Recreational Pursuits Research Articles

Playgrounds as Residual Areas—Case Study of a Playground Regeneration Proposal in Târgu-Mureș, Romania

Playgrounds are envisaged as spaces designed to provide a safe and enjoyable environment that facilitates physical activity among children and adolescents. However, in various instances within cities formerly under socialist governance, these playgrounds have suffered neglect and lacked maintenance, coherent conceptual frameworks, professional oversight, suitable materials for playground structures, and attention to vegetation or potentially toxic elements. They became residual areas in the city’s built environment. Presently, the evaluation and the regeneration of playgrounds in cities have emerged as a significant task. Amidst the densely populated urban fabric, these spaces hold considerable importance for outdoor activities, social interaction, recreational pursuits, and the healthy development of future generations. Simultaneously, these places can play a crucial role in a city’s green infrastructure, local landscapes, and the challenges of sustainability prompted by climate change. The landscape analysis of 22 playgrounds classified them based on land use characteristics, location, functions, equipment, quality, and accessibility. A case study in Târgu-Mureș, scrutinized in detail within this analysis due to its proximity to the city center, within a densely populated urban area, and its multifaceted functionalities, underscores the need for a comprehensive approach encompassing diverse disciplines to address its manifold usage requirements.

Words of wisdom from mother runners: Using creative non-fiction advice letters to show psycho-social tensions and strategies influencing performance

Although motherhood is a well-documented time when recreational sport pursuits decline, researchers have shown that some women participate in sport after becoming mothers. Recreational running is one sport where mothers (re)negotiate their subjectivity in ways that resist constraining good mother ideals by expanding strategies to enhance well-being. There remain nuanced tensions in this process that are less understood, particularly in terms of how mother runners negotiate training and competing. In this study, we used relativist narrative inquiry to explore these tensions and performance strategies of five North American competitive mother runners with young children, theorized as stories in cultural narratives. We used thematic narrative analysis to identify a theme of patience with the process: it's a long and winding road. We then shifted to storytellers to present the meanings of this theme as three accessible creative non-fiction (CNF) letters of advice to other potential mother runners. Advice letters outlined strategies pertaining to the physical self, a flexible mindset and social support. We reflect on the central theme in relation to narratives of good motherhood, sport performance, and discovery, and the implications for psycho-social tensions and performance strategies. CNF advice letters show the pedagogical potential of different kinds of stories to learn more about the constraining and empowering aspects of sport in mothers’ lives, in cultural context.

Mapping and measuring neighbourhood social media groups. The case of facebook

Social media is a pervasive part of everyday life. Neighbourhood social media are important community orientated structures that serve as digital platforms where local residents can connect with neighbours, exchange information, and share resources. The current study details an analytic framework to systematically capture, measure and map neighbourhood social media (Facebook groups) presence for a large metropolitan region, Brisbane, Australia. Further through modelling we reveal how socially organised communities acquire a higher number of neighbourhood-based social media groups while socially disorganised communities tend to have social media groups associated with crime or crime watch. We also unveil important spatial patterns with more neighbourhood-based social media groups located in coastal areas that are associated with tourism, leisure activities and recreational pursuits. Our findings demonstrate that neighbourhood-based social media is an important component of community social infrastructure and can support collective capacity to respond to problems. Our hope is that our approach can be replicated in other situational and cultural contexts to assemble a growing set of comparative studies through which the spatial distribution of locality-based social media can be assessed.

Play is a privilege in both humans and animals: how our recreation influences wildlife

AbstractNature‐based tourism nets roughly 8 billion annual travelers globally to all regions of Earth, with many visiting around 200,000 formally protected areas. Financially well‐off tourists pay for playful activities and effects on wildlife are potentially large and relatively uncertain. Our commentary makes 3 points. First, variation in resource privileges and associated benefits characterizes not only humans but other species. Among animals, well‐nurtured populations engage in more playful and leisurely activities than do those nutritionally impoverished. Privilege depends partially on birth sites, parents, and local conditions, but for humans recreation expands with monetary advantage. Second, nature‐based tourism has 2 generalizable effects on wildlife, each involving degree of habituation. Among non‐habituated populations, local site abandonment is frequent and modulated by seasonality, individuals' physiological states, and whether recreation is motorized or not. For habituated populations, tolerance emerges to increasing recreational exposure with some populations of species learning to rely on humans to shield as a buffer against possible predation. Third, desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) offer a robust example of the issues surrounding the effects of tourism on wildlife because of the geographically complicated relationship between recreational pursuit and wildlife on public lands of the western United States. While protected for decades, females have failed to habituate to different forms of recreation at certain sites. The result has been flight or site abandonment. Biodiversity protection at numerous scales has made strong gains but is still needed where progress is stymied by income disparities, privilege, and increasing recreation ventures.

Unlocking Learning: The Impact of an Educational Escape Room on Energy Transition

Since the first escape room opened in 2007, the industry has grown to attract people from all over the world and is expected to continue to grow. This trend of rising social and recreational interest has, in turn, being introduced in the education sector in many countries. The use of escape rooms for educational purposes has become increasingly popular across different levels of education, including higher education institutions. This innovative and ludic approach involves students in their learning environment, encourages the use of numerous soft skills (creativity, problem solving, teamwork, etc.), and provides opportunity to escape the ‘routine’ of traditional and less student-centered learning methods. Although Educational Escape Rooms (EER) are becoming more prevalent in formal education, initiatives related to the topic of energy transition are scarce. As a result, there is limited information on the impact of these strategies to promote youth motivation and learning towards the energy transition. Exploring this issue is particularly relevant as young people have the potential to play an active and important role in achieving a sustainable future. This case study employs a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with mixed data. The sample consist of 32 students playing an EER, designed by higher education students, on energy transition. The study aims to assess the quality of the resource design and its impact on students’ knowledge, motivation to learn, soft skills utilization, and engagement. The study results show a noteworthy improvement in self-perceived knowledge regarding the energy transition after playing the EER. This increase is associated with new knowledge gained by the players about energy consumption, production and transformation. The results indicate that the EER is ineffective in increasing or decreasing motivation to learn among players. Engagement is perceived as positive with respect to the experience of playing the EER. However, there is no correlation between motivation to learn and engagement. The study also suggests that the EER has the potential to improve various soft skills, especially teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. Finally, the EER was generally praised by the players for its engagement, on both quantitative and qualitative data in the study. On the other hand, the thematic analysis revealed some design issues that may have affected the players' experience and learning outcomes. These included excessive difficulty in some puzzles, lack of guidance, and insufficient time to complete. These issues need to be addressed in order to improve the overall impact of the EER, despite players' generally positive perceptions of it. In relation to the four puzzles that compose the EER (which relate to energy consumption, production, storage and transformation), they were generally positively rated by the participants, with the energy consumption puzzle being the highest rated for its practical application.

Exploring the relationship between media use and depressive symptoms among gender diverse youth: findings of the Mental Health Days Study

BackgroundOver the past decades, media use has become a key aspect of young people’s daily lives, significantly shaping their social interactions, learning processes, and recreational pursuits. At the same time, healthcare professionals and researchers are increasingly concerned about the impact of media use on young people’s mental health. This concern is particularly relevant for gender diverse youth who may have distinct experiences with media that could impact their mental health uniquely compared to their peers, such as increased exposure to cyberbullying and negative content regarding their gender identity. This study aims to explore the associations between media use and depressive symptoms among youth and examine if gender moderates this association.MethodsThis study utilized a cross-sectional design involving a school-based sample of 8158 participants (Mage = 14.05 years, SD = 2.45, Ndiverse = 144) from Austria. Participants completed a survey assessing their media use and depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Media use was measured by asking participants to report their daily usage in hours and minutes across various categories, including smartphone use, streaming services, social networks, and other media types. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships between different forms of media use and depressive symptoms. Moderation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS to explore the role of gender.ResultsFor gender diverse youth, multiple regression analysis identified streaming services (β = 0.265, p = .005) and social networks (β = 0.189, p = .037) as significant predictors of depressive symptoms in gender diverse youth. Moderation analyses conducted with the entire sample showed that gender moderates the relationship between depressive symptoms and smartphone use (B = - 0.008, p = .014), with the effect being the most negative for gender diverse individuals.ConclusionThe findings underscore the complex relationship between media use and depressive symptoms among gender diverse youth, emphasizing the moderating role of gender. These results underline the need for gender-sensitive approaches in media literacy and mental health interventions. Stakeholders should be aware of risks and benefits of different media types to foster healthy media engagement.

Some Observations on Trophy Hunting and the Quest for Big Game Animals in American Society

Abstract In the fall season each year, recreationists travel to rural regions across the United States to engage in hunting activities. While there are many reasons for hunting including the acquisition of food, social camaraderie, and enjoyment of nature, the possibility of obtaining a trophy specimen represents a powerful inducement for hunters to participate in a long-standing tradition. This essay analyzes the quest for trophy big game in contemporary American society from a sociological perspective and suggests that several factors have converged in recent decades that promote and encourage trophy hunting of nonhuman animals in the United States, including mass and social media, the hunting industry, and the commercialization of wildlife. The pursuit of trophy big game is an obsession for some hunters and contributes to the perpetuation of the hunting industry. Implications and risks of trophy hunting for the viability of sport hunting as a traditional recreational pursuit are discussed.

On the Re-Alienation Experiences of the Amateur Runners in Istanbul

In contemporary mass culture, individuals are increasingly subjected to standardization, homogenization, and objectification, leading to experiences of alienation within the societal framework shaped by it. Despite efforts to fortify connections with oneself, the environment, society, and meaning, individuals may still find themselves immersed in alienation within the societal structure they inhabit. Through heightened awareness, individuals strive to reclaim their authentic identities, utilizing various means to distance themselves from alienation. However, this pursuit may paradoxically result in renewed ruptures in connections, as individuals encounter re-alienation, finding themselves ontologically identical yet formally distinct within the alienation process. Amidst the complexities of modern life, individuals often seek self-realization through recreational pursuits like running. Hence, this study endeavors to examine the phenomenon of re-alienation, particularly among amateur runners. By conducting semi-structured, in-depth interviews with runners in Istanbul, the study explores both the process of distancing from alienation and the experience of encountering re-alienation through running. Through its investigation, the study aims to contribute to scholarly discourse on alienation, self-realization, and re-alienation with the lens of critical communication studies. By analyzing the lived experiences of individuals, the research seeks to deepen our understanding of the intricate dynamics of alienation and resilience in contemporary society. Research findings show that running as a recreational activity strengthens individuals' connections with themselves, nature, their social environment, meaning, and values, thereby allowing for a sense of autonomy to be achieved; however, due to social infrastructure and individual psychological tendencies, subject and object fetishes can be developed in relation to running activities, leading to experiences of re-alienation. Keywords: alienation, self-realization, mass culture, sports and recreational studies, critical communication studies

Реализация программ активного туризма как драйвер развития регионального рынка туристских услуг

Increasing interest in healthy lifestyle and active recreation is a new trend of consumer preferences. There has been a significant increase in income from the sale of active tours in Russian regions. Their popularity has increased significantly in recent years. The purpose of the study was to analyze the practice and problems of implementing active tourism programs in Orel region, and to substantiate the importance and significance of popularization and implementation of active tourism programs for the development of regional tourism market. Methods of analysis and synthesis, comparison, comparison, and review evaluation were used in the study. The article provides an overview of interpretations of the concept of active tourism given by the authors of scientific works, and its social significance and development priority are indicated in connection with the instruction of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin, given to the Cabinet of Ministers: to consider a set of measures for the development of active tourism. The results of the review of organizing active tourism practice in Orel region are presented, and its types and organization system model in the region are indicated. It is proved that active tourism plays a significant role in formation of the tourist flow in the region, since the projects that attract federal funding to the region are being implemented in this area. A number of initiatives of Orel entrepreneurs received grant support from the Government of the Russian Federation. At the same time, active tourism has not received due attention so far. The main problems of the development of active tourism in Orel region are identified and outlined. The conclusion is made about the insufficient use of active tourism potential. So it is necessary to adjust and detail the Program of domestic tourism development in Orel region. Entities engaged in tourism activities in the region and organizations planning investments in tourism industry should receive a clear instruction concerning the priority of active tourism development in the region. This motivates them to focus their efforts on tourist products formation in demand in the region, expand the range of offers in the sector of active tourism, and accordingly initiates the development of regional tourism market. Development of active tourism will significantly increase competitiveness of tourist destination.

A scoping review of shoulder kinesthetic function in individuals with diabetes mellitus, with and without frozen shoulder

Abstract Background: Kinesthesia, the ability to perceive movements, is diminished in individuals with type II diabetes mellitus. People with frozen shoulders also experience kinesthetic deficits. Thus, obtaining accurate information on shoulder kinesthetic function in individuals with diabetes mellitus, both with and without a frozen shoulder, will aid in developing preventive and therapeutic strategies to optimize shoulder function. Aim: The study aims to investigate kinesthetic deficits in the shoulder among individuals with diabetes mellitus, both with and without frozen shoulder. Materials and Methods: A thorough literature search was performed using PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Science Direct. Free full-text articles in English, published from 2010 to October 2020, were identified using keywords and MeSH terms. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed based on the PICO format. The search results were then screened to identify relevant articles for this scoping review. Results: This review included fourteen articles, encompassing systematic reviews, cross-sectional studies, and prospective studies. Six studies examined the impact of diabetes mellitus on shoulder kinesthesia. These kinesthetic deficits adversely affected basic daily activities, recreational pursuits, and occupational tasks. Conclusion: Reduced kinesthetic function in the shoulder is attributed to structural changes such as capsular tightness, alterations in the fascicle length of rotator cuff muscles, the long head of the biceps, and glenohumeral joint laxity. Factors contributing to the loss of kinesthetic function include muscular fatigue from repetitive shoulder motion, limited joint mobility, blood glucose levels, and decreased muscle strength. This study provides valuable insights for clinicians to design rehabilitation programs, enhance shoulder function, and prevent re-injury risk.

The Guardian of Lake Geneva: From Glacial Epochs to the Era of Global Warming

The manuscript presents an in-depth exploration of the Arctic char, a native species in Lake Geneva, tracing its lineage back to the post-glacial era approximately 13,000 years ago. This study delves into the historical documentation of the species, starting from a notable manuscript in 1150, and continuing through various historical records, including acts and laws. The systematic classification of the Arctic char in Lake Geneva has been a topic of considerable scientific discourse, marked by differing species descriptions over time. Current consensus recognizes Salvelinus alpinus as the sole species inhabiting the lake. The research also examines the socio-economic aspects of Arctic char fishing in the region, highlighting its dual role as both an economic resource and a recreational pursuit. Notably, the manuscript addresses the significant surge in fishing yields during the 1990s, followed by a persistent decline in recent years. This study not only provides a historical perspective on the Arctic char but also underscores the dynamic interplay between environmental changes and fishing activities in Lake Geneva.

Islamic content-based learning: Kindergarten illustrated narrative song "Lulu and Tom"

Music education during early life is crucial and has beneficial impacts on the development and maturation of children during this formative period. Music profoundly impacts young children as it fosters their cognitive capacities, language proficiency, motor skills, and imaginative thinking. Teachers must cultivate kids' gross motor abilities by providing opportunities for them to engage in movement activities and songs. This will enable children to experience movement and directly enhance their overall movement proficiency. This research aims to create songs inspired by Islamic illustrated stories that have been demonstrated to be valid and practical. The utilized development model is 4D, incorporating a Tessmer formative evaluation approach that encompasses needs analysis, product design, and assessment stages. The evaluation stages involve self-evaluation, expert review, one-to-one evaluation, and small-group evaluation. The data analysis technique employs walkthroughs, observations, and checklists. The research findings indicate that the average product and media validity is very valid. Three children were assessed individually during the one-to-one evaluation stage, whereas nine children were assessed together during the small group evaluation stage. The averages for the convenient category were derived from both stages. A practical method to cultivate a joyful ambiance during recreational pursuits is to engage in the auditory experience of music and singing. Songs can enhance children's language development, making the learning process easier. Thus, developing songs based on Islamic illustrated stories is pronounced valid, practical, and fit for use.

The fundamentals of Islamic religious education in inclusive schools meet special needs children's PAI issues

Education is a profound and essential process that enables individuals to achieve success in their social lives and various other domains. Designed specifically for children with impairments or special needs (ABK), children with exceptional needs require increased supervision and customized educational assistance. This study aims to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the educational journey of children with disabilities in inclusive educational settings. The research will utilize the literature review research methodology, with a specific emphasis on pertinent studies published in reputable publications between 2013 and 2023. This study analyzes and assesses previous research on Islamic religious education in inclusive schools. It aims to apply relevant theories to clarify the concept or representation that is formed via the process of generalizing understanding. Theory, in essence, provides a succinct depiction of empirical generalizations and the interrelationships among many premises. These claims are based on explicit assumptions, encompassing both those that will be scrutinized and those that have already been recognized. The findings revealed that by adopting an inclusive school paradigm, children with special needs can avail themselves of equivalent educational chances as their typically developing peers. Moreover, this essay will explore the precise tactics for converting an inclusive school into a setting where kids with special needs can participate in both educational and recreational pursuits without facing any kind of prejudice.

Investigating the Present State of Communication Skills Education via Play for Fifth Grade Pupils in Hanoi City, Vietnam

The significance of effective communication skills in the contemporary society cannot be overstated. Consequently, educational institutions in Vietnam consistently emphasize the cultivation of communication skills among students through a plethora of dynamic and engaging activities, encompassing both scholastic and recreational pursuits. This paper delves into the existing landscape, offering an evaluation of the accomplished strides, while also addressing the persisting constraints within the domain of communication skills education via playful methodologies, specifically focusing on primary schools within select districts of Hanoi city. These observations pave the way for forthcoming research endeavors aimed at surmounting these limitations and further amplifying the strengths inherent in furnishing students with adept communication skills.

The Blue Flag Award in South Africa: Raising Consciences and Influencing Beach Goers’ Decisions

In recent years, the tourism sector has experienced significant expansion, with the beach ecosystem emerging as the most popular destination for recreational and leisure pursuits. The proliferation of marine tourism activities has resulted in undeniable ecological consequences, including but not limited to the generation of solid waste, noise and air pollution, unattractive landscapes, and degradation of the coastal biome. The Blue Flag certification has been widely embraced by several coastal municipalities as a means of addressing the adverse environmental consequences that arise from tourism and recreational activities. The objective of this research is to evaluate the perceptions and level of awareness of beach visitors regarding the Blue Flag award, as well as determine if their selection of a beach destination is influenced by the Blue Flag standards. The study employed a quantitative methodology and gathered data, using convenience sampling, from beach visitors at nine Blue Flag beaches located in KwaZulu-Natal. The data were collected through a structured, self-administered questionnaire. The findings suggest that there is a dearth of awareness among beach visitors regarding the Blue Flag certification and that certain criteria associated with the award have an impact on their selection of beaches. The study is expected to yield significant advantages in enhancing and strengthening the Blue Flag certification program within the country at large. Additionally, it will promote the necessity of public environmental education and awareness regarding the award.

Socio-ecological analysis of the eutrophication in Chesapeake Bay, USA

This study is a social-ecological analysis of eutrophication in the Chesapeake Bay, United States of America (USA). It uses an expanded DPSIR framework (Drivers/Pressures/State/ Impacts/Responses) methodology to analyze the issue. In addition, a typology of the social actors and stakeholders in the socio-economic part of the system is identified. These stakeholders include residents, agriculturists, fishers, real estate developers, tourism operators, scientific researchers, and state and federal regulators. The framework results found that the Drivers are food security, housing, economic development, recreation pursuits, a sense of belonging, and population growth. These result in human Activities such as land and coastal change for development, coastline changes for fisheries, urban or suburban development, burning fossil fuels, and agricultural fertilization. The activities exert Pressures such as wastewater discharge, runoff from cleared land, atmospheric deposition (NOx), nutrient input, decreased tidal vegetation, and overfishing of filter feeders. These alterations change the State of the environment and its resilience by increasing the duration and areal extent of hypoxia, turbidity, and change in nutrient ratios. This also causes ecosystem changes, such as a decrease in wildlife diversity, and affects ecosystem services, such as decreasing nutrient buffering. The health of Chesapeake Bay benefits all stakeholders and wildlife, so the reduction of ecosystem services results in Impacts on society’s welfare and well-being, the economy, and environmental justice. Examples are decreased fishery yields and poorer water quality, affecting aesthetics, tourism, and ultimately human health. The governance Response to the degradation of the Chesapeake Bay and main management Measures has been the formation of the Chesapeake Bay Program, which has developed several agreements to improve water quality. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Chesapeake Progress, and Report Cards are accountability tools to observe and communicate the management project results or enforce state laws. The current management shows promising results, but further efforts are required to improve the water quality. Using various management options may bridge this gap to benefit all stakeholders. The main conclusion is that, although eutrophication is a complex problem, there is a scientific knowledge-base and a range of management options to restore the Chesapeake Bay.

The ethicality of the COVID-19 response in children and adolescents.

Childhood and adolescence are critical periods of physiological growth as well as development in biological, emotional, and social domains. During the COVID-19 pandemic, children and adolescent's lives were drastically changed. Many countries including the United Kingdom and Ireland imposed strict universal lockdowns, which included the closing of creches, schools and universities as well as restricting peer interactions, social activities, and recreational pursuits. Evidence is emerging of a catastrophic impact on the younger generation, which leads the authors to explore the ethicality of the COVID-19 response in this population in relation to the four pillars of medical ethics: beneficence, nomaleficence, autonomy, and justice.

Willingness to participate in marine volunteering: an international survey

With the launch of the UN Ocean Decade, the value of inclusive approaches encouraging better stewardship and improving the management of ocean resources has been increasingly advocated. Public engagement in marine issues through volunteering in marine conservation and science can be a tool to strengthen the connection to the ocean, stimulating behaviour change and support for solutions that can mitigate human impacts on marine environments and resources. This study investigated, through an international online survey, behavioural intentions to partake in marine volunteering among people with a vested interest in marine tourism and recreation, conservation and research. Particular focus was given to drivers, barriers and enablers in marine volunteering. The participants (N = 473) were interested in marine volunteering, driven mainly by ecocentric motives, self-development, and personal well-being. Important barriers to marine volunteering included money and access, with time and skills being secondary. While the participants were convinced they would participate in marine volunteering in the future, they agreed that information and education, time, better access and incentives would enable participation. Previous volunteering experience resulted in stronger drivers to participate in marine volunteering, and perspectives also varied according to demographic variables including age and educational background. The results of this study were used to guide strategies for marine volunteer recruitment, highlighting the importance of well-designed outreach campaigns, inclusivity, and partnerships to support marine volunteering as a positive form of public engagement in marine stewardship and science.

A highly contiguous genome assembly for the California quail (Callipepla californica).

The California quail (Callipepla californica) is an iconic native bird of scrub and oak woodlands in California and the Baja Peninsula of Mexico. Here, we report a draft reference assembly for the species generated from PacBio HiFi long read and Omni-C chromatin-proximity sequencing data as part of the California Conservation Genomics Project (CCGP). Sequenced reads were assembled into 321 scaffolds totaling 1.08 Gb in length. Assembly metrics indicate a highly contiguous and complete assembly with a contig N50 of 5.5 Mb, scaffold N50 of 19.4 Mb, and BUSCO completeness score of 96.5%. Transposable elements (TEs) occupy 16.5% of the genome, more than previous Odontophoridae quail assemblies but in line with estimates of TE content for recent long-read assemblies of chicken and Peking duck. Together these metrics indicate that the present assembly is more complete than prior reference assemblies generated for Odontophoridae quail. This reference will serve as an essential resource for studies on local adaptation, phylogeography, and conservation genetics in this species of significant biological and recreational interest.

Building Sense of Belonging through Informal Recreation Participation

Sense of belonging among undergraduate college students improves the likelihood of retention and graduation, along with the overall association with positive mental health and well-being. College students build a sense of belonging with their peers through various forms of involvement opportunities, including informal campus recreation activities. This qualitative study investigated the relationship between sense of belonging and participation in informal recreation activities among 18 undergraduate college students. Findings from semi-structured interviews indicate that participation in informal recreation helped participants to create, build, and maintain friendships, and improved participants’ sense of belonging. Recommendations for practice include facilitating greater participant interaction among peers and faculty with similar recreational interests, utilizing existing facilities to incorporate informal activities, and increasing and centralizing various campus services.