 15) and the other was the …

Motivations And Outcomes: A Benefits Based Study Of Hiking On The Appalachian Trail, Barbara Freidt

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) is a national resource that may be useful in addressing American society's current concern with increases of chronic illnesses and disabilities directly related to physical inactivity. The purpose of the current study was to examine the benefits and outcomes associated with hiking on the A.T. An internet-based survey was used to gather information from A.T. hikers. The data revealed that a relationship exists between attributes (ATTRIB), consequences (CONSEQ) and outcomes (OUTC), thus, supporting the means-end theory constructs. Internal and external validity analyses and reliability analyses showed the Benefits of Hiking Scale (BHS) to be an accurate …

The Instructor’S Role In Aquatic Education: Some Personal Observations, Leland Yarger, Steven P. Dalcher

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

No abstract provided.

International Perspective Of Aquatic Instructors’ Attitudes Toward Teaching Swimming To Children With Disabilities, Phillip Conatser

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The purpose of this study was to examine attitudes of aquatic instructors (N = 23) toward teaching swimming to children with mild and severe disabilities in an inclusive setting. Aquatic instructors from 23 cities in 7 countries participated in the study. Data were collected by mail survey using the Aquatic Instructors Attitudes Toward Teaching Swimming to Individuals With Disabilities questionnaire (Conatser, Block, & Lapore, 2000). A correlated t test showed that aquatic instructors were significantly more favorable toward teaching aquatics to children with mild disabilities than children with severe disabilities. Instructors agreed they should include children with mild disabilities and …

Motivations And Reasons For Exercising In Water: Gender And Age Differences In A Sample Of Spanish Exercisers, Juan Antonio Moreno Murcia, Celestina Martínez Galindo, Pablo Marcos Pardo

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The purposes of this study were, on the one hand, to relate the reasons for exercising with self-determination and, on the other, to check gender and age differences with a sample of 311 exercisers in water. The data were collected using the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire–2 and Motives for Physical Activities Measure–Revised. A positive and significant correlation was seen between self-determination and the reasons for exercise, with self-determination predicting 22% by enjoyment and 8% by fitness/health reasons. Similarly, the multivariate analysis showed that the women had more self-determination than the men and that they also rated fitness/health, social, enjoyment, …

The Need For Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification For Open-Water Lifeguards At Huntington Beach, Ca, Daniel Jerome, Peter R. Chambers, Steve Reuter, John Porcari

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The number of people visiting U.S. beaches increased in 2007 to more than 240 million people. This increase in activities does not come without danger. Lifeguards maintain beach safety, but little research is available to assist us in determining appropriate certification levels for lifeguards. The authors analyzed various injuries that occurred in the open-water environment of Huntington Beach, CA. Based on the nature of the injuries, they attempted to determine the level of training lifeguards needed. The vast majority of injuries (99%) were soft-tissue injuries, musculoskeletal injuries, or environmental injuries. It was felt that lifeguards with first-aid and basic-life-support (BLS) …

Handling Immediate Medical Care At Aquatic Facilities: Do We Need Different Levels Of Lifeguard Certification?, Leland Yarger

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The first-responder and professional-rescuer training materials and training programs consider lifeguards to be first responders in emergencies (Aehlert, 2005; American Red Cross, 2001). This article asks readers to consider whether our agency lifeguard-training programs reflect a philosophy that truly view and prepare lifeguards as first responders. If not, I challenge readers to consider whether we should alter our hiring, staffing, and in-service training procedures at aquatic facilities based on the scope and need for providing adequate emergency care at those facilities.

Escape And Rescue From Submerged Vehicles, Gerald M. Dworkin

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

No abstract provided.

The Effectiveness Of A Four-Hour Challenge Course On Leadership Efficacy And Work Efficacy, Theresa J. Odella

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Challenge courses have become increasingly popular in recent years. Benefits examined and researched through the use of challenge courses include increased self-esteem, group cohesion, leadership skills, and general self-efficacy (Hart & Silka, 1994; Hatch & McCarthy, 2005; Moseley, Reinke, & Bookout, 2002; Paxton, 2000; Propst & Koesler, 1998). Many groups are turning to half-day challenge courses due to time and financial constraints. Few studies have quantified the benefits of a half-day course. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of participation in a four-hour challenge course on leadership efficacy and work efficacy of college students. A survey …

Outdoor Play, Carolyn E. Althaus

Graduate Research Papers

This paper is a review of the literature relative to outdoor play practices in education. Benefits, as well as problems, associated with outdoor play practices were discussed. Guidelines for planning and implementing successful outdoor play practices were outlined and conclusions were drawn from the literature. Recommendations were made for future outdoor play programs.