Best Practices in Student Development for Campus Recreation Professionals

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Toperzer ◽  
Denise M. Anderson ◽  
Robert J. Barcelona
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Student Development ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Campus Recreation ◽  
Recreational Sports ◽  
Vice Presidents ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Student Employees ◽  
Recreation Programs ◽  
Recreation Professionals

Student employees play a vital role in the leadership and delivery of campus recreation programs. Therefore, campus recreation professionals have a unique opportunity to contribute to their development. The purpose of this study was to identify best practices for effective student development in campus recreation programs affiliated with the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA). Data were collected using the Delphi technique via a web-based survey. A panel of experts including five of the 2009 Regional Vice Presidents of the NIRSA organization, as well as five campus recreation professionals from each region chosen by the Regional Vice Presidents was asked to participate. Panel members advocated five general best practices and 21 specific best practices. The five general best practices were leadership opportunities, performance assessment, training and orientation, personal relationships, and professional development. The results provide a framework that campus recreation professionals can use to enhance student development of their employees.

Influence of Campus Recreation Employment on Student Learning

2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacey L. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Multiple Regression ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Campus Recreation ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Recreational Sports ◽  
Collaboration Skills ◽  
Student Employees ◽  
The Impact ◽  
One Way Anova

This study examined the influence of part-time employment at a campus recreational sports department on full-time college students' learning. The student employees indicated they attributed their experience working in a campus recreational sports department to their perceived gains in critical thinking, integrative learning, appreciation of diverse perspectives, collaboration skills, and communication skills. Students working at a campus recreational sports department were invited to complete an online survey, which was developed for this project. The questionnaire, containing rating scales and open-ended questions, captured the perceptions of change by the student employees regarding their learning. A concurrent triangulation mixed-method design was used to analyze the data. The quantitative data were analyzed using multiple regression for each of the learning outcomes and one-way ANOVA analyses were conducted to identify differences between the positions. The qualitative data were analyzed using open coding to identify themes. The data were triangulated with job recruitment materials. The student employees indicated they attributed their perceived gains in learning to their experience working in a campus recreational sports department. The multiple regression analysis resulted in two significant predictors, which included collaboration skills and communication skills. While the one-way ANOVA analyses was not able to be conducted between the positions held by the students, the results showed students attribute their experience working in a campus recreational sports department to their perceived learning in specific areas. These results demonstrate the need for more in-depth study of each of the learning outcomes to gain more thorough understanding of the impact of students who work in a campus recreation department.

Connecting Student Employment, Involvement, and Alumni Affinity

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kara L. Fresk ◽  
Richard H. Mullendore
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Student Employment ◽  
Campus Recreation ◽  
Campus Community ◽  
Missing Link ◽  
Campus Involvement ◽  
Student Employees ◽  
Recreation Professionals ◽  
Personal Interests

Previous research indicates that student employment serves as a means of campus involvement. Additional literature indicates that campus involvement promotes alumni affinity. This study proposes that the missing link between student employment as involvement and alumni affinity lies in the students' perceptions of involvement. Therefore, this study explored whether student employees view their employment as an involvement opportunity and the factors that influence those perceptions. Understanding the factors that contribute to perceptions of involvement allows campus recreation professionals to structure employment experiences that are recognized by students as involvement, thereby promoting long-term affinity for the institution. The findings indicate that students perceive their employment as involvement, though to varying degrees. The factors contributing to those perceptions include a) time spent in the work environment, b) alignment with personal interests, c) relationships with coworkers, d) relationships with supervisors, e) affiliation to program area, and f) interaction with the campus community.

Promoting Moral Growth through Campus Recreation

1999 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip A. Theodore
Keyword(s):  
Moral Development ◽  
Campus Recreation ◽  
Development Education ◽  
Moral Growth ◽  
Recreation Programs ◽  
Recreation Professionals

This article explores the role of moral development education in campus recreation programs. The focus is upon two primary issues. The first is concerned with the question of whether or not educators, including campus recreation professionals, should he involved in moral development education. After concluding that campus recreation administrators are obliged to help students grow morally, the second issue of how professionals in the field can become effective moral educators is examined.

Constraints and Facilitators to Developing Collaborative Campus Wellness Partnerships

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-144
Author(s):  
Cindy L. Hartman ◽  
Kate E. Evans ◽  
Robert J. Barcelona ◽  
Robert S. Brookover
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Comparison Method ◽  
Campus Recreation ◽  
Student Wellness ◽  
Partnership Development ◽  
Process And Outcome ◽  
Recreation Directors ◽  
Recreation Professionals

This qualitative study explores how campus recreation directors form wellness-based partnerships across campus to serve student wellness needs. Data were collected from 127 campus recreation professionals regarding constraints and facilitators to campus-based wellness partnerships. Data were analyzed using the constant comparison method to identify best practices associated with wellness partnership development. Selected best practices include developing a culture of partnering across campus, formalizing partnerships, and utilizing process- and outcome-based evaluations.

Planning for an Inclusive Campus Recreation Facility and Program

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katheryne Staeger-Wilson ◽  
Cynthia Barnett ◽  
Susie Mahoney ◽  
Douglas H. Sampson
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Campus Recreation ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Minimum Compliance ◽  
Quality Design ◽  
Recreation Professionals

This best practice brief highlights the collaborative work among a disability resource professional, a university architect, campus recreation professionals, and students with disabilities to create a campus recreation center with universal design features and considerations for students with disabilities. This partnership served to illustrate that building to minimum compliance standards does not necessarily remove barriers to equitable participation for persons with disabilities. It became evident that valuing the disability experience led to high quality design and further programmatic and equipment considerations made to accommodate all. From this project, best practices in inclusive, usable, and equitable design and programmatic and equipment considerations for users with disabilities can be observed and applied to future projects.

scholarly journals NIRSA Championship Series Volunteerism: The Perceived Impact on Professional Development

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-17
Author(s):  
Jacob K. Tingle ◽  
Randall J. Griffiths ◽  
Dan Hazlett ◽  
April Flint
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Campus Recreation ◽  
Recreational Sports ◽  
Communication Behaviors ◽  
Primary Organization ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Recreation Professionals

The National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Championship Series (Series) has developed into the primary organization for governing extramural/sport club collegiate recreational tournaments. As NIRSA professionals describe it, the Series has also evolved into a platform for professional development. To date, however, no study has attempted to link professional growth and advancement to volunteerism at Series events. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine skills and competencies that could be correlated with volunteering at Series events. Using Astin's Input-Environment-Outcome (I-E-O) model the research team explored the environmental impact of the volunteer experience by collecting data in two phases (prevolunteer experience and 3–4 months after the volunteer experience). Results indicated that campus recreation professionals do perceive themselves to be using effective leadership and communication behaviors and that there are no significant differences in professional development based on the NIRSA region of the tournament. Some gendered differences were uncovered, but it appears that a significant number of volunteers returned to work with higher levels of job-related competencies and important networking connections. Possible implications are discussed, including a Series training program based on NIRSA's core competencies, and areas for future research.

scholarly journals Developing a Student Employee Leadership Program: The Importance of Evaluating Effectiveness

2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob K. Tingle ◽  
Christina Cooney ◽  
Seth E. Asbury ◽  
Sheldon Tate
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Student Leadership ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Campus Recreation ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Organizational Goals ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Student Employees ◽  
Recreation Programs ◽  
Two Phases

Outstanding student employees are essential for campus recreation programs to achieve organizational goals. To that end, this study examined the effectiveness of a leadership development program in which three groups of campus recreation (rec sports) student employees participated at various levels in the following: on-campus training, an off-site retreat, a scavenger hunt, and biweekly meetings. Using a quasi-experimental design, data were collected in two phases from 51 students and measured the growth of each student's leadership capabilities as reported using the Student Leadership Practices Inventory. Statistical analyses revealed that group membership did significantly affect growth in the student's leadership capacity, F(2, 48) = 7.07, p = .002, η2 = .228. Campus recreation programs are increasingly held accountable and rec sports professionals must understand assessment is vital. The results of this study reveal that rec sports professionals can impact the development of student leaders. Specifcally, the findings indicate that growth does not occur with condensed training. Indeed lasting, meaningful growth transpires only when leadership lessons are embedded using a sustained approach. Implications for research and practice are presented.

The Impact Participation in Recreational Sport in College Has on Student Development and Learning

2020 ◽  
pp. 238-246
Author(s):  
Artha L. Simpson Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Student Development ◽  
Position Statement ◽  
Professional Organization ◽  
Recreational Sports ◽  
Student Service ◽  
Recreational Sport ◽  
Sports Programs ◽  
Sport Activities ◽  
Recreation Professionals ◽  
The Impact

The National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association's (NIRSA) collaboration in the publication of learning Reconsidered II with council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) in Higher Education places collegiate recreation professionals are at a crossroads: either continue down the path of simply providing recreational sport activities and services or join with other student service professionals in focusing their effort on student development and learning. The journey towards a learning focus in recreational sports begins in 1994 when NIRSA, the professional organization for recreational sports professionals, published a position statement regarding rationale for Independent Administration of Collegiate Recreational Sports Programs. This chapter explores this journey.

An Epidemic Hits Campus: The Challenge of Obesity for Future Students and Campus Recreation

2004 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Arterberry
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Professional Organization ◽  
Campus Recreation ◽  
The Past ◽  
Adolescent Overweight ◽  
Recreation Programs ◽  
To Come ◽  
Recreation Professionals

Campus recreation programs and the national professional organization expect continued growth in the years to come, however, the future of the health of college students is troublesome. With the increase in childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity, attracting the nonuser to campus recreation programs could become more challenging than in the past. Campus recreation professionals will need to raise their awareness of the factors that influence overweight and obesity, and leisure-time physical activity in college students. This knowledge can subsequently be used to increase programming and service options to attract nonusers, create a culture of healthy living on campus, and increase the likelihood of future student participation.

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