Date of Award

January 2015

Degree Type

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Recreation and Park Administration

First Advisor

Ryan L. Sharp

Department Affiliation

Recreation and Park Administration

Second Advisor

Michael J. Bradley

Department Affiliation

Recreation and Park Administration

Third Advisor

Louisa A. Summers

Department Affiliation

Exercise and Sport Science

Abstract

Service Learning is steadily becoming a more utilized method of teaching in collegiate settings and thus the purpose of this research was to (1) Examine how service learning in a collegiate recreation program may or may not benefit students academically and personally and (2) Determine if therapeutic recreation students perceive service learning to be more beneficial than other concentrations in the recreation field. It was hypothesized that service learning would benefit undergraduate and graduate students both academically and personally and that undergraduate therapeutic recreation majors would perceive service learning to be more beneficial than other concentrations. The findings supported both hypotheses. Students reported service learning as unanimously beneficial, both academically and personally and therapeutic recreation students perceived service learning as more beneficial than other concentrations. In conclusion, service learning is perceived as a beneficial educational process and its use should be continued in the recreation programs curriculum. More research is necessary to determine if service learning is beneficial in all collegiate recreation programs across all available concentrations. More research is also needed to enhance understanding of how learning is enhanced by service.

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