ERIC Number: EJ1389230
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-8981
EISSN: EISSN-2160-1682
Reconnecting Youth to Nature: A Camp on Campus Model
Hill, Eddie
Physical Educator, v79 n1 p73-83 2022
Day camps are a powerful context for youth development. The American Camp Association and Leave No Trace have been integral in supporting youth development by identifying outcomes associated with participation in outdoor recreation. Recreation majors in the programming class used the camp as a service-learning component of the class that offered them valuable hands-on experience in program design, program facilitation, working with youth, and program evaluation. Therefore, this study evaluated the impact of camp on identified youth outcomes. The outdoor recreation camp was a partnership from a private school and local university. The Youth Outcomes Battery provided measures that focus on common outcomes (e.g., affinity for nature). Thirty-one of the 32 campers completed the retrospective questionnaire. The sample was 61% female, with an average age of 9 years. On a scale of 1 to 10, campers scored a 9.32 on Level of Enjoyment. Findings show that over 50% of the campers learned "a little" or "a lot" about the desired outcomes (e.g., affinity for nature). This work provides an example of an evidence-based nature camp.
Descriptors: Day Camp Programs, Youth Programs, Service Learning, Recreation, Majors (Students), College Students, Experiential Learning, Program Design, Program Implementation, Program Evaluation, Partnerships in Education, College School Cooperation, Attitudes, Natural Resources, Evidence Based Practice, Outdoor Education, Conservation (Environment), Program Effectiveness
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A