S'more then just fun and games: Teachers' perceptions on the educational value of camp programs for school groups

Camp;transfer;Recreation and Leisure Studies

Feldberg, Hannah-Ruth

University of Waterloo

关键词: Camp;    transfer;    Recreation and Leisure Studies;   

Others  :  https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/bitstream/10012/5910/1/Feldberg_Hannah-Ruth.pdf

瑞士|英语

来源: UWSPACE Waterloo Institutional Repository

【 摘 要 】

Learning does occur at camp, but what kind of learning? And do what participants learnat camp transfer to other parts of a young persons’ life after the camp experience? Thisevaluation research study was designed to compare what a camp program anticipates asits outcomes to what outcomes it actually achieves. It set up an outcome evaluation thatsought to understand what program staff at Camp Giving Tree anticipate are thedevelopmental outcomes for students attending a 3-day, 2-night School-CampPartnership Program (SCPP) as compared with teachers’ perspectives on their students’developmental outcome achievements as a result of their participation in the SCPP. Thisstudy found that camp staff and teachers perceived that at camp, student learning wasconnected to four main themes: (1) positive risk taking, (2) social competencies andcomforts, (3) engagement with creative thinking (4) strength of character. One monthafter camp however, teachers observed that hardly any transfer seemed occurred in theirstudents’ behaviour at school. Even though hardly any transfer was reported, teachersbelieved that camp gave their students hope and optimism for their future and that ifschool was more like camp, their students would be able to learn more. The discussionfocuses on three main themes: (1) on the concept of transfer as it relates to programstructure and the prediction of behaviour change (2) positive risk taking related to theconcepts of positive psychology and optimism and (3) the idea that learning can be moreenjoyable if it includes reflection, if it promotes creative thinking and if the learningenvironment is highly social. This study’s conclusions suggest opportunities in: futureresearch design and future youth programming opportunities (especially related to ongoingsupport after a single recreation experience). Finally, this study urges people,programs and institutions directly involved with youth development to take on more of adeliberate role in supporting transfer from one experience to another for young people.