scholarly journals Using Experience Industry Strategies to Increase Quality of Youth Program Experiences

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 59-82
Author(s):  
Allen S. Taggart ◽  
Gary D. Ellis ◽  
Jingxian Jiang ◽  
Andrew Lacanienta
Keyword(s):  
Outdoor Recreation ◽  
Youth Services ◽  
Unique Combination ◽  
Theme Parks ◽  
Youth Program

We evaluated 4 “experience industry” strategies for enhancing the quality of immediate experiences for 4-H youth: theming, adding multisensory experiences, personalizing interactions, and providing memorabilia. These strategies are commonly used by theme parks, restaurants, resorts, attractions, and other experience industry organizations, but their application to youth services is sporadic. 4-H youth (n = 30) participated in a series of 8 outdoor recreation activity sessions. Each activity session, 1 per week for 8 consecutive weeks, was structured using a unique combination of the 4 strategies. Participants completed questionnaires measuring 5 dimensions of experience quality after each activity session. Theme and personalization of experiences were found to significantly increase experience quality.

Screening Youth Soccer Players by Means of Cognitive Function and Agility Testing

2021 ◽  
pp. 003151252110402
Author(s):  
Nicola Lovecchio ◽  
Gianluca Manes ◽  
Luca Filipas ◽  
Matteo Giuriato ◽  
Antonio La Torre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skills ◽  
Smartphone Application ◽  
Inhibitory Response ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Early Age ◽  
Unique Combination ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Gross Motor Skills ◽  
Youth Soccer

Talent identification in sports is a heavily debated topic. Previous studies have separately explored either executive functions or gross motor skills to predict the success of top-level soccer players or, more generally, to characterize elite performance in soccer. However, at mid-childhood, the possibility to scope sport-specific requirements remains elusive. We aimed in this study to investigate a valid and simple method of testing for a unique combination of cognitive and speed abilities for identifying promising soccer players at mid-childhood. We measured cognitive functions by means of a Stroop smartphone application and agility with a T-Drill Ball-success test, in two groups of (a) elite- ( n = 31) and (b) low-division ( n = 37) Italian 7-year-old male soccer players. We administered the tests in a randomized order to both groups. We found better inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility and soccer-specific agility in high-division versus low-division players ( p < .001). Inhibitory response and agility were positively associated with the augmented quality of the performance from low-division players to high-division players ( r = .55; p = .0001). These results suggest that, even at an early age, cognitive control together with soccer-specific skills is associated with better performance.

Collaborative resource sharing between public and school libraries

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 159-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniella Smith ◽  
Misty Shea ◽  
Wei-Ning Wu
Keyword(s):  
Resource Sharing ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
School Librarians ◽  
Youth Services ◽  
Collaborative Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Building Relationships ◽  
Youth Service ◽  
The Usa

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to examine youth service librarians’ use of collaborative collection development (CCD) behaviors and interlibrary loan (ILL) to collaborate with school librarians. Design/methodology – A quantitative design was implemented with a self-administered survey that was placed online. Findings – Public youth services librarians in the USA believe it is important to collaborate with school librarians. However, they are not frequently using collaborative resource sharing strategies. Public youth services librarians that have more experience, understand trends and issues in school libraries and feel they have knowledge of collaborative strategies are more likely to engage in collaborative resource sharing. Research limitations – The study was limited to 265 public librarians serving youth in the USA. This study does not present the perspectives of school libraries. Social implications – CCD and ILL between public and school libraries are overlooked practices for building relationships between public and school librarians that should be explored. Presenting the benefits of these strategies during training programs may increase the resources that youth can access, thus having an overall impact on the quality of life in communities. Collaborating will also help communities understand the value of libraries as institutions for promoting lifelong learning. Originality/value – The results provide evidence that public youth service librarians in the USA believe in the importance of collaborative relationships with school librarians. However, they do not frequently use ILL or engage in CCD behaviors with school librarians. Using ILL and CCD are two strategies that may be used to build stronger relationships.

Student Awareness of University Adventure Programs: Understanding Motivations and Constraints

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph P. Flood ◽  
Christopher Parker
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Outdoor Recreation ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Participation Rates ◽  
Psychological Benefits ◽  
Adventure Programs ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Recreation Activities

Participation rates among college students in adventure programs (AP) have been problematic in recent years. While AP managers focus on the quality of programs offered to students, little effort has addressed reducing constraints to participation, improving program offerings, and effectively marketing AP at colleges and universities. The purpose of this investigation was to identify the constraints and motivations to AP participation. A survey was administered to 193 college students. Overall, respondents were motivated to participate in outdoor recreation activities that included males wanting to observe others, teach others, and experience thrills, while females wanted to be with companions and to receive physical and emotional benefits. Even though both males and females identified lack of time and money as major constraints, they also identified stress and demands of life as constraints. To enhance participation, AP managers need to emphasize the physical and psychological benefits that can potentially reduce stress.

Community Satisfaction in Post-socialist Cities: Factors and Implications

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreja Cirman ◽  
Irena Ograjenšek
Keyword(s):  
Important Determinant ◽  
Unique Combination ◽  
Community Satisfaction ◽  
Local Policy ◽  
Specific Point ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Community Residents ◽  
Urban Settlements

Community satisfaction is an important determinant of the perceived overall quality of life, and can be defined as a function of opportunities a community provides to its residents. Although measurable at a specific point in time, it does not only reflect current communal activities, but also past developments and their path dependency. In this paper we identify and empirically verify factors influencing community satisfaction in post-socialist urban settlements. In the process we are using the Slovenian post-socialist cities of Nova Gorica and Velenje as illustrative examples, and the average Slovenian community satisfaction in urban settlements as a benchmark. This unique combination of data allows us to derive important lessons for community residents, community planners, and local policy-makers.

GPS RECEIVERS TIMING DATA PROCESSING USING NEURAL NETWORKS: OPTIMAL ESTIMATION AND ERRORS MODELING

2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (05) ◽  
pp. 383-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. MOSAVI
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Outdoor Recreation ◽  
Optimal Estimation ◽  
Single Frequency ◽  
Gps Receiver ◽  
Commercial Aviation ◽  
Gps Receivers ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Timing Data

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a network of satellites, whose original purpose was to provide accurate navigation, guidance, and time transfer to military users. The past decade has also seen rapid concurrent growth in civilian GPS applications, including farming, mining, surveying, marine, and outdoor recreation. One of the most significant of these civilian applications is commercial aviation. A stand-alone civilian user enjoys an accuracy of 100 meters and 300 nanoseconds, 25 meters and 200 nanoseconds, before and after Selective Availability (SA) was turned off. In some applications, high accuracy is required. In this paper, five Neural Networks (NNs) are proposed for acceptable noise reduction of GPS receivers timing data. The paper uses from an actual data collection for evaluating the performance of the methods. An experimental test setup is designed and implemented for this purpose. The obtained experimental results from a Coarse Acquisition (C/A)-code single-frequency GPS receiver strongly support the potential of methods to give high accurate timing. Quality of the obtained results is very good, so that GPS timing RMS error reduce to less than 120 and 40 nanoseconds, with and without SA.

Youngsters’ Perspectives on Continuity in Their Contacts with Youth-Care Services

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 1144-1161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Naert ◽  
Griet Roets ◽  
Rudi Roose ◽  
Wouter Vanderplasschen
Keyword(s):  
Residential Care ◽  
Youth Care ◽  
Care Pathways ◽  
Youth Services ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Need For Support ◽  
Low Threshold ◽  
User Perspectives ◽  
Relational Network

Abstract Continuity is seen as an important aim for the quality of youth-care services. However, views on continuity are predominantly guided by experts, without much attention to user perspectives. This paper focuses on youngsters’ experienced continuity in relation to youth-care services. Twenty-five youngsters, who were in residential care or reached by low-threshold youth services, were interviewed about their experiences in and out of care. In thematically exploring the biographical narratives for important experiences of continuity, three major themes emerged: (i) the need for footholds in moments of existential chaos, (ii) the importance of timing of interventions to match the youngsters’ perspectives and (iii) the importance of the youngsters’ impact on their own care pathways. This study shows the need for support that is imbedded in a relational network within the context of youngsters in vulnerable situations. Rethinking youth services towards a better connection with these contexts is essential. Furthermore, the amount of control youngsters experience in their care interventions seems to be beneficial to the experience of continuity. It is argued that continuity should be seen as a process, in order to leave more space for negotiation and flexibility throughout the youngsters’ experiences in youth-care services.

scholarly journals How do Rural Second Homes Affect Human Health and Well-being? Review of Potential Impacts

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
pp. 6748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kati Pitkänen ◽  
Jenni Lehtimäki ◽  
Riikka Puhakka
Keyword(s):  
Outdoor Recreation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Second Homes ◽  
Second Home ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Urban People ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Health And Well Being

Contact with nature is associated with numerous psychological, physiological and social health and well-being benefits. Outdoor recreation, such as rural second home tourism, provides extensive exposure to the natural environment, but research around health impacts of this exposure is scattered. We review current research on health and well-being impacts of nature and discuss how the characteristics of rural second home environments and their use and users can affect these potential impacts in Finland. We discover four key issues affecting the impacts. First, health and well-being impacts depend on the users; urban people can especially benefit from rural second homes, while child development and the performance of elderly people can also be supported by contact with nature at second homes. Second, the regularity, length and season of second home visits influence the potential to receive benefits as they have an impact on the intensity of nature exposure. Third, the type and quality of second home environment affect contact with nature, such as exposure to health-supporting environmental microbes. Fourth, practices, motives and meanings modify activities and attachment and crucially affect both physical and mental well-being. We conclude that rural second homes have extensive potential to provide nature-related health and well-being benefits and further research is needed.

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