1. Leisure Education Content & Techniques
KNR 253

2. Overview Leisure Education Definitions Leisure Education Models
Leisure Education vs. Leisure Counseling
Leisure Education Models
Leisure Ability Model
Other Models
Positive Psychology

3. Why Leisure Education? Historically
Recognize the importance of leisure in people’s lives
Exposed clients to recreation activities or taught leisure skills
BUT no real carry over
Participated when in agency but not when in other environments
Repertoire of activity skills is not the only requirement for leisure involvement

4. Why Leisure Education?
Leisure education uses an educational model. This model operates on the assumption that behaviors can change when knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities improve.
Stumbo & Peterson, 2004
Through leisure education people develop an understanding of themselves and leisure.
Dattilo, 1999

5. Why Leisure Education?
LE can create opportunities for people to experience leisure and help build options so they can make choices between meaningful leisure pursuits.
Dattilo, 1999

6. Leisure Education Defined
Leisure education is a total developmental process through which people develop an understanding of leisure, of self in relation to leisure, and the relationship among leisure, their own lifestyle and society.
It is a process people go through to determine the place and significance of leisure in their own lives and develop a leisure lifestyle that is compatible with their own values, needs, and goals.
Mundy, 1998

7. Leisure Education Defined
Is a process a person goes through to develop and enhance their knowledge, interests, skills, abilities, and behaviors to a level where leisure can make a significant contributions to their quality of life.
Dattilo, 1999
Is an individualize educational process where a person develops an understanding of self and leisure and identifies and learns skills necessary to participate in freely chosen activities that lead to an optimally satisfying life.
Bullock & Mahon, 1997

8. Leisure Education Defined
The goal is to enable people to increase the quality of their lives through leisure.
Mundy, 1998

9. Leisure Education vs. Leisure Counseling
Different facilitation techniques are used in LE, one of which is leisure counseling
A technique, not content
In counseling, the client brings the content (Content – free)
In education, the educator brings the content ( you will learn x, y, and z)
Most TRS can use some counseling techniques but are not trained to be counselors

10. Select Leisure Education Models
Stumbo & Peterson, 2009
Leisure Ability Model
Peterson & Gunn, 1984
Dattilo, 2008
Provides a historical overview of leisure education
Provides a variety of leisure education models
Own model developed from work with people who have DD
Mundy, 1998
Mundy & Odum, 1979

11. Leisure Ability Model Stumbo & Peterson, 2009
Leisure education is part of the overall TR model
Leisure awareness
Social interaction skills
Leisure activity skills
Leisure resources

12. Leisure Ability Model Stumbo & Peterson, 2009
Leisure Awareness (cognitive awareness)
Knowledge of leisure
What is leisure, benefits, barriers, balance of work & leisure, etc.
Self-awareness
Actual & perceived abilities & limitations, past & current involvement, etc.
Leisure and play attitudes
Relationship between attitudes & behaviors, etc.
Related participatory & decision-making skills
Planning, coping, stress management, etc. p

13. Leisure Ability Model Stumbo & Peterson, 2009
Leisure awareness
4 components rarely separated into different programs
Generally combined into 1 program
Use variety of cognitive & affective facilitation techniques

14. Leisure Ability Model Stumbo & Peterson, 2009
Social interaction skills
May be more significant than activity itself or interaction is needed for success in activity or is most frequent form of leisure
Communication skills
Assertiveness skills, conversational skills, listening skills, etc.
Relationship-building skills
Friendship development, social networks, etc.
Self-presentation skills
Hygiene & grooming skills, appropriate attire, etc. p

15. Leisure Ability Model Stumbo & Peterson, 2009
Leisure activity skills (skill development – may be easier than other 3 components)
Traditional leisure skills
Sports, dance, music, arts & crafts, hobbies, etc.
Nontraditional leisure skills
Fitness, relaxation, shopping, pets & plants, computer, etc. p

16. Leisure Ability Model Stumbo & Peterson, 2009
Leisure resources (knowledge & utilization)
May include teaching how to use a telephone book or computer to find out about an activity, how to use ATM
Activity opportunities
Understanding wide range of leisure opportunities to choose from, identify preferences, etc.
Personal resources
Family & home resources
Community resources
Parks & recreation, adult education, YMCA, commercial recreation, fitness centers, arts & crafts stores, clubs, city transportation, etc.
State & national resources
Information about travel, etc. p

17. Leisure Constraints Dattilo, 2008
Intrapersonal
Constraints
(Psychological)
Leisure
Participation
Interpersonal
Constraints
(Social)
Structural
Constraints
(Environmental)

18. Leisure Constraints Dattilo, 2008
Since constraints are subjective feelings, leisure participation is more dependent on an individual’s ability to NEGOTIATE constraints than it is dependent on the ABSENCE of constraints

19. Leisure Education Potentials Dattilo, 2008
Participation
Leisure
Education
Reactance
Learned Helplessness
Boredom
Structural Constraints
Interpersonal Constraints
Intrapersonal Constraints
LE can help with minimizing these constraints to increase leisure satisfaction.
Three points to negotiating constraints:
1. people find a variety of ways to negotiate constraints;
2. leisure constraints do not necessarily result in nonparticipation
3. leisure participation will vary based on the negotiation or absence of constraints
pp “Elizabeth’s hockey example”
Personal goal attainment, Satisfaction and Enjoyment of activities are STRONGER reinforcers than skill development
Since enjoyment is an ind perception & prefer different activities ---
assessing ind preference & offering programs based on what they desire are important aspects of LE to INCREASE adherence.

20. How Can LE Promote Leisure? Dattilo, 2008
Creating opportunities
Identify & overcome constraints, etc.
Building options
Increase ability to choose to participate, etc.
Empowering individuals through a dynamic process
Developing relevant skills

21. How Can LE Promote Leisure? Dattilo, 2009
Developing relevant skills
Balance
Social & solitary
Active & passive
Engagement & escape
Core
Set of activities that are low-cost, accessible, & do not vary across life span
Interact informally with household members, enhance living environments, maintain fitness, etc.

22. Dattilo’s Model (2008/2011) Leisure Appreciation Self-Awareness
Self-Determination
Social Skills
Community Skills
Decision Making
Leisure Activity Skills
Leisure Resource Awareness
Chapter, 6

23. Dattilo’s Model (2008/2011) Appreciate leisure (Leisure Appreciation)
Understand leisure
Consider leisure benefits
Realize flexibility of leisure
Leisure is flexible & doesn’t require a special time frame to occur
Identify contexts for leisure
Possible environments & activities likely to promote leisure p

24. Dattilo’s Model (2008/2011)
Be aware of self in leisure (Self-Awareness)
Identify preferences
Reflect on past participation
Identify factors that encourage participation or causes to decline to participate, etc.
Consider current involvement
ID activities that provide enjoyment, ID constraints, etc.
Project future leisure
Realistic perception of skills & abilities, etc.
Understand skills
Examine values & attitudes
Determine satisfaction
Currently satisfied with leisure participation p

25. Dattilo’s Model (2008/2011)
Be self-determined in leisure (Self-Determination)
Take responsibility
Make choices
Terminate involvement
Become assertive p

26. Dattilo’s Model (2008/2011)
Interact socially during leisure (Social Skills)
Communicate nonverbally
Gestures, facial expressions, voice volume, eye contact, physical proximity, etc.
Communicate verbally
Greet, ask questions, wait turn to speak, contribute to conversations, etc.
Understand social rules
Acquire social competence
See Dattilo for several lists
Develop friendships p

27. Dattilo’s Model (2008/2011)
Use resources facilitating leisure (Leisure Resource Awareness)
Identify people who could serve as resources
Locate facilities providing recreation activities
Understand directions to location, know if can walk or other transportation, etc.
Understand participant requirements
Cost, entry fees, eligibility requirements, accessibility, equipment, apparel (e.g., helmet), etc.
Obtain answers to questions relevant to resources
Printed materials (e.g., phone books, newspapers) & Internet p

28. Dattilo’s Model (2008/2011)
Make decisions about leisure (Decision Making)
Awareness of self in relation to leisure
Appreciation of the value of leisure
Development of a sense of self-determination related to leisure involvement
First 3 previously discussed
Ability to identify goals
Ability to solve problems p

29. Dattilo’s Model (2008/2011)
Acquire recreation activity skills (Leisure Activity Skills)
Choose meaningful & enjoyable activities
Participate with support to overcome fears p

30. Dattilo’s Model (2008/2011) Community Skills
Use of public transportation
Money-handling skills
Count money
Make change
Safely handle money in public

31. Mundy’s Model (1998) Leisure awareness Self-awareness Leisure skills
Leisure resources

32. Mundy’s Model (1998) Leisure awareness Definition of leisure
Perceived freedom
Internal motivation
Self-selected experiences
Self-responsibility
Leisure experiences
Relationship to one’s life
Relationship to one’s lifestyle
Relationship to quality of life
Relationship to time

33. Mundy’s Model (1998) Self-awareness Interest Values Attitudes
Motivation
Satisfaction
Capabilities
Needs
Leisure expectations
Goals
Outcomes
Leisure constraints

34. Mundy’s Model (1998) Leisure skills Decision making Problem solving
Value clarification
Planning
Evaluation
Leisure activity skills
Social interaction
Behavioral change techniques

35. Mundy’s Model (1998) Leisure resources Personal Products Equipment
Places
Community
Environmental

36. Leisure Wellness McDowell, 1983
Old
More of a counseling model
Adds concepts that might be relevant to LE today

37. Leisure Wellness McDowell, 1983
Awareness – understanding
Coping
Ways of coping: negative (oversleeping, alcohol, over work)/positive (use leisure to release tension)
Knowledge
Interests/desires, resourcefulness, fitness/general wellness
Assertion
Assert and affirm own leisure lifestyle, not just please others, right to be alone, right to be playful, etc.

38. Leisure Wellness McDowell, 1983
Need self-care in 5 core determinants of wellness
Self-responsibility
Nutritional awareness
Physical fitness
Stress management
Environmental sensitivity

39. Positive Psychology (1998)
Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi
Change focus of psychology from pathology and curing to building positive outcomes/prevention
From weakness and damage to strength and virtue or building competency
Treatment is not about fixing what is broken but about nurturing what is strong
Help people live meaningful and fulfilling lives
Identify and nurture client strengths & potential

40. Positive Psychology 3 central concerns Positive emotions
Contentment with past
Happiness in present
Hope for the future

41. Positive Psychology 3 central concerns
Positive individual traits (strengths/virtues)
Capacity for love and work
Courage
Compassion
Resilience
Creativity
Curiosity
Integrity
Self-knowledge
Moderation
Self-control
Wisdom

42. Positive Psychology 3 central concerns Positive institutions Justice
Responsibility
Civility
Parenting
Nurturance
Work ethic
Leadership
Teamwork
Purpose
Tolerance

43. Positive Psychology TR can: Identify & nurture strengths
Instill hope & optimism
Foster self-efficacy & personal control

44. Positive Psychology Carruthers & Hood, 2005
Involvement in any type of leisure is linked to pleasure, however active engagement has greater impact on mood & pleasure than passive
Novelty & challenge
Increase # of daily pleasurable events
Pay attention to experience (savor)
Relive experience (reminiscence & story telling)

45. Hood & Carruthers, 2002 Decrease negative Increase positive
Time management
Assertiveness training
Stress management
Distraction
Relaxation techniques
Increase positive
Self-esteem
Optimism
Humor
Self-efficacy
Perception of control
Community involvement

46. Leisure Education Resources
Dattilo (2008), Leisure Education Program Planning
Datillo & McKenney (2011), Facilitation Techniques in Therapeutic Recreation
Stumbo, various LE books
Internet
Publishers