Syllabus

University Supervisor:  Kirstin Whitely                     Office: 104K Willett Hall

Office Hours: By appointment                                   Phone: 434-395-2979

Email: whitelykl@longwood.edu

Course Description: A 10-12 week supervised practicum in clinical, community or outdoor therapeutic recreation settings during the summer after completion of the junior year. Prerequisites: Permission of Program Coordinator and 2.25 overall GPA and 2.50 in major. 6 credits. $100 fee.  COAPRT Curriculum Standards met: 7.04

Text:

Clear, James. (2018). Atomic Habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits and break bad ones. New York, NY: Penguin Random House LLC. (Remote)

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Junior Internship, it is expected that the student should have:

  1. Acquired knowledge and understanding of the history, philosophy, organizational structure policies & procedures of the agency and its relationship to other agencies in the community.
  2. Acquired an in depth understanding of the comprehensive program.
  3. Acquired an understanding of the characteristics, abilities and needs of the individuals served.
  4. Examined personal interest and aptitude for a career in therapeutic recreation.
  5. Developed skills and techniques common to the practice of therapeutic recreation, such as assessment, documentation, communication, leadership, facilitation, professional cooperation, and the therapeutic use of self in interaction with individuals and groups.
  6. Planned, implemented and evaluated individual and group activities.
  7. Discovered strengths and weaknesses.
  8. Met personal goals set for the internship.

Class Schedule:

Schedule Content Readings/Assignments
Week 1

June 1-7th

 Establishing Your Blog/Online Workspace

Professional Skills Dev Book Club

 ·         Blog Development Meeting 6/1 @ 11am Due 6/7 (PR Due 6/10)

·         Book Club Meeting 6/4 @ 10 am
Week 2

June 8- 14th

 Introduction to Mentor and Agency/Setting

Finalize Internship Goals

 

 ·         Mentor Interview Due 6/14

·         Agency Summary Due 6/14

·         Population Summary Due 6/14 (PR Due 6/17)

·         Internship Goals Due 6/14

·         Virtual Book Club 6/11 @ 10 am

·         Individual Plan & Implementation Due 7/12
Week 3

June 15-21st

 Problem Identification

Begin finding peer-reviewed literature

 ·         Program Evaluation Due 6/21

·         Problem/Project ID Due 6/21

·         Virtual Book Club 6/18 @ 10 am
Week 4

June 22-28th

 Complete Literature Review Summarize Findings ·         Literature Review Table Due 6/28

·         Literature Summary Due 6/28 (PR Due 7/1)

·         Virtual Book Club 6/25 @ 10 am
Week 5

June 29th – July5th

 Gather Information on Expert Opinion and Client Needs ·         Expert Opinion & Client Wants/Needs Due 7/5 (PR Due 7/8)

·         Virtual Book Club 7/2 @ 10 am
Week 6

July 6- 12th

 Revise & Finalize Project Presentation

 

 ·         Draft Project Presentation Due 7/8 (PR Due 7/12)

·         Virtual Book Club 7/9 @ 10 am
Week 7

July 13-19th

 Course Project Presentation/Q & A ·         Final Project Presentation Due 7/14

·         Final Zoom Presentation 7/17

·         Virtual Book Club 7/16 @ 10 am
Week 8

July 20-26th

 Virtual Internship Debrief ·         Evaluate Internship Goals Due 7/19 (On Canvas)

·         Virtual Book Club Take-Aways Meeting 7/24 @ 10 am

 

Course Evaluation:

Assignment Title SLO Due Date Percentage
Blog (Mentor Approval Required) 35%
  Blog Development 5 6/7/20 7%
  Mentor Interview 4 6/14/20 4%
  Junior Internship Goals 4, 7 6/14/20 4%
  Agency Summary & Market Scan 1, 5 6/14/20 4%
  Population Summary 3, 5 6/14/20 4%
  Program Evaluation 2, 5 6/21/20 4%
  Individual Video Plan & Implementation 5, 6 7/12/20 4%
  Evaluation of Internship & Goals 4,5, 7, 8 7/19/20 4%
Course Project (Mentor Approval Required) 35%
  Problem/Project Identification 1, 4, 5 6/21/20 5%
  Literature Review Table 5 6/28/20 5%
  Literature Review Summary 5 6/28/20 5%
  Expert Opinion & Client Wants/Needs 5, 7 7/5/20 5%
  Final Project PowerPoint Draft 1-8 7/8/2020 15%
  Final Project PowerPoint Presentation 7/14/20
  Final Project Zoom Presentation 7/17/20
Book Club 20%
  Book Club Facilitation 4, 5, 6, 7 See Class Schedule 10%
  Book Club Participation 4, 5, 7 5%
  Book Club Attendance 4, 5 5%
Peer Review 10%
  Blog Development 4, 5, 7 6/10 2.5%
  Population Summary 4, 5, 7 6/16 2.5%
  Literature Review Summary 4, 5, 7 6/30 2.5%
  Draft of Final Project 4, 5, 7 6/12 2.5%

 

Course Requirements & Assignments:

  1. Blog Development and Blog Posts- 35% of the grade- during the first week of the internship, students will create their own blog using Longwood Blogs which will house the majority of their work and written correspondence. Student’s blog will be based upon the instructor’s blog and can be found at: https://blogs.longwood.edu/summerinternwhitely/ Each week students will complete blog posts as assigned. While due dates for posts are listed above, students will have to coordinate and collaborate in order to get input as needed from mentors prior to their submission. Rubrics and assignment descriptions for each post can be found on canvas and/or the instructor’s blog.
  2. Course Project- 35% of the grade- each student will complete a comprehensive evaluation of the mentor’s practice setting and population. This maybe an actual agency, or may be a general RT service setting. Based on this evaluation the student and mentor will identify a mutually beneficial project which the student will address, research and make recommendations for future practice. The project may include developing deliverables for the agency/mentor. This project must be approved by both the course instructor and the mentor prior to proceeding. Each element of the project has descriptions and rubrics that can be found on canvas and/or the instructor’s blog.
  3. Book Club- 20% of the grade- students will participate and take turns in leading a weekly book club meeting. Book club meetings will occur every Thursday at 10 am. The instructor will provide the Zoom links for each meeting. Often referred to in the writing field as a craft book, students will learn, professional growth and development skills necessary to execute their craft through writing, reflection and discussion. While APIE and other RT concepts are essential skills, learning to be a professional is also important. To help you do that, as a class, we will read Atomic Habits by James Clear (2018) and hold weekly book club meetings to discuss how by making 1% improvements one-day-at-a-time, we can develop productive, professional skills that will last a lifetime. Each student will also lead or co-lead one of the meetings. Each element of the Book Club has accompanying descriptions and rubrics that can be found on canvas and/or the instructor’s blog
  4. Peer-Review- 10% of the grade- in research one way to improve the validity and reliability of one’s work is to have multiple reviewers from different perspectives evaluate the design, process and data. Additionally, in the process of reviewing other’s work, students learn to better evaluate and execute their own. Therefore, students will be required to write peer-reviews of other’s student’s blog posts and course project posts. Grades will be assigned based upon the content, value and insight the student provides their peer. Each element of the peer-review has descriptions and rubrics that can be found on canvas and/or the instructor’s blog.

Grading Policy:

Blog Development, Blog Posts & Course Project- Blog development, blog posts and course project assignments require mentor review and approval. All assignments will receive a complete/incomplete grade. In order to receive a “complete” on all mentor assignments, all of the following criteria must be satisfied:

  1. Your mentor must have approved your work via comment in your blog.
  2. You must have given your assigned peer feedback on their assignment in the comments on their blog.
  3. Receive a completion grade from the academic course instructor.

All assignments will have accompanying descriptions and rubrics outlining requirements that may be used to guide students, mentors, peer-reviewers and instructor.

Book Club- In order to receive a “complete” for all book club assignments, students must attend and participate (and implement as indicated) in each book club meeting. These will be held via video conference and are synchronized. These assignments will be graded by the instructor.

Peer-Review- In order to receive a “complete” for peer-review, students must satisfy the accompanying assignment description and rubric requirements. The instructor will grade these assignments.

Grading Scale:

 

94  –  100       A                       84  –  86     B               74  –  76           C           66-64             D

90  –    93       A-                      80  –  83     B-              70  –  73           C-          63-60             D-

87  –    89       B+                     77  –  79     C+             67  –  69           D+         59 below       F

Communication, Attendance & Technology Policy

Communication- Due to the virtual nature of this track, active communication from all parties is imperative. Communication may occur in several ways to include but not limited to email, blog posts, phone calls, and video conferencing. Each assignment will have minimum student-mentor communication requirements. Those requirements can be found in the assignment descriptions and/or rubrics located in the instructor’s blog or on canvas. Mentors may require additional communications/meetings at their discretion to complete course requirements.

Both mentors and students are expected to communicate proactively, and assertively. It is important that the student thoroughly reviews all materials in advance in order to communicate their needs clearly to their mentor at the earliest possible moment. It is equally important for mentors to thoroughly review assignment criteria in order to adequately evaluate student work. It is expected that all electronic communications occurring during the work week before 5 pm are responded to on the day it was sent, if not, as soon as possible on the next business day. It is the responsibility of the mentors and the students to alert the instructor of any issues or concerns at the earliest possible moment.

Attendance/Technology- Students are expected to be online working on projects everyday of the work week- Monday-Friday. Students are expected to be proactive to ensure that their laptop/computer and internet access are functioning appropriately. If/when technological issues occur, it is the responsibility of the student to utilize university resources such as the DEC or User Support Services to address and resolve them as soon as possible. Students are encouraged to have a back-up plan to access a computer and/or internet as malfunctioning technology will not be an acceptable reason for missing communications or course requirements.

Student Conduct & Honor Code:

Professionalism: You are expected to conduct yourself in a professional manner both in appearance and behavior while at your internship, within therapeutic recreation agencies, and with professional correspondence (e.g., phone, email). Professional Dress for participation in LU Therapeutic Recreation Program activities, events and services mirrors expectations dictated by the internship agency. Professional dress for client services require that you are properly groomed. Tattoos and facial piercings must be covered.

Part of professionalism is adhering to the Longwood University Honor Code. The Honor Code is far more than a set of rules and guidelines to govern student life.  The system is a set of moral standards for everyone to follow and take with them wherever their lives may lead.  This Code, which forbids lying, cheating, and stealing, is intended to promote an atmosphere of trust in which students are assumed honorable unless their actions prove otherwise.  The importance of the College community adhering to an Honor Code and to the highest standards of integrity cannot be overstated. As members of the institution and community, you are expected to live by the Honor Code and pledge all class work. Violations of the honor code will result in referral to the Honor Court as well as course failure.

“We shall not lie, cheat, or steal nor tolerate those who do.”  -Longwood University

Cell Phones:  At no time should a cell phone be visible during your internship unless instructed that it is allowed by your agency supervisor.

Independent Work: Unless otherwise noted, you are expected to complete your own work independently of other students. Instances of identical or nearly identical work will not be graded and could be submitted to the University for Disciplinary Measures.

E-mail Correspondence: You should use your Longwood University account for correspondence with faculty during the internship experience.  Students should

Other: Students are to refer to the Therapeutic Recreation Internship Manual for further instructions on completing the course requirements. Each student is to meet with the university internship supervisor prior to beginning the internship to determine due dates for course assignments.

Student Resources:

Here are a few quick links to save you time locating:

  1. Technology Accessibility– http://www.longwood.edu/usersupport/student-resources/graduate-and-distance-education-student-support/
  2. Disability Resources– http://www.longwood.edu/disability/index.html

(Please contact me if you have any specific disabilities and I will accommodate your needs (For example, video, audio, visual, etc.). In addition, if you are a student with a disability and wish to request accommodations through the college, please contact The Office of Disability Resources at (434) 395-2391 to inquire about these services. Information regarding your disability will be treated in a confidential manner. Because many accommodations require early planning, requests for accommodations should be made as early as possible.

  1. Technical Support– http://www.longwood.edu/usersupport/contact/staff/

Mandatory Reporting of Crimes and Sexual Misconduct:

In accord with its history and mission, Longwood University believes that each individual should be treated with respect and dignity and that any form of crime or violence is incompatible with Longwood’s commitment to the dignity and worth of the individual.  Longwood University is committed to providing a healthy living, learning and working environment which promotes personal integrity, civility and mutual respect.  If you have been the victim of a crime or sexual misconduct we encourage you to report this. If you disclose this to a faculty member or employee (with the exception of our Limited Reporting and Confidential Reporting Resources; for example, the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) staff), they are required by law to notify the appropriate University officials. The faculty member or employee cannot maintain complete confidentiality and is required to report the information that has been shared. Please know that all reported information is treated with discretion and respect and kept as private as possible.  For more information about your options at Longwood:

http://www.longwood.edu/titleix

http://www.longwood.edu/police/crimereports.htm

http://www.longwood.edu/studentconduct/12050.htm

 

Please click on the following link to review statements regarding Accommodations & Disability Resources and Mental Health Resources

http://www.longwood.edu/academicaffairs/syllabus-statements/

References:

American Speech-Hearing-Language Association. (2020). Evidence-based practice. Retrieved on May 14, 2020 at https://www.asha.org/research/ebp/evidence-based-practice/

Clear, James. (2018). Atomic Habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits and break bad ones. New York, NY: Penguin Random House LLC.

Lloyd, R. (2013, October 7). Whiteboard: Flowchart [Video]. Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=258&v=tq7dQVaTbcc&feature=emb_logo

Longwood University Greenwood Library. (2020, May 11). Library Home. Retrieved on May 19, 2020 from https://libguides.longwood.edu/home

Longwood University Greenwood Library. (2020, May 4). Research @ Longwood: Finding Resources. Retrieved on May 19, 2020 from https://libguides.longwood.edu/c.php?g=82393&p=530673

Longwood University. (n.d.). Writing Center. Retrieved on May 19, 2020 from http://www.longwood.edu/academicsuccess/writing-center/

Lynch, S.E. (2019). Therapeutic recreation internship program manual. Farmville, VA:

Longwood University. (traditional)

Purdue University Purdue Online Writing Lab. (2020). APA formatting and style guide (7th Edition). Retrieved on May 20, 2020 from https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html

Slippery Rock University Bailey Library. (2020, April 30). APA 7th ed.: APA 7th ed. Retrieved on May 20, 2020 from http://sru.libguides.com/apa7

Slippery Rock University Bailey Library. (2020, May 17). Recreational Therapy: Literature Review. Retrieved on May 19, 2020 from https://sru.libguides.com/c.php?g=531894&p=7009930

Slippery Rock University Bailey Library. (2020, May 17). Recreational Therapy: Databases. Retrieved on May 19, 2020 from https://sru.libguides.com/therapeuticrec/resources

Slippery Rock University Bailey Library. (2020, May 17). Recreational Therapy: EBP Research. Retrieved on May 19, 2020 from https://sru.libguides.com/c.php?g=531894&p=7010016

Stumbo, N.J, Wolfe B.D & Pegg S. (2017). Professional issues in therapeutic recreation: On competence and outcomes. Sagamore Venture Publishing.

University of North Carolina University Libraries Health Sciences Library. (2020). PICO: What and why?. Retrieved on May 18, 2020 at https://guides.lib.unc.edu/c.php?g=498016&p=3452623

University of North Caroline University Libraries Health Sciences Library. (2020, May 13). Recreational Therapy Resources (UNC Hospitals): Evidenced Based Practice. Retrieved on May 19, 2020 from https://guides.lib.unc.edu/rectherapy/evidence-based