Evaluating Recreation Services, 4th Ed.: Making Enlightened Decisions

Evaluation is a process that each of us uses every day. Professionals in any field of human services must have the means to access and assess information. Having information is not enough, however, unless that information can be applied and used. To organize and manage recreation services (i.e., all elements related to the various specialties in the field such as parks, tourism, sports, arts, therapeutic recreation, camping, event management), information is needed about people's preferences, needs, and behaviors and the programs, administrative structures, and resources that comprise the organizations. To build a body of knowledge and to document the value of recreation, systematic processes are necessary. Evaluation and research can provide information that will enable "enlightened decisions." Evaluating Recreation Services: Making Enlightened Decisions, Fourth Edition, is about systematic evaluation and research that focuses specifically on identifying explicit evaluation criteria or research questions, collecting evidence or data, and making judgments about the value or the worth of something applied to service improvement or knowledge development. This book aims to provide a basic overview and working knowledge of procedures. Knowing basic steps in evaluation research and having some familiarity with evaluation and research tools can help you to begin a process of lifelong learning about systematic inquiry.

About the Author :
Dr. Karla A. Henderson is currently a professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management at North Carolina State University. She teaches primarily graduate courses in the area of recreation and leisure theory and qualitative research methods. She has been on the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Texas Woman's University. Her Ph.D. was completed at the University of Minnesota. Karla has given numerous presentations throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. M. Deborah Bialeschki, PhD, is currently senior researcher with the American Camp Association (ACA), where she is involved in research focused on youth development and the camp experience.Prior to joining ACA, Deb was on the faculty at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill for 20 years until she retired in 2005 as professor emerita. She has authored 12 books, collaborated on 17 book chapters, and contributed over 150 articles and presentations in national and international journals and conferences. Deb has been editor of major research journals, has chaired national research conferences, and been elected to professional academies. She received academic awards, including the Tanner Faculty Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching from UNC-Chapel Hill and the SPRE Distinguished Colleague Award. Laurie P. Browne, PhD, is the Director of Research for the American Camp Association, where she supports camps and other out-of-school time programs to evaluate their programs and communicate findings to their stakeholders. Prior to joining ACA, Laurie was assistant professor in the Department of Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks Management at California State University, Chico. She taught classes related to recreation program planning, research methods, and business operations, and served as president of the California Park and Recreation Associations Educators Section. Laurie earned her PhD at the University of Utah in parks, recreation, and tourism and has published scholarship related to youth development, camp operations, and teaching and learning in higher education.In her spare time, Laurie enjoys being outdoors with her favorite campersher three kids, two dogs, and husbandin the fabulous mountains and desert of Utah.