Course Syllabus
Overview
This course presents the foundation for issues relating to professional competence, financial management, supervisory communication, and management in the field of therapeutic recreation. This is a required course for all students majoring in Therapeutic Recreation. Due to the nature of this profession, substantial group work is required; in addition, periodic in-person meetings with the instructor will occur; this applies to face-to-face, virtual, and online modalities.
Program Message
The overarching goal of the course is for you to discover how you, as an administrator of a therapeutic recreation department, could successfully serve your clients and employees. You will learn how to do this through readings, case studies, speaking with experienced professionals, and working on yourself.
Management is about systems and procedures; leadership is about you and your influence. Your influence can be positive or negative; little things can make all the difference. When you leave BYUI, you represent the Church, the school, and the department. Simply by graduating from BYUI, people will know that there is something different about you. In his devotional, A Steady, Upward Course, President Henry Eyring prophesied that you would be leaders in the world; this is powerful. Wherever you go, this prophecy will accompany you.
In this course, you will learn that leadership is a choice and that there are techniques involved—you will identify your strengths and how to improve your leadership and management skills. You will also learn financial management, professional competence, and communication for a supervisory position.
You will be asked to apply the principles and concepts you study, research, and justify why you say and do what you say and do, and develop as an administrator as you prepare to serve clients and employees successfully!
Requirements
Prerequisites
RM 370: Therapeutic Recreation: Introduction
RM 371: Therapeutic Recreation: Evidence Practice
Required Resources
The course materials are available in the Course Materials List.
| Resource Title/Description (books, software, etc.) | Author/Provider | Ed./Vol. | 13-Digit ISBN (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict |
Arbinger Institute | 4th Ed. | 978-1626564312 |
| Standards of Practice: Standards for the Practice of Recreational Therapy & Self-Assessment Guide | American Therapeutic Recreation Association | 978-1889435480 | |
| Effective Management in Therapeutic Recreation Service | Carter, M. J., and O’Morrow, G. S. | 4th Ed. | 978-1952815454 |
| Professional Issues in Therapeutic Recreation: On Competence and Outcomes | Stumbo, N.J., et al. | 3rd Ed. | 978-1571678454 |
Structure
Course Outcomes
- Students will analyze documentation regarding clients, staff, programs, management, quality assurance, and improvement.
- Students will compile government legislation regulations, professional standards of practice, external accreditation, and agency standards pertaining to therapeutic recreation services.
- Students will implement effective management techniques within therapeutic recreation service provision.
- Students will evaluate professional development.
Major Assignments
The table below is meant to help you see the relevance of each major assignment as it pertains to the course outcomes.
| Major Assignment | Description | Course Outcome # |
|---|---|---|
| Practicum Experience | 10-hour practicum experience working with diverse populations | 3 |
| Leadership Toolkit | Toolkit synthesizing everything learned during the semester | 1, 2, 4 |
| RT Department Proposal and Presentation |
A proposal for a Recreation Therapy Department and a presentation of the proposal |
1, 2, 4 |
| Written Plan of Operations | A written plan to implement the Recreation Therapy Department proposal | 1, 4 |
| Case Studies | Analysis applying tools gained to develop convincing, effective, and creative solutions to real-life problems | 1, 4 |
| Digital Notebook | Notebook compilation of select assignments | 4 |
| Anatomy of Peace Personal Project | Learn and apply leadership skills utilizing principles from The Anatomy of Peace | 3, 4 |
Weekly Patterns
The table below displays typical weekly activities, due dates, and activity descriptions.
| Due Date | Learning Model | Activity Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Prepare | Introduction | Weekly overview |
| Wednesday | Prove | Leadership Toolkit | Build your Leadership Toolkit |
| Wednesday/Thursday/Friday | Ponder | Group Meeting | Meet with your group to deepen and extend your learning |
| Saturday | Prove | Assignment | Reinforce weekly concepts |
*Set your time zone within user preferences so the dates and times for course activities will display correctly for your time zone.
Course TA
This course will have a TA who will grade some assignments under the direction of the instructor.
Learning Model
Students will complete a preparation assignment, teach one another through a weekly group meeting, and present culminating assignments in which they ponder and prove the weekly outcomes.
The Learning Model is based on true gospel principles and provides the foundation upon which all BYU-Idaho courses are created. The five principles of the learning model are (1) exercise faith, (2) learn by the Holy Ghost, (3) lay hold on the Word of God, (4) act for yourself, and (5) love, serve, and teach one another. These principles are woven into the three process steps to prepare, teach one another, and ponder and prove.
Expectations
You are expected to put forth a sincere effort to learn and grow as much as possible to take full advantage of this educational experience. As you do so, you are expected to be respectful, interested, attentive, and participatory in all interactions with your classmates, instructor, and field professionals.
One way to be respectful is to eliminate web browsing, using your computer for other tasks, texting, or using your cell phone during group meetings. Violating these expectations can reduce your final grade by a full letter grade.
Feedback
You can expect to receive grades and feedback within seven days of the due date for all assignments.
Workload
Expect a minimum of nine hours a week of work for this class (this includes practicum hours required for the course).
Group Work
You will be required to work in a group for a minimum of 25 minutes weekly.
Late Work
If you have an extenuating circumstance such as a birth or death in the family, hospitalization, major car accident, or other serious situation, please contact your instructor to discuss options that might be available to you.
Academic Sources
Academic sources are course textbooks and peer-reviewed academic journals for the course. You should cite sources in APA format. For a review of APA formatting, refer to the APA Resource Page.
Extra Credit
The instructor may offer extra credit.
Grading Scale
Your semester grade will be calculated based on the quality of work you submit during the course. Your percentage grade at the end of the semester corresponds to the following letter grade and performance descriptions:
| Letter Grade | Percent |
|---|---|
| A | 100%–93% |
| A- | 92%–90% |
| B+ | 89%–87% |
| B | 86%–83% |
| B- | 82%–80% |
| C+ | 79%–77% |
| C | 76%–73% |
| C- | 72%–70% |
| D+ | 69%–67% |
| D | 66%–63% |
| D- | 62%–60% |
| F | 59% and lower |
University Policies
Students with Disabilities
Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have a disability and require accommodations, please contact the Accessibility Services Office at 1-208-496-9210 or visit their website and follow the Steps for Receiving Accommodations. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with students and instructors by the Accessibility Services Office.
This course includes required synchronous meetings. If you are currently registered with the Accessibility Services Office and need an interpreter or transcriber for these meetings, please contact the deaf and hard of hearing coordinator at 1-208-496-9219.
Other University Policies
Student Honor and Other Policies
Please read through the document called University Policies. It gives important information about the following topics:
- Student Honor
- Academic Honesty
- Student Conduct
- Sexual Harassment
- Student with Disabilities
- Complaints and Grievances
- Copyright Notice
Go to the Student Resources module to review further resources and information.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|