The purpose of this study was to determine if taking part in a Paralympic Skill Lab (PSL) would have a positive impact on the cognitive attitudes of college students toward the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in lifetime fitness and sport activities, including campus recreation. The final sample comprised 192 college students. The…

It is believed that by providing university students with knowledge about people who are marginalized in society, in combination with opportunities to interact positively with them, feelings of unease and stereotypical thinking are diminished. Experiential opportunities can also support students' academic and professional development as advocates…

Identity research has focused primarily on outcomes associated with identity formation. Far less attention, however, has been given to understanding the facilitating contextual elements of this process. This qualitative study examined a context, a 2-week adventure recreation program for youth, quantitatively shown in previous research to have…

After-school programs can help show students how academics are relevant to their personal interests, and serve as training grounds for future teachers. This article features LA's BEST After School Enrichment Program whose mission is to provide a safe and supervised after school education, enrichment, and recreation program for children ages 5 to…

The authors use data from a finance-related theme park to explore how financial education changes investment, financing, and consumer behavior. Students were assigned fictitious life situations and asked to create household budgets. Some students received a 19-hour financial literacy curriculum before going to the park, and some did not. After…

There would appear to be an enduring belief that successful sportsmen and women can act as powerful motivational role models for young people, especially disaffected, disadvantaged or disengaged youth. In the UK, for example, this belief has been expressed recently in the development of programmes, such as changingLIVES, the Respect Athlete Mentor…

Background: In 2005, the North Carolina State Board of Education updated the Healthy Active Children Policy to include a requirement that all kindergarten through eighth-grade children receive at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each school day through physical education, recess, and other creative approaches. This study…

This paper presents evidence collected from an evaluatory study of the Kickstart program conducted by Australian Football League (AFL) Cape York in far North Queensland. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of the Kickstart program in meeting its overall objective of enhancing lifeskills of Indigenous Australians through…

Recreation program planners can learn from program failures. Failures should not be viewed as negative statements about personnel. Examining feelings in a supportive staff environment is suggested as a technique for developing competence. (DF)

A needs assessment program can help recreation managers recognize new and changing leisure interests and needs of the people they serve. This article reviews strategies that military services use in needs assessment programs. Issues encountered when conducting an assessment are discussed. (DF)

The Early Intervention Effectiveness Institute established by Utah State University will increase the knowledge base concerning efficacy of various types of early intervention with handicapped children. Let's Play to Grow is a recreation and support program for disabled children and their families with approximately 200 clubs and 6,000 members…

Employee recreation programs have been shown to reduce absenteeism, increase performance and productivity, reduce stress levels, and increase job satisfaction. Studies that present positive results of employee recreation are discussed. (DF)

Intrinsic motivation is discussed as the main concern of evaluation of leisure and recreational programs. Two factors influencing leisure behavior are perceived freedom and perceived competence. Two types of intrinsic rewards are possible from leisure participation: rewards and those obtained from a change in environment. Evaluation should then…

Efforts to qualitatively measure the effectiveness of military recreational programs have met only negligible success. This is due in part to a lack of definitive data and a lack of scientific assessment tools for adequately measuring performance objectives. (JN)

Coaches and players were assisted in modifying select rules of a girls' fast-pitch softball league so as to accommodate the skill limitations of a player with moderate to severe disabilities. The girl's batting average and on-base average indicated that modifications were effective. The player was well received by her teammates and other teams.…