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Verification of Competencies Needed by Entry-Level Recreation, Park and Leisure Professionals in Florida and the Relationship of Competency Perception to Readiness for Self-Directed Learning

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Date Issued:
1991
Summary:
The Delphi technique was used as a means to achieve consensus on a set of competencies developed and field tested by a prior task force. After three rounds of the Delphi, a high rate of consensus was reached on competencies viewed as needed by entry-level professionals in park, recreation and leisure fields (round one, 17.9% consensus: round two, 86.0% consensus: round three, 95.5% consensus). The Delphi technique was effective in moving the Florida Recreation and Park Association certified professionals to a like view of a core of competencies. The 116 competencies that had achieved consensus and reached a 4.0 criterion level were then sub-divided into the categories of Philosophy of Parks, Recreation, and Leisure: Administration/Management of Parks, Recreation, and Leisure; Personnel Management; Financial Management; Community Development; Marketing; Planning; Park and Facility Maintenance; and Program Development. The category assignment of individual competencies was based on a previously validated task analysis study (Middleton, 1981). The 116 competencies were then rank-ordered by means in each of the sub-categories. Nine hypotheses were then tested to determine if statistically significant differences existed between and among items in the study. Five of the nine null hypotheses were rejected. In this study, there was a difference in how administrators, supervisors, and leaders view essential competencies. There was also a difference in how individuals at various levels of education view desirable competencies. This suggested that specific competencies are more important for different employment levels and that certain competencies should be acquired at different stages of one's career. Significant differences also were noted when the selfdirected learning readiness scores were compared with the rating of the selected competencies. The findings imply that individuals who are more involved in pursuing additional learning are also going to expect a higher level of competency than individuals who are not as professionally involved. A list of 11 items were suggested as recommendations for future research. It was sugges~ed that a competencybased curriculum could be developed utilizing the information gleaned through this research. Other recommendations were made regarding certification, selfassessment checklists, a manpower study, and training methodologies.
Title: Verification of Competencies Needed by Entry-Level Recreation, Park and Leisure Professionals in Florida and the Relationship of Competency Perception to Readiness for Self-Directed Learning.
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Name(s): Bryan, Valerie, author
Guglielmino, Lucy M., Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 1991
Date Issued: 1991
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, FL
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 315 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The Delphi technique was used as a means to achieve consensus on a set of competencies developed and field tested by a prior task force. After three rounds of the Delphi, a high rate of consensus was reached on competencies viewed as needed by entry-level professionals in park, recreation and leisure fields (round one, 17.9% consensus: round two, 86.0% consensus: round three, 95.5% consensus). The Delphi technique was effective in moving the Florida Recreation and Park Association certified professionals to a like view of a core of competencies. The 116 competencies that had achieved consensus and reached a 4.0 criterion level were then sub-divided into the categories of Philosophy of Parks, Recreation, and Leisure: Administration/Management of Parks, Recreation, and Leisure; Personnel Management; Financial Management; Community Development; Marketing; Planning; Park and Facility Maintenance; and Program Development. The category assignment of individual competencies was based on a previously validated task analysis study (Middleton, 1981). The 116 competencies were then rank-ordered by means in each of the sub-categories. Nine hypotheses were then tested to determine if statistically significant differences existed between and among items in the study. Five of the nine null hypotheses were rejected. In this study, there was a difference in how administrators, supervisors, and leaders view essential competencies. There was also a difference in how individuals at various levels of education view desirable competencies. This suggested that specific competencies are more important for different employment levels and that certain competencies should be acquired at different stages of one's career. Significant differences also were noted when the selfdirected learning readiness scores were compared with the rating of the selected competencies. The findings imply that individuals who are more involved in pursuing additional learning are also going to expect a higher level of competency than individuals who are not as professionally involved. A list of 11 items were suggested as recommendations for future research. It was sugges~ed that a competencybased curriculum could be developed utilizing the information gleaned through this research. Other recommendations were made regarding certification, selfassessment checklists, a manpower study, and training methodologies.
Identifier: FA00000654 (IID)
Degree granted: Dissertation (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1991.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
College of Education
Subject(s): Recreation leaders--Employment--Florida
Recreation leaders--Training of--Florida
Parks--Employees--Training of--Florida
Competency-based education
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library
Sublocation: Boca Raton, Fla.
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000654
Sublocation: Digital Library
Restrictions on Access: All rights reserved by the source institution
Restrictions on Access: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Restrictions on Access: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.