Lecture One: Benefits of Outdoor Recreation
RTM 251 - Introduction to Recreation and the Natural Environment
|
|
Lecture One: Benefits of Outdoor Recreation RTM 251 - Introduction to Recreation and the Natural Environment |
Learning Hints for Lecture Topics - Please Read
Perhaps we should say reading assignment rather than lecture since there will be no web cam or video file of a talking head spewing forth stimulating information. The goal for lecture one is for you to learn more about the general topic area of the benefits of outdoor recreation. The intent is for you to read material on line and from the text book, Last Child in the Woods, so that you are clear about the benefits of outdoor recreation including who does recreate outdoors and how big is the phenomena. A number of questions will be asked in order to guide you in the reading of the material. The answers to the questions do not need to be submitted but gathering clear answers will help you in taking the Quiz 1 for Lecture One. In other words the questions to the test are given on the front end - not the exact questions of course - but the questions are a statement of key areas about which I want you to learn.
So here's the drill (what specifically you need to do). Review the overall objective for this or any future lecture and review the specific questions tied to the reading material. As you read books and articles, highlight that which seems most relevant to the questions provided. The on-line form of the yellow highlighter one might use in reading a textbook can take three forms: First you may create an actual hard copy print of reading material and you use a physical highlighter as you would with a conventional textbook (that's a lot of printer ink and paper!!). Second, you might be able to cut and paste the material into a word document and then highlight key information using the bold key or highlight it by changing the color of text using the format function. Third you might just want to cut and paste key information from an online document into a word processing document much like taking notes from a lecture class. The point is to encourage you to read material more closely than just a quick scan, to read with a study and retention point of view.
One other study skill or learning note - What if you are stuck on a question - you have some information but you are not sure if there is more to be added - or you are unclear about the answer in general. The best option to assist you is is to introduce you to one of our learning tools for the semester - the dialogue or threaded discussion that focuses on student to student questions about the class. Here is how that will work. Return to the Moodle class page and post the question for answer and discussion from other students in the class. If other questions are already posted, then be ready to post a helpful reply to your fellow students.
Lecture One: The Benefits of Outdoor Recreation
What is outdoor recreation?
Here are a couple of classic definitions of 'recreation' for your consideration.
Q: Write your own definition of recreation in a sentence or two? Include what key components make it 'recreation'?
If you add outdoor + recreation then it defines a context for the recreational experience. The range of meanings for outdoor is large; from sports that occur outside of buildings (like running in a suburban or urban setting) to activities that fully immerse the individual into an outdoor wilderness (like 'alpine mountaineering' or wilderness based 'geo cache hunting'). Some activities are fairly common with millions of participants whereas other activities or experiences are pursued by a small minority. Explore several of the studies that have focused on measuring participation in outdoor recreation and note what types of recreation made the list, how large is the group of participants, what are the businesses or industries that are tied to the recreation (e.g backpackers buy backpacks and many other gadgets and sometimes hire guides to facilitate their experience) and finally take note of what are the trends.
1. Explore the research studies funded by the outdoor industry. http://www.outdoorindustryfoundation.org/ You can wander the site looking for the 'participation study' and the 'economic impact study' or just go to the links right below. Make note of this resource when you are doing your research paper assignment - there is more data on specific outdoor recreation activities in the detailed version of the study.
Download the participation study.
Download the economic impact study.
Download the next generation participation study.
Q: What are the O-R (outdoor recreation) activities with the greatest participation? the least (that still make the survey)?
Q: What O-R activities immerse people more deeply in the woods, waterways, and wild places rather than enjoyment of the urban outdoors?
Q: What difference is there between racial/ethnic group's participation levels?
The economic impact of outdoor recreation begins with the 'recreation participant'' who goes outdoors but the participant drives a very large system. The experience is supported by gear to do the activity (e.g. a bike) and that involves not only the store that sells the bike but the manufacturer of the product as well. Furthermore the services that surround the activity like driving to the ocean, lodging, books, and so forth combine for an additional economic impact. The impact study does a good job of summarizing this economic wave effect.
Q: What is the combined impact of these primary support services on the economy in the U.S.? What is the ripple effect and how large is that multipler effect from these active outdoor sports listed?
In addition to the self-initiated experience, many outdoor recreationists hire someone to train them or be a guide for them and who plan all or part of their recreation experience. This 'delivery' of a service is called the 'delivery system' and involves the providers of services and the steps involved to move the person from the start to the finish of their recreation experience. In future lectures, you will become familiar with the 'program service providers' who facilitate outdoor experience. These program providers operate in the public sector (government), private sector (businesses) and the non-profit sector (organizations like the Girl Scouts, non-profit camps, Sierra Club). In subsequent lectures you will also be introduced to the 'resource managers'. Resource managers are those agencies who manage or control part of the outdoor land or water. Resource managers are both public and private but the public sector provides the lions share of resource management because the government (especially the federal government) owns so much of the land in America (more than you suspect - wait and see). Agencies like the National Park Service are examples of resource managers.
2. Explore the range of personal benefits from participation in outdoor recreation.
Review this introduction from the State of Connecticut and note the benefits described from being outdoors.
Q: What are the key benefits of outdoor recreation?
3. Read Parts I & II (pages 1- 111) from Last Child in the Woods and summarize what benefits Louv finds for children who play in outdoor environments. Here are a list of some of those benefits for children. Discussion one on the bulletin board will look for you to reflect on some of these issues.
Q: What research does Louv cite to document the benefits listed? What benefits does he describe that are not listed here?
Q: Be prepared to write an essay style question in Quiz 1 on Louv's argument for why children benefit from playing outdoors.
Creates environmental advocacy as adults
Creativity development
Socialization skills
Emotional health
Spiritual health
Thinking skills
ADD/ ADHD remediation and/or prevention
Physical fitness
Realistic views of the natural environment
Character and value development
If you are ready for the Quiz follow the link through the main class outline page in Moodle. You must participate in the class Forum for unit one prior to taking quiz one. You are only allowed to take the test one time. The test will remain posted until the deadline for Exam I posted in the assignment section of the course web page. Please note that you will find the following at Quiz1 - eight questions covering benefits of recreation, industry study information, and one major essay question on Louv- worth half the quiz total. So the test structure is 2 short answer questions, 5 multiple choice questions, and the Louv essay. Do not follow the link and sign-in until you are ready to take Quiz 1. It is imperative for full credit that your essays are well written.