Worth your while or waste of time: internships in parks, recreation, and tourism: exploring student perspectives

White-LaPierre, Tiffany P.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/124317 Copy

Description

Title

Worth your while or waste of time: internships in parks, recreation, and tourism: exploring student perspectives

Author(s)

White-LaPierre, Tiffany P.

Issue Date

2024-04-18

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Li, Jessica

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Li, Jessica

Committee Member(s)

• Oh, Eunjung G
• Lee, Sharon
• Hallmon, Augustus

Department of Study

Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp

Discipline

Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ed.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• internships
• experiential learning
• adult learning theory
• parks and recreation
• tourism
• student perceptions

Abstract

Experiential learning through internships, co-ops, practicums, and other work-based learning have been a mainstay in higher education curriculum for decades. Internships have been one of the most influential concepts in research and educational practice in higher education in the early 21st century. The primary goal of this study was to gain a better understanding of higher education requirements and training for individuals entering the parks, recreation, and tourism industry through experiential learning. Internship experiences in parks, recreation, and tourism are highly regarded as one of the most integral components of the educational journey for students hoping to enter the profession. The internship experience is considered a bridge that allows students to apply classroom skills to a real work environment related to their degree field. This descriptive qualitative study includes 17 former parks, recreation, and tourism students who attended a Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT) institution between 2009-2019. Participants were interviewed to (a) identify trends and themes among students who participated in a required internship in parks, recreation, and tourism, (b) to enhance industry understanding of internships in parks, recreation, and tourism, and (c) to provide insight for future research. This study sought to answer the following research questions: How were internship experiences structured to align with Kolb’s four learning modes believed to be most effective for learning? How did participants perceive the value of their internship experiences in parks, recreation, and tourism through the lens of Knowles’ adult learning theory?

Graduation Semester

2024-05

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2024 Tiffany White-LaPierre

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