A 2 × 2, fully-crossed, quasi-experimental design was employed to determine if type of media (rich media vs. lean media) and social prompting (presence of prompts vs. absence of prompts) would differentially impact learning outcomes for patrons interacting with an aquatic invasive species exhibit. Results indicated that the lean-media condition…

Making sound decisions in funding youth-serving organizations can be greatly enhanced by implementing a comprehensive and inclusive learning process that embraces the perspectives of and input from a variety of stakeholders, including program staff and leadership, various community partners, and, most important, the youth. Youthprise effectively…

Organizational development is based in part on knowledge development, both formal, scientifically proven and also nonscientific practice wisdom. This article brings together all of the lessons learned over our six years of work with Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, and suggests the practice utility of these.

Partnership as an ordinary, everyday way of doing business within Saint Paul Parks and Recreation (P&R) has often been limited to working with individuals, groups, or agencies through a contract, generally to provide fee-based programs or services. This approach does not encourage new ways of thinking about or working with other organizations…

An ongoing, innovative youth worker professional development is described in this article. This initiative began as youth worker professional development and then transcended to personal and organizational development. It grew from a moral response of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation staff and two faculty members of Youth Studies, University of…

In the context of encouraging the use of natural outdoor settings for educational experiences with young children, survey research using photographs of outdoor settings was conducted to explore in-service early childhood educators' preferences and perceptions regarding outdoor settings and the educational opportunities and resource needs they…

Nature education is an important part of early childhood education. As young children develop, the natural world offers concrete and authentic learning experiences. Activities focused on nature support learning in all developmental domains. Children develop physically through hiking in natural terrain, climbing hills and trees, balancing on logs,…

In 1992, Dr. Marian Breland Bailey, assisted by her husband Robert E. Bailey, gave the following presentation at the Psi Chi Banquet of the University of Central Arkansas. She and her first husband, Keller Breland, were students of B. F. Skinner and established Animal Behavior Enterprises (ABE) in 1947 and the IQ Zoo in 1955. Unknown to many…

The authors sought to identify barriers to participation for Latino people at Dodge Nature Center (DNC) in West St. Paul, MN. The authors used a multi-method approach, which included collecting demographic information, surveying the DNC staff, and interviewing Latino community leaders and parents. Results showed that unfamiliarity with DNC,…

This article describes the methods used to clean up and preserve a lake for the use of the community as a recreational facility. (JD)

The creation of a vocational-technical institute in Staples, Minn., has resulted in economic growth for the town as well as increased community recreational facilities built by institute students. (SP)