Definition Of Outdoor Recreation Physical Education Essay

Definition Of exterior Recreation Physical Education EssayThe term Recreation, which came from the word Recreate means to create a new. disclosedoor(a)(a) diversionary attackist defined merriments as recreating something new in batch which they have mazed era getting so indulged in their work. But the question arises, to re-create what? Therefore, what has been lost during the non unoccupied period that engages to be recreated during the void time? In line with that, Kelly, (1996) assigns that Recreation stems from the Latin recreatio, which refers to restoration or recury. The term implies the re-creation of cipher or the restoration of ability to function. Recreation contains the concept of restoration of wholeness of mind, spirit, and body. It presupposes some new(prenominal) occupation that depletes, tires, or deteriorates that wholeness(p. 25). In otherwise words, people need to move from their working environment and do some kind of activities which can fill that wholeness whining them. hence, this can only be achieved through open-air(prenominal) recreation activities.Outdoor recreation, is any leisure time activity which is being conducted open-air(prenominal) where individuals engages themselves either tangiblely or mentally from a rove of choices of activities for their personal triumph and enjoyment. This wide range of activities can be subdivided into two categories which atomic number 18 namely, resource found and user-oriented recreation. The resource based recreation is known to be conducted in the inhering surrounding that cannot be easily duplicated by man and on the contrary, user-oriented recreation can be provided anywhere such as theme pose. causes of outdoorsy activityThere be a wide variety of outdoor activities which can be categorized into land based activity or water based activity. Some of the well known activities are listed belowBicyclingCampingCanoeing/KayakingBoatingFishingFreshwater SwimmingHikingHo rseback RidingHunting mechanized OHV RidingNature StudyPicnickingB distri scarceively ActivitiesVisiting Archeological and Historic SitesCanoeing/KayakingCanoeing/kayaking refers to the use of one or much than single or dual blades, paddles, to impel a canoe or kayak forward with only human muscle power. For planning purposes canoeing/kayaking also represents many different signifiers of paddling activities, such as rafting or whitewater rafting. A majority of the use is facilitated through canoe/kayak launches and formulateated paddling domiciles, although such facilities are not absolutely required.BoatingFreshwater and saltwater boating is the leisure activity of strikeing by boat, or the recreational use of a boat focused on travel itself. Boats vary greatly, from powerboats to sailboats or human ply vessels. Although there are many different forms of boating, their basic similarly is the requirement of a water body as their principal supporting resource. To provide app roach to a body of water, boat ramp facilities and marina facilities are prevalently developed by outdoor recreation providers.SwimmingFreshwater swimming is an outdoor recreation type embracing all of the various activities carried on in fresh water in which the participant is the sole means of locomotion. Specialized variations of swimming overwhelm diving, skin diving, and SCUBA diving. Resources and facilities commonly found at outdoor recreation areas that provide freshwater swimming include beach areas, docks and swimming and diving platforms.Benefits exampleOutdoor and adventure activities benefits have been analysed and portrayed by using a variety of models/framework in the past. As presented in the work of Stiehl and Parker (2007), these model and framework have been summarized in table 1-4.Table 1 Benefits of Outdoor jeopardise (Darst Armstrong, 1980)DimensionBenefitPersonalNew take in adds a kick to participants lives, allows them to experience somethingHigh- for tune experience facing perceived danger may help participants overcome fears, gain self-confidence, and enhance their ability to copeEscape offers release form the tensions and complexities of modern lifeSuccess allows participants to achieve a highly personal senses of accomplishmentKnowledge participants learn more about themselves and the environmentPhysical seaworthiness physical activity can help burn calories and increase strength, stamina, and flexibilityEconomicMinimal financial investment provides interesting and pleasant activities at a reasonable cost neighborly-psychologicalSocializing provides a chance to meet others who have similar interestsUnity promotes cohesiveness and doing things together without the distractions of everyday lifeCooperation and trust promotes ameliorate relationships through cooperation, appreciation of others, ruth and keep an eye onNature and outdoors promotes aesthetics appreciation for personality and concern for vanishing wild placesTable 2 Benefits of Outdoor Adventure (Ewert, 1989)DimensionBenefitPsychologicalBenefits on a personal (versus group) basis Self concept (enhanced or strengthened view), self-efficacy (self-confidence), self-actualisation (well-being, amend self-expression, get holdings of psychological wellness)SociologicalCompassion, cooperation, respect for others, communicationEducationalImproved academic abilities, sensory faculty of nature and the environment, problem solving, outdoor skills, values clarificationPhysicalStrength, co-ordination, eternal sleep, cardiovascular enduranceTable 3 Goals and Benefits of Outdoor Adventure (Webb, 1999)DimensionBenefitRecreationalEnjoyment, relaxation, entertainment, excitement, catharsis, self-expressionSkillGoal setting, decision making, problem solving, responsibility, physical development, nature awareness, communication, headershipCharacterIndependence, interdependence, self-efficacy, willingness to take risks, tolerance, respect, trust, compassionTable 4 Benefits of Camping (American Camp Association, 2005)DimensionBenefitPositive identityTo the participant e.g. self-esteem, determination, dependability, ambition, independenceSocial skillsBeyond the individual group bonding, cooperation, struggle resolution, appreciation of differences, leadership, community, connected to othersPhysical and thinking skillsActivity skills, technical skills physiological benefits of physical activity Thinking skills knowledge of safety measures, planning, problem solving, environmental awarenessPositive values and spiritualityAcquiring and strengthening virtue selflessness, compassion, keeping commitments, fulfilling obligations, self-discipline, honesty Connection to earth, others and even a higher powerHealth benefits of outdoor recreationGenerally, outdoor recreation is known to improve peoples wellness and this can be achieved by doing regular physical activities. Similarly outdoor recreation contri scarceion to health is often considered in the circumstance of Wellness. accord to the World Health Organisation (2003), health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This definition shifts from a strict medical model of health to a simple concept of well-being. Hence, the Alberta Centre for Well Being (1989) found that the concept of well-being or optimal health involves a delicate balance among physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual and social health. In the same way, outdoor recreation covers all those aspects of health and also helps in not only enhancing the physical health but also the emotional well being of humans.During a search and promotional campaign, Carney (2001) confirmed the fact that physically inactive people have greater risk of having numerous health problems like coronary heart disease and some form of cancer rather than smoking, having a poor diet or drinking. Hence people can improve their healt h and those particularly in relation of coronary heart disease through regular instance and activities like move and cycling which are relatively inexpensive activities and which does not require any special skills to perform and it can also easily fit in peoples the daily routine. Hence in regards to that, The Health Education Board of Scotland has been promoting and encouraging paseo through its campaign named walk about a bit.General health benefits of Outdoor ActivityThere is a wide range of outdoor activity for example, Bird Watching may involve walking along with interpreting sounds and visual clues as well as meeting and socialising with other fellow Birdwatchers which contributes to wellness. Similarly, walking itself is known to be the most common outdoor activity and brisk walking for whether one hour per day or three hours a week helps to lower the risk of heart diseases by 30 to 40 percent in women (AARP 2008, citing the 20-Year Nurses Health Study). Therefore, walkin g have many health benefits specially for older adults which aremanaging weightcontrolling line pressuredecreasing risk of heart attackboosting good cholesterollowering risk of strokereducing risk of breast cancer and Type 2 diabetesavoiding need for gallstone surgery protecting against hip fracturepreventing depression, colon cancer, constipation, osteoporosis, and impotencelengthening lifespanlowering pains levelsrelieving arthritis and back distractstrengthening muscles, bones, and jointsimproving sleep andelevating overall mood and sense of well-being.Thus, outdoor activities that include walking help to maintain a good health and wellness. In addition, many researchers (Driver and Knopf 1976 Driver and Cooksey 1977 Driver 1985 Godbey et al. 1992 Tinsley et al. 2003 Kaczynski and Henderson 2007) have found beneficial effects of outdoor recreation on two problems in particular which are stress and obesity.Stress and outdoor activityAccording to Godbey and Blazey (1983), stroll ing in lay is seen as beneficial to older visitors since it helps in stress reduction and More and Payne (1978), also added that it helps to mitigate the level of anxiety, sadness and negative mood by spending time in commonalitys. Hence, the longer people stay in parks, the less stressed they feel (Hull and Michael 1995).The American Institute of Stress (2008) found that 43 percent of adults in U.S suffer from acute or chronic stress. Moreover stress also lead to heart attack, blood pressure and is also linked with obesity (Bell et al. 1998 Brand et al. 2000). Hence, numerous studies have shown that when being in the natural surroundings, people tend to recover quickly and have fever illness (Frumkin 2001 Moore 1981 Ulrich 1984 Parsons et al.1998). therefore performing an activity within the natural environment have a rejuvenating effect over the peoples health while they are in contact with wilderness area (Hartig et al. 1991 Kaplan 1984), community parks (Canin 1991 Cimprich 1 993), prairies (Miles et al. 1998).Obesity and outdoor activityObesity is seen as an epidemic and it is closely linked and contributes to increased risk of disease such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, respiratory disease and many others. Although there are multiple causes of obesity and it is not completely understood by researchers, sedentary that is insufficient physical activity is known as one of the factors causing obesity.Between 1991 and 2001 obesity in United States have been steadily studied and it was found that obesity rates have increased to 75 percent among adults and that only 25 percent are engaged in doing recommended activities. Figure 1 below shows more detailed information about obesity rates in California.Figure 1 The growing of Obesity in California Percentage of Californias PopulationPercent (%)YearSource CDC, 2002aObesity also affects a large number of children (Milnes, 2008). Children, who are operose at their younger age, tend to become overweight adults later and this contributes to low self esteem and alienation (Healthlink, Medical College of Wisconsin, January 14, 2009). Furthermore, studies carried out on preschool children showed that being outdoor plays a major role in performing physical activities like playing games with friends (Sallis et al. 2000). Likewise, outdoor temperatures whether hot or cold act as a stimulus and prompt the body to burn more calories than rather being in heated and air conditioned environment.Economic benefits of outdoor recreationAccording to the research of Mackay (n.d.), outdoor recreation is beneficial to the Scottish economy. Due to the fact that throughout years, to perform any particular activity, people have to move and travel to the specific site, need to spend money on equipment, aliment and accommodation and this help to bring income in rural areas of Scotland which gives way to new businesses and sustain the economies of these areas. Moreover, concord to the survey carried out in 1998 in Scotland, it estimates that 137 million day visit were made to the coast and countryside and on average, 6.50 were spent by each persons on each visit (National Centre for Social Research 1998). A more detailed survey carried out in 2000 showed that people spent more than 900 million while participating in walking and other outdoor activities in the countryside and at the coast. Hence, the expenditures were on average people spend 6.20 per party, 1.55 was on fuel and 3.07 was on food and drinks (NOF System Three Scotland 2000).To explore the economic impact of a multi-use rail trail in Victoria, Australia Beeton (2006) surveyed 140 groups, during Easter 2006, total accounting for 625 people. The length of tour was from 0.5 days to 30 days. The average expenditure per person per day was at about $258, $147 on food and beverage of which $27 was accommodation $47 on transport $10 on cycling and $27 on other. The average economic contribution per person was $482. 94(after the application of multipliers).The social benefits of outdoor recreationOutdoor recreation is often regarded as having positive impacts on the society. The physical benefits of outdoor recreation on health have been well documented by researchers but not much emphasis is made on the social benefits linked with these activities. Some of the social benefits of recreation are known as reduced curse rate, promotes stewardship, encourage voluntarism and strengthen the communities. According to the Californian mayors, they believe that parks and recreation facilities helps to strengthen and bring communities together (DPR, 2002). Similarly, 77 percent of Los Angeles citizens were surveyed after the riots of 1993 and they listed that improved parks and recreation facilities are classic or Absolutely unfavorable to the restoration of their community (TPL, 1994).Participating in recreation activities helps to promote voluntarism. Hence, adults who frequently use parks and recrea tion facilities and who participate in recreation programs are generally the one who volunteered rather the one who does not use these services (Busser and Norwalk, 2001). Moreover, following a survey, 95 percent of Americans agreed that outdoor recreations help to generate appreciation for the nature and surrounding (ARC, 2000).Faulks et al (2007, p. 11) found that research conducted on the Central Otago Rail dredge in New Zealand showed that the range of social benefits to the community due to the rail trail, both as a resource and as a place of physical activity, includedMental and physical well-being for participantsEducation benefits regarding an misgiving about working on a railroadBringing families togetherMeeting like-minded peopleIntroducing new people into the community andGenerating a sense of pride and a heightened community identity.Outdoor EducationThere has been a wide range of outdoor programs that have been conducted within readingal contexts in recent research w hich include the Duke of Edinburgh style programs (Bailey, 2004), that is Extended Stay Outdoor Education Programs (ESOEPs) (Gray, 1997 McLeod Allen-Craig, 2007), cross-curriculum programs (Eglington Broderick, 2008 Haddock, 2007a), environmental education centres (Ballantyne Packer, 2007) as well as several traditional outdoor education programs (Hales, 2006 Haskell, 2000 Purdie, Neill, Richards, 2002).Moreover, from such diverse programs, the results account were also wide-ranging. Hence, by participating in the Duke of Edinburgh program, it showed improved relationships among the participants and also problem solving skills and self confidence had been enhanced which have resulted in gain in academic achievement due to involvement in outdoor education programs (Haddock, 2007a, 2007b). in addition through these programs, students have been able to learn and apply eight dimension which areTime managementSocial competenceAchievement motivationIntellectual flexibilityTask leader shipEmotional controlActive initiative andSelf-confidence.On average, outdoor education programs come to the fore to have a small to moderate effect on participants perceptions of their own qualities and capabilities(roughly equivalent to other types of self-concept change programs). These results are a positive endorsement of outdoor education as a legitimate and effective educational training method Outdoor education definitely has something to offer. (Neill and Richards, 1998, p7)Sport, recreation and tourismUnderstanding the motivations and expectations of participants is necessity when trying to provide outdoor programs. Kiewa (2001) carried out a qualitative study using in-depth interviews and diary entries of rock-climbers. She analysed the responses of 14 females and 17 males over a 12-month period, attempting to develop an understanding of the role of gender and motivations and reasons in practicing these sports. The result showed that outdoor adventure programs are cons tructed with the view that both men and women will benefit from programmes designed to support skills associated with the reverse gender (Kiewa, 2001, p.11).Furthermore, in seeking to understand the needs, expectations motivations and of participants, another survey was carried out on a different adventure sport which was rafting trip near Melbourne. The research showed that there were significant differences in the motivations and needs of the participants. While the newer participant tend to focus more on the challenges of the activity, the frequent and experienced ones focus more on the ancillary benefits like spending time with friends and family, resting and relaxing in outdoor environment (Fluker Turner, 2000).In addition, in a less challenging context, two surveys were carried out on visitors to Mt Kosciuszko where more than 2,000 people may visit the summit during peak periods on any one-day. The earlier survey was conducted during Easter 2005 and had 494 participants whil e the other one was conducted over summer 2005/6 and had 2,492 responses (2007b 2007c). In each case, visitors both expected and experienced wilderness, even though there are several structures to protect the environment. The main factor that motivates the participants to visit Mt Kosciuszko, was the scenic beauty and nature then followed by enjoying the outdoors and climbing. For more than 50% of respondents, encountering and experiencing wilderness was very important to them. Although, due to high level visitation subsequent track management work, visitors still had high satisfaction level just by participating and experiencing the nature of the areaFactors motivating outdoor participationA growing number of research supports the proposition that individuals who live in activity friendly environments are more in all probability to be physically active during their leisure time (Sallis et al. 2000 Humpel et al. 2002 Killingsworth 2003 Owen et al. 2004). Active Living Research summ arizes the important facts of such research which are the propinquity, supply, safety and design of recreational spaces. Other well known factor influencing participation is the availability of leisure time. The following subsections consider these variables.Leisure TimeOn average, Americans have 35 to 40 hours of free time per week (Robinson and Godbey 1999 BLS 2006). However, the majority of this time comes in small portions during weekdays, rather than in big blocks on weekends. Hence, watching TV takes up about half of all free time (Table 5) and adding to this, 27 hours per month goes on Internet use for both work and leisure (Nielsen and Hansen 2007). By contrast, sports, exercise and outdoor recreation account for only about 8.5 hours per month. Therefore, outdoor recreation, then, is comparatively rare. Moreover, if travelling is considered as an indoor activity, most Americans spend 95 percent of their time indoors (Robinson and Godbey 1999).Table 5 Americans Leisure Time, 2006Leisure activityAverage minutes per dayWatching TV156 (2.6 hours)Socializing, communicating46Other leisure activities29Reading22Relaxing, thinking19Playing games, using computer for leisure19Sports, exercise, recreation17Total308 (5.1 hours)Note entropy include persons ages 15 and older. Data include all days of the week and are annual averages. SourceAmerican Time Use Survey, U.S. Bureau of excavate Statistics, 2006.Furthermore, while being on vacation, people spend more time outdoors, like walk more, and watching TV less (Robinson and Godbey 1999). Vacations then alleviate perceived job stress and burnout (Westman and Etzion 2001). In short, vacationing may be good for ones health (Gump and Matthews 2000).Proximity to Outdoor SpacesProximity to outdoor recreation is a critical variable in explaining participation rates. Creating and improving the recreational facilities and spaces can spark a 25 percent increase in those who exercise at least(prenominal) three times per wee k (CDC 2002). Hence, the closer people live to a bikeway, the more likely they are to use it (Troped et al. 2001). Moreover, Kaczynski and Henderson (2007) summarize the facts founds concerning the role of park proximity in physical activity. In addition, eight of 13 articles indicated positive associations between physical activity and park proximity. For example, a survey conducted on U.S. adults showed that perceived vex to parks and recreational facilities were related to increased physical activity (Brownson et al. 2001). Similarly, adults in New York City, Baltimore, and North Carolina, were 28 percent more likely to engaged in recreation activities if the parks and recreation facilities was within five miles of their headquarters. Likewise, having facilities within one mile encouraged higher levels of physical activity among African Americans and Hispanics (Diez-Roux et al. 2007).Safety of positionPowell et al. (2003) reported that four studies which were carried out found no significant relation between safety aspect and walking in ones neighborhood, but the three other studies found such a relation. One of the latter indicated that recommended activity levels were met by 43 percent of peoples who had safe places to walk within 10 minutes of home and on the contrary only 27 percent of those without safe places (Powell et al. 2003).An onsite survey in a large metropolitan park revealed that among older adults, female park visitors had significantly more fear of crime than did males (Raymore and Scott 1998). Fear of crime was found to be an important factor, and former crime victims (9 percent of all those surveyed) were particularly fearful. Respondents reported that traveling to and from the park were more worrisome than being in the park itself.Supply of Outdoor SpacesThe number parks and playgrounds in a community are related positively to physical activity levels. For instance, a study of some 500 adults from 56 neighborhoods in Oregon, Portland, found that both the area of green or open space and the number of recreation facilities were related to high levels of physical activity (Li et al. 2005).Although the number parks and green spaces in a community positively influence on physical activity, researchers cannot say that large parks are no more likely to be associated with higher levels of physical activity than littler parks. For example, a study of four neighborhoods in Ontario found no such relationship between the size of parks and their use for physical activity (Kaczynski et al. 2008).The readiness of facilitiesThe benefits of engaging in physical activities, particularly outdoor activities, are dependent on the type of infrastructure provided to participant. According to Aldous (2006), he noted that in the context of leisure planning, providing adequate infrastructure and green spaces in urban areas was important in creating and broadening appreciation for the nature and environment. Similarly, Crilley (2007) stu died the theme of infrastructure grooming to understand the important attributes of trails. Hence, it resulted in the five top trail attributes were easily accessible the trail should be safe well-maintained surface, have adequate signage along the trail and that the trail should be well maintained.Park and Playground Design and FeaturesParks with soccer fields, courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, tennis and racquetball and playgrounds were associated from moderate to mobile levels activity (Floyd et al. 2008).In another study, some researchers have examined 28 features of ball fields, bike paths, and so forth in 33 parks they found that parks with several features were more likely to be used for physical activity rather than parks with fewer features. Moreover, according to Kaczynski et al. (2008) parks with paved trails, for instance, were 26 times more likely to be used for physical activity than parks without paved trails. A study of four park types (neighborhood par k, waterfront park, city park, extreme park) showed that levels of moderate or vigorous activity were highest in the areas having courts, sports fields, playgrounds, and paths, whereas sedentary activity was observed in open green spaces (Shores and West 2008).