guided independent study

430:030 Diversity in Leisure, Youth and Human Services
Course Details        Return to course list         Enrollment information

Course credit

3 credit hours

Course description

Overview of interaction of leisure services and the elements of diversity including race/ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation and ability/disability.

Delivery

web This course is available in a web-based format, utilizing web pages and WebCT, a computer conferencing program. WebCT requires Internet access and a web browser — no additional software is required. Students may need access to someone who can assist with computer set-up.

print This course is available in a print-based format. Mail completed assignments to the GIS Office. We will forward them to the instructor for grading.

Prerequisites

none

Instructor

Rodney B. Dieser, Associate Professor

Rodney B. Dieser, Ph.D., is currently a Faculty member in the Division of Leisure, Youth and Human Services (College of Education) at the University of Northern Iowa. He holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism from the University of Utah (emphasis in therapeutic recreation and educational psychology). He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy degree from the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta (Canada).

Rodney B. Dieser's academic interests are focused on: (1) cross-cultural aspects of leisure theory, wellness, and recreation service delivery (2) discourse analysis of systems of thought (history and philosophy) in therapeutic recreation, leisure, health and human services (3) disability studies, and (4), leisure programming and community development, and (5) representation of health in popular culture. His academic writings have appeared in the American Journal of Recreation Therapy, Annual in Therapeutic Recreation, Journal of Leisure Research, Leisure Science, Leisure Studies, Therapeutic Recreation Journal and in other social science journals.

Rod has written various chapters in books and is a co-author of the book Leisure programming: A service centered and benefits approach. He has worked as a licensed therapeutic recreation specialist and addiction counselor in Salt Lake County (Utah) and as a therapeutic recreation specialists for the Salt Lake School District. Rod likes to golf, mountain bike, and work on his comic book collection. Rod and his wife spend most summers visiting their parents and grandparents in Southern Alberta (Canada) and occasionally he teaches a summer class at the University of Lethbridge (Canada).

Evaluation

6 assignments, 2 exams

Introduction

The following course has been designed to introduce elements of diversity and multiculturalism and to relate it to the professions of leisure, youth, and human services. Furthermore, this course has a secondary goal of developing moral citizenship and syntopical reading/thinking (comparative reading – reading many articles and placing them in relation to the subject). This course will explore available and potential leisure services for differing cultures in community recreation, nonprofit recreation organizations, youth and human service organizations, parks, private/commercial recreation facilities, outdoor recreation, therapeutic recreation programs, tourism agencies, and human service organizations.

Students will gain awareness, knowledge, and skills regarding differing cultural groups through reading assignments, experiential learning activities, field experience, writing assignments, and the analysis of popular culture. To this end, this class revolves around six assignments:

  1. Critical thinking: A tool to deal with diversity in society and the profession of Leisure, Youth, and Human Services,
  2. Understanding Euro-North American culture and different cultures,
  3. Understanding gender and sexuality,
  4. Wellness, leisure, GI Joe and Barbie culture,
  5. Other areas of diversity: race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disabilities, religion, and aging, and
  6. Organizational strategies to deal with diversity in the profession of leisure, youth, and human services.
Please note that some assignments (e.g., wellness, leisure, GI Joe, and Barbie culture) require more reading and academic work than other assignments.

Course Objectives

  • To explore issues and elements of diversity, multiculturalism, and disability in order to understand oneself and the society in which people live.
  • To obtain an understanding of personal biases and societal attitudes towards various populations.
  • To investigate legal and political influences on issues of diversity as they relate to the delivery of leisure services.
  • To demonstrate an increased empathy for those who are members of diverse groups, especially in leisure settings.
  • To obtain knowledge of the responsibilities of leisure service professionals to serve diverse populations.
  • To identify barriers to leisure participation and how to overcome those barriers.
  • To identify issues regarding access for people who have disabilities and other contemporary issues regarding diverse group interactions with leisure and leisure services.

Course Format

The course is divided into 6 assignments, a midterm and a final examination.

Assignment Evaluation

All of your assignments will be evaluated via a critical thinking framework (from the reading Elements and Standards by Dr. William Strean). The critical thinking elements (intellectual standards) that will be used to evaluate all of your assignments will be:

  • Clarity: Being free from confusion.
  • Precision: Being specific and exact.
  • Accuracy: Being free from errors, mistakes, or distortions.
  • Relevancy: Having a close and logical relationship to the question at hand.
  • Breadth: Exploring alternative perspectives.
  • Depth: Explaining the complexity of the issue.
  • Logic: Using relevant assumptions, concepts, data, theories, and implications.
Of course, good writing and grammar skills will affect all of these critical thinking elements. For example, poor writing structure and spelling errors will affect clarity of thought.

Midterm and Final Examination

Midterm Exam: This exam will consist of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. You are required to know the information from the reading assignments from Assignments 1-3. (30 points).

Final Exam: This exam will consist of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. You are required to know the information from the reading assignments from Assignments 4-6. (30 points). However, you are not required to know information from the two book "Barbie Culture" and "Riding the Bus with my Sister."

Examinations will be taken as proctored exams. Both exams will be closed book and will have a two hour time limit. Online request forms are available within the Course Content tool.

Academic Ethics

All work in this course must be done by you and must be done specifically for this course. Although it is wise to consult and seek advice from others, you are to do your own work (e.g., writing and researching). All ethics violations, intentional or unintentional, will result in a grade of F for this course.

Grading

Assignment 1 = 30
Assignment 2 = 35
Assignment 3 = 35
Assignment 4 = 30
Assignment 5 = 40
Assignment 6 = 25
Midterm Exam = 30
Final Exam = 35

A = 93%+
A- = approx 90-92%
B+ = approx 87-89%
B = approx 83-86%
B- = approx 80-82%
C+ = approx 77-79%
C = approx 73-76%
C- = approx 70-72%
D+ = approx 67-69%
D = approx 63-66%
D- = approx 60-62%
F = approx 59%-

Textbook(s)

Allison, M.T. & Schneider, I.E. (Eds.) Diversity and the Recreation Profession: Organizational Perspectives. State College, PA: Venture. 2000.

Rogers, M. F. (1999). Barbie Culture. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Simon, R. (2002). Riding the Bus With My Sister: A True Life Journey. New York: Plume Books.

Course Reading Packet (Available through the Guided Independent Study Office.)

Texts are available from www.bookfinder.com

University Book and Supply carries most books used in guided independent study.
To search for textbooks by course, click on "Select a Campus Term" and select Univ.Northern Iowa - Guided Independent Study
Visit the store at 1009 West 23rd Street, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Phone: 319-266-7581 or 800-728-7581
Fax: 319-277-1266
E-mail: bookstore@panthersupply.com

To enroll

ONLINE
GIS enrollment information

IN PERSON
UNI Continuing and Distance Education
2637 Hudson Road (corner of 27th St. and Hudson Rd.)
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0223
Campus map (Look for Building 31)

For more information

Cindy Klodt, Guided Independent Study
UNI Continuing and Distance Education
319-273-2123 or 800-772-1746
ContinuingEd@uni.edu