2001 LIVE AND LEARN CONFERENCE
During the 1999/2000 academic year, ARMS members discussed the possibility of taking on responsibility for hosting a professional development event. Discussions began with the idea of inviting students from the Dalhousie University Recreation Program to Acadia for a few days during February break. The objectives were to discover more about what each other was learning, to identify and discuss key topics in the field, and to invite specific professionals working in the province to come and address the group on certain topics. Once the format had been established, it was decided that perhaps students from UNB would also like to participate. As the discussions continued, it was concluded that there was no particular reason to not invite students from all universities in the country offering Recreation degree programs. So the call went out and the response was overwhelming with delegations planning to attend from every university to whom the invitation was extended. What had now grown into a conference, was entitled Live and Learn: Opening Doors to the Future and it took place Feb 22-24th 2001. A few students from universities outside the country got wind of what was about to occur and asked to be included, and they were welcomed given the theme was about opening doors.
FACTS ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
The planning committee consisted of 12 students representing 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year of the Recreation Management program at Acadia University, along with their Faculty advisor Brenda Robertson. Committee members included: Amanda Adams, Sean Bickerton, Carrie Brown, Courtney Crawford, Meghan Gwalchmai, Simone Jucker, Leah Levac, Janelle MacPherson-Kenney, Liam McCready, Jessica, Notwell, Heather Wicksted, and Karen Whynot.
Participating institutions included Aurora College, Malaspina, U of Alberta, Red Deer College, U of Regina, U of Saskatchewan, U of Manitoba, Lakehead, U of Waterloo, U of Ottawa, Concordia, Dalhousie, UNB, and the College of the North Atlantic;
This initiative was supported by Recreation Nova Scotia, and the Canadian Parks & Recreation Association;
There were sessions of an academic nature, such as how to select an appropriate graduate school, curricular comparisons across schools and programs, and the use of technology within higher education;
Throughout the conference, sessions were held to facilitate discussion between students on educational and professional issues;
The Opening session featured remarks by Nova Scotia Premier John Savage, Acadia President Dr. Ogilvie, and Recreation Nova Scotia President John MacLean. Acadia Rec Alumnus Keith Publicover, Head of the Tom Hortons Camp Program, gave the opening keynote.
Participating institutions included Aurora College, Malaspina, U of Alberta, Red Deer College, U of Regina, U of Saskatchewan, U of Manitoba, Lakehead, U of Waterloo, U of Ottawa, Concordia, Dalhousie, UNB, and the College of the North Atlantic;
This initiative was supported by Recreation Nova Scotia, and the Canadian Parks & Recreation Association;
There were sessions of an academic nature, such as how to select an appropriate graduate school, curricular comparisons across schools and programs, and the use of technology within higher education;
Throughout the conference, sessions were held to facilitate discussion between students on educational and professional issues;
The Opening session featured remarks by Nova Scotia Premier John Savage, Acadia President Dr. Ogilvie, and Recreation Nova Scotia President John MacLean. Acadia Rec Alumnus Keith Publicover, Head of the Tom Hortons Camp Program, gave the opening keynote.
THE PROGRAM
The program consisted of 28 educational sessions and workshops, delivered by students, faculty, and members of the professional community from throughout Canada. Session Topics and speakers included the following:
- Story Sharing about Community Development and the Grassroots by Carroll Randall and Debby Smith;
- Creating Gender Equitable Sport by Wendy Bedingfield;
- Wilderness and Outdoor Recreation: Incompatible Concepts by Glyn Bissix;
- Sharing Strengths Child and Youth Health Strategy by Jean Robinson-Dexter;
- Your Future in Special Event Management by Margot Rumley;
- Role of Recreation in Community Development by Jim Campbell;
- Transforming Program Assessment into Learning-Centred Practise by Tom Delamere, Merv Jefferies, and Deb Simpson;
- Inclusion in Recreation over the Years by Janet Landry;
- Entrepreneurship and its Role in Universities by Jill Hiscock;
- International Cultural Experiences: Broadening the Horizon by Heather Wicksted and Leah Levac;
- Volunteer Recruitment and Retention by Charlene Shannon and Ted Meldrum;
- Round Table Discussion on Student Organizations in Canada led by Ali Shaver;
- Partnerships for the Environment by Martin Wanless;
- Asset Mapping by Gordon Hall;
- Equity in Recreation Settings by Cindy James;
- Technology and Recreation in the new Millennium by Gary Boates;
- Community Theatre: The Pride of the Community by Jerry Etienne and Peter Smith;
- Fieldwork: The Transition from Academic Preparation to Professional Practice by Douglas Cripps, Madonna Chaulk, and Alison Fisher;
- Living and Learning at Heartwood Centre by Kathleen Naylor;
- Scouting and the International Community by Mike Cleland;
- Understanding the Needs of At-Risk Youth by Brenda Robertson;
- Social Skills and Summer Camp: Difficulties Experienced by Children with Learning Disabilities by Blair Niblett;
- Leisure and Spirituality by Paul Heintzman;
- Leisure Education for Leisure and Recreation Students by Darrel Morrow;
- Not for Profit Organizations in a For Profit Society by Dawn Stegen and Marilyn Worth;
- Programming in an Original Environment by Oonagh Holmes;
- True Colours Workshop by Norm Amirault;
- Learning from Adventure Experiences by Scott Hennigar, Mike Whiting, and Kristy Martin.
UNIVERSITY SHOWCASE
A number of universities gave presentations on the nature of their programs highlighting unique aspects of their offerings in comparison to other institutions. Participants in the showcase included:
Acadia
Dalhousie U of New Brunswick |
Malaspina
Red Deer College Memorial U |
U of Ottawa
Concordia Kent State |
U of Georgia
U of Alberta Lakehead |
Atlantic Tourism and Hospitality Institute
University College of Cape Breton |
RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
The conference research symposium showcased current research being carried out by faculty as well as Honours, Masters, and Doctoral students in Canada. Submissions were adjudicated through a peer review process. Speakers and topics selected for presentation are listed below:
Robert Pitter (Acadia University) A Typology of Church Recreation Programming. A report on a study examining sport and recreation within the religious component of the voluntary sector. Variation in the foci of church-based sport programming within this sample of organization is discussed with regard to spatial location, class and race.
Ann Dodge (Acadia University) Varsity Athletes Justification for Unethical Behaviour in Sport. Although some writers contend that sport builds character, reality indicates that unethical behaviours are far too often associated with sport. This study sheds light on how the athletes themselves justify some of the unethical practises that take place.
Charlene Shannon (University of Waterloo) Caring and Women’s Leisure: An Exploration of the Varying Perspectives. The feminist perspective on caring focuses on the structural dominance and control that has oppressed women and shaped their caring roles. Recognizing that social structures are often responsible for women maintaining their caring roles has important implication for how women’s leisure may be influenced, constrained or controlled by the activity of caring.
Jessica Notwell (Acadia University) Feminist Goal-Attainment Strategies: Self-Empowerment and the Potential to Transform Women’s Leisure. This study addresses strategies employed by women to move between feminist consciousness and feminist transformative action as well as to define the potential impacts of young Canadian women’s participation in transformative action of their leisure opportunities. The research places the results in the context of gender issues in leisure.
Brett Lashua (Kent State University) A Fun Activity I Do In My Free Time: Student Perceptions of Leisure and the Leisure Services Profession. The purpose of the study is to determine what leisure studies students believe to be true about leisure, leisure service professionals and the body of knowledge related to the field and if a systemic culture pattern exists, relative to these beliefs. Data were collected from students majoring in leisure services at a large mid western university in the USA.
Ruth Morrison (Acadia University) Arts Alive: A Case Study of the Learning Process in an Enterprise Projects Course. Over the past three years, Acadia has offered enterprise projects that bring together faculty, staff and students to work on “real life” arts projects. This case study that looks at the learning process manifested in team members’ on-line discussions based on an enterprise course.
Laurene Rehman, Lynne Robinson and Joanne MacQueen (Dalhousie University) Riding the Information Highway: Are We There Yet?. This paper explores issues related to student computer usage including socio-economic status, family history of computer use, and educational status. The nature of computer of computer-based experiences and degree of satisfaction with those experiences is explored.
Jerry Singleton and Adrienne Leblanc (Dalhousie University) Bridging the Gap Between Theory, Research and Practice. This paper explores how recreation therapy research findings relate to the clinicians in the field of therapeutic recreation. This literature-based work identifies that a gap does exist between research and practise and addresses related issues from both the academic and practitioner perspectives.
Paul Heintzman (Acadia University) Rowing, Sailing, Reading, Discussing, Praying: The Spiritual Impact of an Experientially-Based Graduate Course. This paper reports the results of a qualitative study of in-depth interviews, which investigated the immediate and long-term spiritual effects of participation in an experientially-based academic course. Analysis identified five themes related to spiritual impact of the course upon participants.
Nadine Hallet (Edmonton, Alberta) Issues Around Sustainable Rural Tourism. This paper considers the concept of sustainability as it links agri-tourism with the operator, community and environment. The paper examines the case of Grey Fox Ranch Bed and Breakfast which recently closed after 7 years of operation.
Tom Delamere (Malaspina University College) A Critical Assessment of the Role of Festivals in Small Communities. This paper describes the impacts perceived by a community hosting a specific tourism event: the Parksville Sand Castle Festival. The two purposes defined for the study were to document community attitudes regarding the festival, and to field test survey instruments for measuring community attitudes, extending previous tourism impacts research.
Michelle Howell (Dalhousie University) Encountering the Self at Sea. The primary purpose of the participation and observation was to explore youth’s perceptions and experiences of their sail training experience to determine if sail training is an effective method of education, and a successful alternative to therapeutic programming for youth at risk.
Gordon Walker (University of Alberta) Place, Meaning and River Guides: A Case Study. In this study, data on client-guide interacts and place meanings were collected from participants in commercial guided river experiences. Results indicate that river guides influence the meaning clients give to places, through both their actions and the messages they convey.
Cynthia Stacey (University of New Brunswick) Challenges of Linear Recreation Research: The St. Croix Waterway Case. The paper reports on a study of recreational use of the St. Croix International Waterway system. A number of the challenges confronted when attempting to conduct research associated with linear recreation activities and areas will be discussed.
Shirley Cleave (University of New Brunswick) The Delphi Technique – A Useful Tool in the Researcher’s Kitbag. An overview of the Delphi Technique will be presented including purpose and procedures as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the technique. A study in which the Delphi Technique was used to establish performance indicators for Intramural Sports Programs was presented.
Robert Pitter (Acadia University) A Typology of Church Recreation Programming. A report on a study examining sport and recreation within the religious component of the voluntary sector. Variation in the foci of church-based sport programming within this sample of organization is discussed with regard to spatial location, class and race.
Ann Dodge (Acadia University) Varsity Athletes Justification for Unethical Behaviour in Sport. Although some writers contend that sport builds character, reality indicates that unethical behaviours are far too often associated with sport. This study sheds light on how the athletes themselves justify some of the unethical practises that take place.
Charlene Shannon (University of Waterloo) Caring and Women’s Leisure: An Exploration of the Varying Perspectives. The feminist perspective on caring focuses on the structural dominance and control that has oppressed women and shaped their caring roles. Recognizing that social structures are often responsible for women maintaining their caring roles has important implication for how women’s leisure may be influenced, constrained or controlled by the activity of caring.
Jessica Notwell (Acadia University) Feminist Goal-Attainment Strategies: Self-Empowerment and the Potential to Transform Women’s Leisure. This study addresses strategies employed by women to move between feminist consciousness and feminist transformative action as well as to define the potential impacts of young Canadian women’s participation in transformative action of their leisure opportunities. The research places the results in the context of gender issues in leisure.
Brett Lashua (Kent State University) A Fun Activity I Do In My Free Time: Student Perceptions of Leisure and the Leisure Services Profession. The purpose of the study is to determine what leisure studies students believe to be true about leisure, leisure service professionals and the body of knowledge related to the field and if a systemic culture pattern exists, relative to these beliefs. Data were collected from students majoring in leisure services at a large mid western university in the USA.
Ruth Morrison (Acadia University) Arts Alive: A Case Study of the Learning Process in an Enterprise Projects Course. Over the past three years, Acadia has offered enterprise projects that bring together faculty, staff and students to work on “real life” arts projects. This case study that looks at the learning process manifested in team members’ on-line discussions based on an enterprise course.
Laurene Rehman, Lynne Robinson and Joanne MacQueen (Dalhousie University) Riding the Information Highway: Are We There Yet?. This paper explores issues related to student computer usage including socio-economic status, family history of computer use, and educational status. The nature of computer of computer-based experiences and degree of satisfaction with those experiences is explored.
Jerry Singleton and Adrienne Leblanc (Dalhousie University) Bridging the Gap Between Theory, Research and Practice. This paper explores how recreation therapy research findings relate to the clinicians in the field of therapeutic recreation. This literature-based work identifies that a gap does exist between research and practise and addresses related issues from both the academic and practitioner perspectives.
Paul Heintzman (Acadia University) Rowing, Sailing, Reading, Discussing, Praying: The Spiritual Impact of an Experientially-Based Graduate Course. This paper reports the results of a qualitative study of in-depth interviews, which investigated the immediate and long-term spiritual effects of participation in an experientially-based academic course. Analysis identified five themes related to spiritual impact of the course upon participants.
Nadine Hallet (Edmonton, Alberta) Issues Around Sustainable Rural Tourism. This paper considers the concept of sustainability as it links agri-tourism with the operator, community and environment. The paper examines the case of Grey Fox Ranch Bed and Breakfast which recently closed after 7 years of operation.
Tom Delamere (Malaspina University College) A Critical Assessment of the Role of Festivals in Small Communities. This paper describes the impacts perceived by a community hosting a specific tourism event: the Parksville Sand Castle Festival. The two purposes defined for the study were to document community attitudes regarding the festival, and to field test survey instruments for measuring community attitudes, extending previous tourism impacts research.
Michelle Howell (Dalhousie University) Encountering the Self at Sea. The primary purpose of the participation and observation was to explore youth’s perceptions and experiences of their sail training experience to determine if sail training is an effective method of education, and a successful alternative to therapeutic programming for youth at risk.
Gordon Walker (University of Alberta) Place, Meaning and River Guides: A Case Study. In this study, data on client-guide interacts and place meanings were collected from participants in commercial guided river experiences. Results indicate that river guides influence the meaning clients give to places, through both their actions and the messages they convey.
Cynthia Stacey (University of New Brunswick) Challenges of Linear Recreation Research: The St. Croix Waterway Case. The paper reports on a study of recreational use of the St. Croix International Waterway system. A number of the challenges confronted when attempting to conduct research associated with linear recreation activities and areas will be discussed.
Shirley Cleave (University of New Brunswick) The Delphi Technique – A Useful Tool in the Researcher’s Kitbag. An overview of the Delphi Technique will be presented including purpose and procedures as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the technique. A study in which the Delphi Technique was used to establish performance indicators for Intramural Sports Programs was presented.