problem solving in recreation and parks - sagamorepub.com · the competitive swim team is too...

Problem Solving in Recreation and Parks

5th Edition

Joseph J. Bannon

https://www.sagamorepub.com/products/problem-solving-recreation-and-parks-5th-ed?src=fpdil

ii

© 2017 Sagamore Publishing LLCAll rights reserved.

Publishers: Joseph J. Bannon and Peter L. BannonSales and Marketing Manager: Misti GillesDirector of Development and Production: Susan M. DavisProduction Coordinator: Amy S. DagitGraphic Designer: Marissa Willison

ISBN print edition: 978-1-57167-795-2ISBN e-book: 978-1-57167-796-9Library of Congress Control Number: 2016962239

Printed in the United States

1807 N. Federal Dr.Urbana, IL 61801www.sagamorepublishing.com


Charles BrightbillWho taught me the meaning and importance of leisure.

Allen SaporaWho guided me through my master’s thesis and PhD at the

University of Illinois, and a great personal friend.

“THE” George D. ButlerThe Chairman of the Board at my first job

in Leonia, New Jersey.

This book is dedicated to:


v

CONTENTS

FOREWORD XI

PROLOGUE XIII

PREFACE XV

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS XVII

AUTHOR XIX

Chapter 1

Problem Solving: A Professional Need 1

Chapter 2

The Problem-Solving Model 5

Chapter 3

Use of the Case Study Method in Problem Solving 9

Chapter 4

The Problem Situation 15

Chapter 5

Defining Objectives 27

Chapter 6

Factors That Influence Problem Solving 35

Chapter 7

Brainstorming 43

Chapter 8

Selecting Alternative Solutions 53

Chapter 9

Decision Making 61

Chapter 10

Strategies for Implementation 71


vi

CASE STUDIES

INTRODUCTION 85

CASE # PAGE #

1. THE SPECIAL DISTRICT: SHOULD ONE BE ESTABLISHED? 87

2. ADMISSION CHARGE URGED AT CITY PARKS 88

3. ALCOHOL USE AT THE SALLYBROOK PUBLIC GOLF COURSE 90

4. AWARDING CONCESSIONS CONTRACTS IS TRICKY BUSINESS 92

5. BOARD AGAIN IN SEARCH OF A BUDGET FIX 95

6. THE SUPERINTENDENT IS CONCERNED WITH MORALE 97

7. ASSISTED LIVING PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES AT JACKENSON HEIGHTS HEALTH 98

8. GREENFIELD VILLAGE STRUGGLES WITH OUTSIDER USE OF PARK AND RECREATION PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES 99

9. IS THE UNION REQUEST REASONABLE? 100

10. KEEP BULLYING OUT OF THE RECREATION PROGRAM 102

11. LOCAL RECREATION AND THE UNIVERSITY 106

12. RIDDING GARBAGE COLLECTION: A SOCIAL STIGMA 105

13. THE YMCA DIRECTOR SAYS NO 107

14. NO BUTTS ABOUT IT: NOT IN THE PARK 108

15. TASER GUNS IN THE PARKS: YES OR NO 109

16. THE CENTER GOES TO POT 111

17. LOST TOURISM REVENUE MAY FORCE CUTS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY 112

18. WHO SHOULD USE UNIVERSITY FACILITIES? 114

19. WHAT KIND OF A PROGRAM FOR DOWNSVILLE? 117

20. WHO SHOULD BE THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION? 119

21. HIRING THE CONSULTING FIRM 126


vii

22. PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT 128

23. DRINKING, DRUG ABUSE, AND SEXUAL MISCONDUCT 130

24. SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND RECREATION 133

25. USE OF VOLUNTEERS IN CRISIS 135

26. OFF-ROAD VEHICLES: A NEVER ENDING DEBATE 137

27. A PARK SITE WHERE HISTORY CHANGED FOREVER 139

28. THE RECREATION AND PARK COMMISSION DEBATE: THE VALUE OF YOUTH FOOTBALL 140

29. NO TAX DOLLARS FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT 143

30. NEW LAW ALLOWS GUNS IN OUR NATIONAL PARKS 144

31. TAKE EVERY STEP TO SAVE LAKE GEORGE 145

32. ALIGNING THERAPEUTIC RECREATION WITH CULTURE CHANGE VALUES 147

33. THIS LAND IS MY LAND 151

34. THE COMPETITIVE SWIM TEAM IS TOO COMPETITIVE 153

35. THE PUBLIC WANTS SAFE PARKS 155

36. VANDALISM: A CRITICAL PROBLEM 157

37. ATWOOD’S BITTER CAMPAIGN 158

38. IS 26% REPRESENTATIVE? 161

39. TESTING WILL TELL THE STORY 162

40. THE BOMB THREAT 163

41. DON’T STORE OIL TANKERS IN PARK 164

42. THE LAYOFF DILEMMA 166

43. WILL YOUR AGENCY “CELL” OUT? 168

44. COYOTE SITUATION GETTING UGLY 169

45. DEVELOPMENT THREATENS COMMUNITY RESOURCES 171

CASE # PAGE #


viii

46. USE OF STADIUM FOR DEMONSTRATION 173

47. CAST AS SAFE HAVENS, SOME REC CENTERS MUST DEAL WITH VIOLENCE 174

48. NO MORE SNOW PARTY FUN: RECREATION AGENCIES BAN SLEDDING OVER LIABILITY CONCERNS 177

49. DOES METAL ATTRACT THE WRONG CROWD? 178

50. BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS FACES BUDGET DILEMMA 180

51. SHOULD FLOATPLANES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BE ALLOWED IN A WILDERNESS AREA? 182

52. THE IMAGE OF THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT NEEDS AN OVERHAUL 184

53. BUILDERS SAY NO TO DEDICATED PARKLAND 185

54. IT’S A BIRD, IT’S A PLANE, NO IT’S A DRONE 186

55. ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES: A DILEMMA FOR PARK ADMINISTRATORS 189

56. THE PARK DISTRICT WARNS THE FALL PROGRAMS ARE IN JEOPARDY 191

57. CONTROLLING HALLOWEEN DISTURBANCES 192

58. THE ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND: THE JUNKYARD OF PLAY 194

59. COMMUNITY GROUP WANTS THE PARK DISTRICT TO TAKE OVER PRIVATE FACILITY 195

60. PARK VISITORS WARM TO WINTER WONDERLAND 197

61. SCHOOL DISTRICT WANTS TO BUILD A HIGH SCHOOL ON PARK DISTRICT LAND 198

62. LEARNED HELPLESSNESS IN A SENIOR LIVING FACILITY 202

63. MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION, PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, RIVERDALE, MD 204

64. CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP OF PUBLIC PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES 206

CASE # PAGE #


ix

65. LANGUAGE AND DISABILITIES: WHAT IS RIGHT? 209

66. SHARING CLIENT INFORMATION: WHAT IS ESSENTIAL TO INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMING? 210

67. TIME FOR ATVS IN SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST? 214

68. ROCK FESTIVAL MORE OF A PICNIC THAN A MUSICAL SHOW 216

69. SPECIAL PARKS FOR SIDEWALK “SURFERS” 218

70. EDUCATIONAL HEALTH SESSIONS IN RECREATIONAL SUMMER CAMPS 220

71. CONTROLLING VANDALISM IN PARKS 224

72. STOP APPEALING TO BILLIONAIRES’ EGOS WITH NAMING RIGHTS 227

73. HIRING AN INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 229

74. THE CENTER IS CLOSED 230

75. PLANNING RECREATION FACILITIES 232

76. MAYOR: BRING BIKERS BACK—NEGATIVE ACTIVITIES CONCERN OFFICIALS 234

77. ALCOHOLICS AND THE DISCIPLINARY BOARD’S DILEMMA 235

78. BUILDING THE IDEAL BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB 237

79. THE TENNIS ASSOCIATION MONOPOLY 239

80. TEENAGERS CREATE PROBLEMS IN LOCAL PARK 241

81. FESTIVAL SEEKS TO EXTEND REACH 242

82. MAYOR PLAYS POLITICS WITH RECREATION JOBS 244

83. ARE TEEN PROGRAMS OUTDATED? 245

84. RESPONDING TO THE DEMANDS OF THE DUNKIN RECREATION CENTER 246

85. DISGRUNTLED CITIZENS WILL PREVENT DEMOLITION 248

86. THE TORNADO WATCH POLICY 249

87. PROMOTION WILL DETERMINE SUCCESS OF THE RACQUET CLUB 250

CASE # PAGE #


x

88. IS THE COMMUNITY READY FOR TOURISM PLANNING? 251

89. NATIVITY SCENES BARRED FROM PUBLIC PARK 253

90. SELECT, HIRE THE BEST JOB CANDIDATE 255

91. DROPPING GYMNASTICS HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT 257

92. THE PROS AND CONS OF AWARDS 258

93. GRAND JURY TO INVESTIGATE THE PARK BOARD 259

94. WILL HALLOWEEN TROUBLE HASTEN PASSAGE OF NUISANCE PARTY LAW? 261

95. CULTURAL ARTS DEVELOPMENT IN CITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS 263

96. YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HEART 265

97. LIVING TOGETHER: SINGLE MEMBERSHIP 266

98. MR. ECKERT PRESENTS THE JAYCEES’ COMPLAINT SITUATION 269

99. THE LIFEGUARDS WILL STRIKE 271

100. PERSONNEL POLICIES AT THE NEXT MEETING 272

CASE # PAGE #


xi

FOREWORD

-

--

--

Problem Solving in Recreation and Parks has been written by Joseph Bannon,

-

-

--



xii

--

-

-

-

George D. Butler


xiii

PROLOGUE

Problem Solving in Recreation and Parks.

his young life.

--

-

Schole: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education,Problem Solving in Recreation and Parks il-

-

-son for the staying power of Problem Solving in Recreation and Parks

-

-


xiv


Daniel L. Dustin


xv

PREFACE

-

-

-

--

-

-

-

-

-


xvi

-

-

-

Joseph J. Bannon


xvii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

--

Post Star

Stephanie Esters, The Southern IllinoisanAthletic Business Magazine

The Post,


xix

AUTHOR

Dr. Joseph J. Bannon, Sr., -

-

Management Strategy

-


CHAPTER 1PROBLEM SOLVING: A PROFESSIONAL NEED

Students of recreation and park administration face the challenge of ab-

at the same time gaining practical experience with problem solving in their chosen profession. This situation is prevalent among young scholars entering

society, graduates are expected to take on the demands and responsibilities of professional life. They are able to secure professional positions primarily be-cause of their advanced education. Few educators or curricula train students in problem solving or practical skills, trusting them to have been acquired else-where or to be known instinctively.

As recreation and park educators, we are interested in teaching and re--

cerned with training students in the more pragmatic skills necessary for recre-ation and park administration. If the student’s problem is balancing intellectual matter with more practical experience, the educator must incorporate such skills into the curriculum while training students in the administration of recreation and parks. For instance, a student with a degree in recreation and park administration should be able to design an 8-week summer camp pro-gram, develop and implement an adult recreation program, plan basic market-

park and recreation agency. However, few students are trained to systematically handle the common challenges associated with vandalism, labor negotiations, low program attendance, poor community relations, or the broader effects of complex social problems that affect the profession.

The opportunity to obtain a college education does not solely address these challenges. Rather, students must learn to think clearly and logically, to judge,

-uals to have the ability to make decisions and create sustainable solutions to problems. These skills are the key components of a person’s ability to prob-

reality?-

ering the broader context in which they are situated. Over the past 20 years, the climate of Congress and state legislatures overwhelmingly supporting the ef-forts to clean water, protect open spaces, and develop urban areas has changed and often leads to highly contentious debates. The challenges deriving from economic recessions, ideological differences, and lack of trust in governmental oversight are chief concerns that park and recreation professionals must bal-


2 Problem Solving in Recreation and Parks

ance with the daily challenges of public acceptance of and/or engagement with -

gest that students must gain important problem-solving skills through their

Many challenges that park and recreation professionals will face do not have clear-cut answers. Today, problems often involve multiple factors that

2014). As a result, park and recreation professionals must become creative thinkers and gatherers of information to solve problems thoughtfully. Colleges and universities must evaluate their curricula to address this skill acquisition among students so they become accustomed to addressing challenges in the

park staff are hired, preference should be given to those who consider creativ-ity an important aspect of their work.

In the late 1960s, the Stanford Research Institute (SRI International) sug-gested that students in creative-problem-solving courses believed the classes reduced their imaginative inhibitions and broadened their perspectives when seeking solutions to complex problems (Edwards, 1968). The best problem solvers are creative and pragmatic, which are qualities equally necessary for

solve most complex problems, practitioners must forge relationships with in-dividuals of differing experiences to achieve a creative solution. For instance, a transdisciplinary course was piloted to develop a creative and sustainable solution to Louisiana’s coastal wetland degradation, with students from three science disciplines: environmental management, geology, and landscape ar-

three disciplines were represented in the groups throughout the projects. Each student brought a unique perspective and intellect from his or her discipline that, when combined with the other knowledge areas, created a more compre-hensive solution for addressing the state’s wetland challenges.

Many people think more creatively if they are shown how to draw more effectively on their own imagination and to trust it. Especially when they are children, most people are naturally imaginative, but because of various cul-tural pressures, including compulsory and formal education, they are too often taught to distrust the products from their own minds. Einstein once said, “I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”

There is much teachers can do, especially on the college level, where ed-ucation may be more relaxed, to wean students from the habit of thinking as others do, to encourage their creativity, and to support the outcome of such efforts. It is through departure from traditional methods of teaching and learn-ing that people’s imaginations are freed. It is only when students truly feel that their ideas will not be squelched that they become more creative thinkers, and


3Chapter 1: Problem Solving: A Professional Need

new ideas are limited only by boundaries of individual skill and imagination.

their classrooms to foster creative thinking among students:1.

and take steps to ensure that students retain that information, which

2. Ask students to offer multiple ideas to any open-ended prompt and re-mind students to make each solution as varied as possible.Encourage idea generation by posing questions or problems that have more than one correct response.

4. For each potential solution that a student suggests, ask the student to also think about implications and implementation.

5. Include group work opportunities when presenting multipart prob-lems.

6. when related, exemplify that relationship.

7. Provide students with two or more unrelated ideas and ask them to

8. Include outside resources in certain group work situations. (pp. 47–48)

The park and recreation administrator who must answer the question of whether it is now time to submit a bond issue referendum to the voters should do so only after knowing (a) if people understand the need for the additional revenue, (b) the extent voters are willing to pay, and (c) if enough community support can be raised to pass the bond. Some problems are so complex and the amount of information about the problems is so limited that it is often impossible to make the decision alone. Such problems depend more on the administrator’s network of colleagues, expertise, and ability to gather multiple perspectives. Only through this personal insight can an effective solution be re-alized. The solution to problems of parks and recreation must be found within the profession. There is no substitute for effective leadership. The responsibil-ity is ours—shall we accept it or let it drop by default?

The concepts and ideas in this text are designed to (a) increase problem-solving ability, (b) offer a systematic, multi-idea approach to problem solving, and (c) improve performance through more effective problem-solving and de-cision-making skills.

ReferencesEdwards, M. (1968). A survey of problem solving courses. Journal of Creative

Behavior, 2

creative thinking in the classroom: From research to practice. International Journal of Educational Research, 62,


4 Problem Solving in Recreation and Parks

to environmental management systems and geology students through a case study of disturbed coastal systems. Journal of College Science Teaching, 43


problem solving in recreation and parks - sagamorepub.com · the competitive swim team is too...

Documents