REC 2300—RECREATION/OUTDOOR EDUCATION
PROGRAMMING
Spring Semester 2009
Instructor: Tom Beery
Office: SpHC 127
e-mail: tbeery@d.umn.edu
web: www.d.umn.edu/~tbeery
Office Phone: 726-7333
Office Hours:
Class Meeting: SpHC 9, MW 9AM
Goals:
 Students will understand the application of learning theory to non-formal
outdoor education settings.
o Students will be able to communicate understanding of the
Experiential Learning Model and the theory of constructivism.
 Students will explore the societal value of recreation/outdoor education
programming.
o Students will demonstrate quality youth development in
recreation/outdoor education programming.
o Students will be able to communicate the role of non-formal
educators in environmental education delivery.
 Students will gain practical skills in the aspects of conducting a
recreation/outdoor education program. It is the purpose of this course to
present programming practices that will teach students the fundamental
components of professional recreation/outdoor education program
delivery.
o Students will be able to demonstrate lesson plan design.
o Students will demonstrate instructional leadership with at least two
different audiences
 Beyond program delivery, students will understand the basic elements of
overall recreation/outdoor education program development.
This course will have a primary focus on the general audience of youth
programming, while providing opportunity to explore programming for other
specific audiences as well. This course is intended to utilize as much
experiential learning as possible. It is hoped that this course will challenge each
student—the design is to facilitate engagement, excitement and professional
development.
Tentative Schedule:
Week # &
Date
Topic
Assignment—note,
additional readings to
be provided
Introductions/course outline
Week 1:
Jan 19-23
Week 2:
26-30
Week 3:
Feb. 2-6
Week 4:
Feb. 9-13
Recreation, outdoor
education and the non-formal
setting
Introduction to Programming
Field Site Experiences
Read: Benefits Based
Introduced
Programming (on-line)
Outdoor Recreation, societal
Field site choice
values, repositioning
Field site experience
The value of games—games,
begins
introductions, conclusions
and the concept of audience
Chapter 4 in Field Days
Project Wild Introduction
Project Wild
and overview
Library resource tour
Project Wild cont.
MN Conservation
volunteer assignment
Field site week one
discussion
Field site audience
description due (Mon.)
Week 5:
16-20
Week 6
23-27
Week 7
March 2-6
Presentation 1: Game
Field site teaching
schedule confirmed
Outline due with game
relevent changes noted.
Understanding Scope and
Read: Pg. 66 and 67 in
Sequence.
Field Days
Read: Designing Lessons
Writing a Lesson Plan: Goals from Outdoor Education
& Objectives…Assessment (electronic)
The Keys to Positive Youth Lesson Plan 1 draft due
Development
for in-class editing
Learning Theory
Learning Theory
Week 8
9-13
Lesson plan edit session
Field Site check-in
Week 9:
16-20
Week 10
23-27
Week 11:
30-April 3
Spring Break!
Read: The Keys to
Positive Youth
Development
Read: Learning and
Teaching with Adults and
Children (electronic)
Read: Chapter 6 in Field
Days
Lesson plan #2 for Field
Site
Spring Break!!
Behavior change via
Read: Changing
recreation and outdoor
Conservation Behaviors
education
(electronic)
Introduction to programming
UMD Outdoor Program:
programming for the UMD
audience
Programming guest speaker
(TBA)
Week 12:
April 6-10
Programming Unit:
1. Program Culture
2. Strategic Direction
Bagley Activity (Lesson plan
3) assigned/discussed
Week 13:
13-17
3. Targeted Program
Development
4. Operational Strategies
5. Program evaluation
Read: Field Days
OP small group projects
Read: Evaluation of the
Totally Cool, Totally Art
Program (website)
Chapter 7 Field Days
Lesson Plan #3 for Bagley
Week 14:
20-24
Week 15:
27- May 1
Week 16:
May 4-8
Program evaluation cont.
Field site assessment
Bagley Activity Presentations
Bagley Activity Presentations
Field Site Reflection due
Text:
 Rossman, R. & Schlatter, B. (2003). Recreation Programming. 4th Ed.
Champaign, IL: Sagamore Publishing. (on-reserve)
 Field Days curriculum, University of Minnesota Extension Service
 Project Wild Materials
Assignments/Grading
1. Field Site Experience
40 pts
During class on the first week you will be provided with options for field
sites. Starting week three, you will be provided a training at the field site.
Each week you will need to complete ~3 hours of service for a total of 21
hours. (the weeks of ISD winter break, 2/18-22 and UMD spring break,
3/12-16 will not count). Continuation at the field site for the remainder of
the semester will be worth an additional 20 points (extra credit for your
positive contribution).
2. Field Site Audience Description
After two weeks of attending and observing at Nettleton or Lowell, write a
3 page description of the “audience”…who are these kids? How do they
act? What behaviors surprise you? Interest you? Scare you? Make at
least three references to the content in Chapter 4 of Field Days. In
addition you must explore one of the provided resources in Chapter 4 and
relate the source to your experience at your field site.
20 points
3. Program Delivery:
(80 pts total)
Each presentation requires a lesson plan and an evaluation (1 instructor, 1
peer, 1 supervisor, 1 self).
Presentation #1: Game with peers
20 pts
Small group of three classmates facilitate a 20-30 minute, theme-based
program for peers. Points earned via outline/lesson plan, preparedness
and effort.
Lesson/lesson plan #1: Game/s at field site
20 pts
Facilitate programming w/intro, game/s, conclusion for field site group
(min. 45 mins.). Points earned for lesson plan, preparedness and
evaluation.
Lesson/lesson plan #2: Project Wild activity at field site
20 pts
Facilitate Project Wild activity w/ intro, activity and conclusion for volunteer
site group (min. 45 min.). Points earned for lesson plan, preparedness,
evaluation and appropriate fit with setting/audience.
Lesson/lesson plan #3: Bagley activity for peers
20 pts
Small group of three classmates facilitate a 20-30 minute adaptation of a
Project Wild activity for peers. Points earned via presentation rubric.
4. Field Site Reflection Paper
20 pts
Upon completion of your field site experience, you are required to write an
essay using the experiential learning model to help you reflect and
express.
5. Final Exam
100 pts.
6. Participation
100 pts
(This includes attendance, class assignments and portfolio)
Total
~360 pts.
Course grades will be issued on a standard scale of the following:
A = 100 - 93%
A- = 92 - 90%
B+ = 89 - 87%
B = 86 - 83%
B- = 82-80%
C+ = 79-77%
C = 76 - 73%
C- = 72 - 70%
D+ = 69 - 67%
D = 66 - 63%
D- = 62 - 60%
Please note:





All work must be presented in a typed format (Arial, Times). Even though
some of the assignments are team/partner oriented, you must hand in the text
aspect of the project individually. This is to encourage your own point of view
toward what you learned from the exercise. You will hand in all work in a well
organized, professionally presented 3-ring binder.
Your presentations are expected to be completely professional, this includes:
appropriate dress, quality communication with field site supervisors, delivery
clarity, promptness and timeliness; tardiness is unacceptable.
You must submit a complete lesson plan before each program is scheduled to
be presented (see syllabus for detail).
Late work will be accepted with a penalty score.
Additional information regarding assignments will be handed out as each
assignment approaches.