Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies (RLST) Undergraduate Assessment Plan

Transcription

1 Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies (RLST) Undergraduate Assessment Plan A. Brief description of the method by which the major assessment plan was developed. The RLST faculty and students participated in the generation of the RLST Major Assessment Plan. Learning outcomes expected for the RLST undergraduate curriculum are primarily those specified by the Council on Accreditation of the National Recreation and Park Association and the American Association for Leisure and Recreation (NRPA/AALR). Therefore, members of the accrediting bodies and colleagues throughout the nation provided the Department with relevant feedback. The procedure for determining assessment methods was generated by the RLST faculty in consultation with other University of Georgia faculty. B. Learning Outcomes LEARNING OUTCOME 1: Graduates will possess an understanding of the conceptual foundations of play, recreation, and leisure. 1. An understanding of the conceptual foundations of play, recreation, and leisure for all populations and settings. 2. An understanding of the psychological, sociological and physiological significance of play, recreation, and leisure from an historical perspective of all populations and settings. 3. An understanding of the technological, economic, and political significance of play, recreation, and leisure in contemporary society. 4. An understanding of the significance of play, recreation, and leisure throughout the life cycle relative to the individual's attitudes, values, behaviors, and use of resources. 5. Knowledge of the interrelationship between leisure behavior and the natural environment. LEARNING OUTCOME 2: Graduates will possess an understanding of the leisure services profession. 1. An understanding of the history and development of the leisure services profession. 2. An understanding of contemporary professional issues and how they impact the delivery of leisure services. 3. An understanding of the concept of a profession and professional organization as related to leisure services. 4. An understanding of ethical principles and professionalism as applied to all professional practices, attitudes, and behavior in leisure services delivery.

2 LEARNING OUTCOME 3: Graduates will possess an understanding of the leisure services delivery system. 1. An understanding of and ability to use diverse community, institutional, natural and human service resources to promote and enhance the leisure experience. 2. An understanding of the roles and interrelationships of diverse leisure service delivery systems, including such specialties as the therapeutic recreation and the business enterprise systems. 3. Knowledge of the responsibility of the leisure service profession to make available opportunities for leisure experiences for all populations, including those with special needs. 4. Ability to promote, advocate, interpret, and articulate the concerns of leisure service systems for all populations and services. LEARNING OUTCOME 4: Graduates will possess an understanding of programming strategies in leisure service delivery. 1. Knowledge of the role and content of leisure programs and services. 2. Ability to organize and conduct leisure programs and services in a variety of settings. 3. An understanding of and the ability to facilitate the concept of a leisure life-style for continued individual development and expression throughout the human life span. 4. An understanding of and the ability to use various leadership techniques and strategies to enhance the individual's leisure experiences for all populations, including those with special needs. 5. An understanding of the concept and use of leisure resources to facilitate participant involvement. LEARNING OUTCOME 5: Graduates will possess an understanding of assessment, planning, and evaluation in leisure services. 1. An understanding of and the ability to analyze programs, services, and resources in relationship to participation requirements. 2. An understanding of procedures and techniques for assessment of leisure needs. 3. An understanding of principles and procedures for planning leisure services, resources, areas, and facilities. 4. Knowledge of principles and procedures for designing leisure services, resources, areas, and facilities. 5. Knowledge of the purpose, basic procedures and interpretation, and application of research and evaluation methodology related to leisure services. 6. Ability to apply computer and statistical techniques to assessment, planning, and evaluation processes. 7. An understanding of principles and procedures for evaluation of leisure programs and services.

3 8. Ability to formulate, plan for implementation, and evaluate extent to which goals and objectives for the leisure service and for groups and individuals within the service have been met. LEARNING OUTCOME 6: Graduates will possess an understanding of administration/management in leisure services. 1. Knowledge of marketing techniques and strategies. 2. An understanding of concepts of organizational behavior, accountability, interpersonal relations, and decision-making strategies. 3. An understanding of and ability to apply personnel management techniques including job analysis, recruitment, selection, training, motivation, career development and evaluation of staff and volunteers. 4. An understanding of and ability to implement principles and procedures related to operation and care of resources, areas, and facilities. 5. An understanding of various techniques of financing, budgeting, and fiscal accountability. 6. An understanding of and ability to implement public relations and promotion strategies. LEARNING OUTCOME 7: Graduates will possess an understanding of legislative and legal aspects of leisure services delivery. 1. Knowledge of the legal foundations and responsibilities of leisure service agencies, and of the legislative processes and the impact of policy formation on leisure behaviors and service in all levels of government, community organizations, and business enterprise. 2. An understanding of legal concepts, including contracts, human rights, property, and torts, as applied to leisure service agencies. 3. An understanding of the principles of risk management planning, and the ability to participate in the development and implementation of a risk management plan. C. Assessment Methods Achievement of student learning outcomes is assessed in the following ways: External Review Course Performance Evaluation Part-time Field Performance Evaluation (RLST 3450) Full-time Internship Performance Evaluation (RLST 5700) Performance on National Certification Examinations

4 Student Employment Status Focus Group Interviews with Exiting Students Questionnaire with Exiting Students Alumni List and Contact D. Faculty Involvement, Analysis of Data, and Use of Results External evaluations occur annually by the Council on Accreditation of the National Recreation and Park Association and the American Association for Leisure and Recreation (NRPA/AALR). A report is prepared by the RLST department and submitted to the Council. The Council then provides the Department with feedback regarding the Department s progress toward having students achieve the desired outcomes. Every five years the Department receives a site review by a member of the Council and every 10 years the Department receives a site review by a Council accreditation team. Courses are graded primarily on a mastery model. That is, it is possible for every student to achieve mastery or for none to do so. If course objectives are met, students will usually receive a grade of A, B, or C. Course objectives include, but are not limited to, those NRPA/AALR Accreditation Standards that also serve as the learning outcomes for our program. All students must also maintain a grade point average of at least 2.2 to be approved to do the required 15-hour senior internship. Students are required to enroll in 2 credits of practicum totaling 90 contact hours of direct leisure service delivery. Agency supervisors must complete a student evaluation form. An examination of the course grades in conjunction with an interview with the practicum coordinator occurs to assess student performance. In addition, an analysis of the openended responses to the practicum evaluation completed by the agency supervisor occurs. Students are required to enroll in 15 credits of RLST 5700 consisting of weeks of full-time (40 hours/week) of fieldwork. Agency supervisors complete a midterm and final evaluation of student performance. This evaluation was modified for students studying in the area of therapeutic recreation. RLST students who have an emphasis in therapeutic recreation take the National Therapeutic Recreation Certification Exam. Employment status of students is acquired through correspondence via letters, telephone contacts, and messages between faculty and students. Annual data provided by the UGA Career Services Center are used to monitor graduate s employment status. In addition, the RLST Departmental Web page has been developed requesting graduates to contact the department and provide information related to employment status. Student addresses are obtained during student internships and are then used to communicate with students upon graduation. A Work-Status Form is used to encourage all graduates to notify the department once they are gainfully employed.

5 As part of the senior seminar (RLST 4890) a focus group is conducted with students to gather information concerning their evaluation of the program. All required course work is frequently completed before the interview is conducted and only a part-time instructor is present at the time. Notes of the interview are transcribed and presented to the faculty at a faculty meeting. The anonymous comments are reviewed and strategies to address student concerns are discussed. The following three major themes are explored during the interview: (a) advising, (b) curriculum, and (c) general observations. A Student Evaluation Questionnaire was developed and administered to provide students with an opportunity to rate their preparation associated with the RLST Learning Outcomes as they complete the program. The initial administration of this questionnaire was given as a part of RLST 4890, a seminar course in which student are typically enrolled in the semester immediately prior to their internship. However, in the future the questionnaire will be completed by students as they complete their requirements for RLST 5700, the internship course that is typically the culminating education experience. A systematic effort has been initiated to obtain alumni s and establish a distribution file to notify alumni of departmental events and newsletters as well as to request feedback from alumni. Over 130 alumni addresses are include in the file.