Summer Camp Research Articles

The purpose and value of a summer camp for visually impaired young people

Empirical research documents the benefits of summer camps for young people, including disability-specific or medical-speciality residential camps. Using an ethnographic approach which utilized observation and individual and group discussions with the visually impaired young people who attended a summer camp, their parents, and school teachers who staffed the summer camp, we build on the extant research here by exploring, for the first time, the purpose and value of a summer camp for visually impaired young people. The qualitative data generated from our research were subjected to thematic analysis. We discuss the summer camp in relation to the following themes: (1) The summer camp facilitates peer interactions and relationship development; (2) the mixing of age groups facilitates the development of life skills; and (3) the summer camp supports the recruitment of visually impaired young people to Fieldway School [pseudonym].

Remotely the Same? Going Virtual with a Cybercamp in a Pandemic

Summer camps and other week-long activities are popular ways to introduce cybersecurity to middle- or high-school aged children. Such experiences have traditionally been conducted in-person, with many having residency components and evening activities. The COVID-19 pandemic brought these traditional experiences to an abrupt halt. To support and promote continued education in the face of the global pandemic many such in-person camps – as well as higher-education courses – precipitously migrated to online remote learning. The shift presented challenges beyond simply preparing and posting content online. This case study examines the challenges, solutions, and lessons learned from morphing a successful hands-on residential NSA GenCyber digital forensics summer camp to a fully online remote learning "camp".

Personalidad GRIT y talento deportivo en atletas de taekwondo de élite

Introduction: It has been shown that GRIT is related to success in various areas of life, including sports performance. Objective: To determine the relationship between GRIT personality and sports talent in elite taekwondo athletes. Methodology: A quantitative study with a quasi-experimental observational design and a descriptive-correlational scope was conducted with elite taekwondo athletes participating in sports camps associated with the National Taekwondo Organization in the United States (USAT) during the year 2023. GRIT personality was assessed using the Grit Scale, while sports talent was determined based on the national ranking position in the USAT. Results: After conducting correlation analysis using Pearson's r test, negative relationships were identified in the core variables (-0.009, p=0.847; 0.004, p=0.928; 0.011, p=0.809); however, these relationships were not statistically significant. The athletes' GRIT scores had a median of 4.00, suggesting that this population exhibits high levels of perseverance according to the GRIT scale. Conclusion: No statistically significant relationship was found between GRIT personality and sports talent in taekwondo athletes. These results support the notion that GRIT personality may not be a strong predictor of sports talent. However, the possibility of a relationship between these two concepts cannot be completely ruled out, as evidence supporting this association has been found.

A Novel Summer Camp Integrating Physical, Psychological, and Educational Health in Youth: The THINK Program.

Numerous youth summer programs focus upon physical fitness, nutritional health, psychological well-being, or education. Few, however, have integrated all of these elements into a single program. The Translational Health in Nutrition and Kinesiology (THINK) program provides an integrative nutrition and exercise science curriculum that is interfaced with social emotional learning (SEL) and STEM education to enhance healthy behaviors in youth. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the THINK program could improve physical fitness, nutrition habits, SEL, and STEM education in a 6-week summer program covering a 3-year period. Participants from South Miami were enrolled in THINK (n = 108, 58 males, 50 females, 12.03 + 0.56 years). Physical fitness assessments, the Positive Youth Development Inventory (PYDI), the Students' Attitude Towards STEM Survey, and the Adolescent Food Habits Checklist (ADFH) were recorded at baseline and post-testing. Means and standard error values were evaluated for all dependent variables. Paired samples t-tests (SPSS version 27) were used to determine changes. Improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness (p < 0.001), power (p < 0.006), flexibility (p < 0.001), agility (p < 0.001), muscular endurance (p < 0.001), lean body mass (p < 0.001), ADFH (p < 0.001), and PYDI (p = 0.038) were found. An integrative summer fitness program can result in improvements in physical fitness, nutrition habits, and SEL in as little as six weeks.

Empathy in an ecosystem: A longitudinal study examining contributions of summer camp and school experiences to empathy during early adolescence

This study utilized data from a national longitudinal study of 277 early adolescent summer camp participants to examine the iterative links between youths’ experiences in two contexts – summer camp and school – and empathy over two years. Using a cross-lagged panel model, the authors examined how the quality of youths’ developmental experiences within each context, defined as a combination of supportive relationships and engaged learning opportunities, were related to youths’ empathy over time. Results showed that 1) higher quality developmental experiences in each context uniquely predicted improvements in empathy; 2) youths’ developmental experiences at camp and school were mutually reinforcing over time; and 3) school experiences partly mediated the effects of camp experiences and vice versa. Results illustrate the value of out-of-school-time contexts for supporting empathy, the importance of developmental experiences across settings, and the need for researchers and practitioners to attend to the ecosystem of social development.

“It’s Comfortable at Camp”: Emotional Safety at a Summer Camp for Youth with Visual Impairments

Research has shown that summer camps provide unique opportunities for positive youth development, due in part to the emotionally safe environments they can provide (Garst et al., 2016; Henderson et al., 2005; Sibthorp et al., 2010). Emotionally safe environments consist of “a combination of inclusion, belonging, trust, care, and the absence of bullying and exclusion” (Wong et al., 2022). Summer camp programs can also be emotionally safe places for young people to develop self-determination skills, while school may not provide the same safety, particularly for students with visual impairments (Garst et al., 2011; Opie, 2018; Sibthorp et al., 2010). This research utilizes a theoretical framework of positive youth development to investigate emotional safety for children with visual impairments at summer camp. This research on emotional safety was part of a larger mixed- methods study on self-determination at an educational sports camp for youth with visual impairments. Athletes and coaches at an educational sports camp for youth with visual impairments in the mid-Atlantic United States completed qualitative questionnaires regarding self-determination at camp. Five randomly selected athletes also participated in semi-structured interviews. Both questionnaires and interviews highlighted instances of meaningful adult interaction, emotional support, and inclusion throughout the week of camp. Additionally, the data resulting from questionnaires and interviews revealed that comfort in asking questions and relationships between athletes contributed to an emotionally safe environment. Limitations included low sample size, compounding impact of multiple years of camp attendance, differences between this camp and other similar camps, and familiarity of the researcher. The present study supports the prior research on summer camp, finding that low child-to-staff ratios, emotional support, and inclusion contribute to emotionally safe environments (Garst et. al, 2011; Henderson et al., 2005). Additionally, at a summer camp for youth with visual impairments, relationships between athletes and comfort asking questions supported emotional safety.

From Digital Literacy to Critical Digital Ecology: Curricula as Digital Places in Art Education

Abstract This article makes a case for the critical potential of media ecology frameworks to address the limits of the media literacy frameworks prevalent in visual culture art education pedagogies that focus on art education with digital materials. In this article, I articulate a brief history of the literacy metaphor in visual culture art education, before summarizing recent arguments advocating for a shift from media literacy to media ecology in critical digital pedagogies. I then examine my own digital curricular place-craft in the development of Crafting Digital Places, a Web-based teaching resource that played a part in a series of remotely taught summer camp programs focusing on critical digital place-craft. In this article, I aim to illustrate the critical and practical limits of engaging digital materials via the literacy metaphor. I also aim to show how a media ecology approach—framing digital systems as places with agentic material qualities—affords art educators distinctive potentials for critical practice and curriculum design.

Confined at Sea at the End of the World

Embedded on a research cruise in the Antarctic, a journalist joins a scientists’ “summer camp.”

DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTH COMPETENCE OF CHILDREN WITH DIABETES MELLITUS IN THE SUMMER CAMP ENVIRONMENT

Diabetes mellitus is becoming a leading disease in paediatric endocrinology, which causes health problems and complications that can shorten life expectancy. The object of the research is the development of health competence of children with diabetes mellitus in the summer camp environment. Research aim is to reveal the development of health competence of children with diabetes mellitus in the summer camp environment. Tasks: 1) to identify the development of health competence in the environment of summer camps; 2) to reveal health topics being discussed by children in summer camps; 3) to reveal pedagogical interactions between the educator and the students in the environment of summer camps. Research methods: theoretical: analysis, generalisation and systematisation of scientific literature; empirical: document analysis. The research found that not only does the environment of summer camps contribute to the development of health competence of children with diabetes mellitus but it also encourages them to fully get used to living with the disease and creates a favourable educational environment that encourages communication. The research revealed that in the summer camp environment children discuss the following topics: blood sugar control, causes of diabetes mellitus and independence in managing the disease. The summer camp environment is friendly, active as well as engaging and tolerant of learner interaction.

METHODS AND ACTIVITIES OF HEALTH COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT IN NON-FORMAL ENVIRONMENT: EXPERIENCE OF CHILDREN WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS

Diabetes mellitus is a disease when certain processes in the body, which maintain a normal blood glucose concentration, get imbalanced. Research object is educational methods and activities used for the development and training of health competence. The aim of the research is to reveal educational methods and activities used for the development of health competence in non-formal environment, based on the experience of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Research methods: theoretical – analysis, comparison, and generalization of scientific literature; empirical – the use of focus group discussions with children with diabetes mellitus for data collection; Empirical research revealed that various educational methods and activities aimed at developing health competences are carried out for children with type 1 diabetes mellitus in non-formal educational environments (medical facilities, summer camps and health camps). The following activities and classes are used in medical facilities: lessons, conversations, questionnaires, and games. Activities used in summer camps are as follows: walks, cycling, games designed to develop physical activity skills. In the educational environment of health cams, the following educational methods and activities are used for the development of health competence for children with type 1 diabetes mellitus: lessons, games, educational activities, trips, and creative activities.

Форми медичного контролю на заняттях силової направленості

Medical control is a scientific and practical branch of medicine that studies the issues of physical development, functional state, and health of the human body during physical exercises and sports. The purpose of medical control is to promote the effectiveness of the physical education process in every way, the correct use of physical culture tools. Medical control is a mandatory condition for injury prevention, preservation of human health, longevity, and creative activity. The main tasks of medical control: determining the state of health and solving issues of admission to classes in various forms and groups; carrying out medical control at physical education and sports classes; diagnostics of the functional state; assessment of physical development and identification of diseases and injuries; medical provision of competitions; agitation and promotion of physical culture among the population. Forms of medical control: regular medical examinations and control of persons engaged in physical exercises and sports; medical and pedagogical observations of people who are engaged in classes and competitions; sanitary and hygienic control over the places and conditions of classes; medical and sanitary provision of mass health and sports events (in sports camps and at educational and training meetings);prevention of sports injuries and diseases; sanitary and educational work and promotion of physical culture, sports, a healthier lifestyle. Physical development is assessed using anthropometric measurements, as well as the method of questioning and external examination. Anthropometric measurements make it possible to determine the level and features of physical development, the degree of conformity to gender and age.

Improving Security and Environmental Awareness through Game-Based Learning with Minecraft

This paper presents an innovative educational approach centered on the use of the game Minecraft to shape attitudes and develop knowledge in young people. The Children’s University summer camps, although they revolve around various subjects, share a common goal: to enhance environmental and safety awareness and foster technological interest among younger generations. These camps enable students from participating elementary schools to learn interactively about key areas such as sustainable energy sources, information protection, and security in buildings. In the virtual realm of Minecraft, players encounter real-life challenges that demand the utilisation of their creativity and problem-solving abilities. The effectiveness of the camps was measured through questionnaire surveys. 33.3% of participants felt the knowledge acquired at the camp was very useful, and 38.9% felt it was useful for their future studies or careers. 55.6% of the participants felt that their problem-solving skills and creativity had greatly improved during the camp, while 27.8% noticed a less significant improvement in these skills. The camps were characterised by an atmosphere of cooperation and openness. The results of questionnaire surveys confirmed the effectiveness of the camps, not only in terms of improving environmental and safety awareness but also in terms of fostering creative work through cooperation.

A Systematic Literature Review of Informal STEM Learning

Student learning outside the formal classroom is inextricably linked to informal learning environments. In many countries, most activities that employ informal learning prioritize the integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and have shown a positive impact on increasing students’ interest, self-efficacy, and awareness of the STEM field. Thus, this study aims to systematically review the activities reported in the relevant studies focusing on informal STEM learning for K–12. High-index journals published under SCOPUS and Web of Science databases were utilized using a predetermined search strategy and retrieved two research team members’ screened articles. Only empirical studies containing the terms “STEM education”, “summer camp”, and “informal learning” in the title, abstract, and keyword were included. Data were coded and organized into a matrix that was qualitatively assessed and categorized into themes. Based on the 25 studies reviewed, it was found that the integration of STEM disciplines in informal learning is notably varied. The characteristics of the STEM activities can be organized into seven themes: inquiry, focus on problems, design, cooperative learning, student-centred, hands-on, and 21st-century skills. Practice recommendations include a quality curriculum that aligns with informal STEM learning needs.

“Yes, I Use Sunscreen,” and Other Takeaways from a Black Girl at Sleepaway Camp

Summary Have you ever been curious about what it is like to be a speck of pepper in a sea of salt, or the only Black or brown body in a sea of white bodies? Speaking from experience, there are times when your body will experience a sudden shock of recognition or understanding. Things you had not fully grasped before become clear–you feel your differences in your body even before it registers in your mind. My story is about the unique arc of trauma my body experienced at predominately white summer camps simply because it was different from the other bodies. One goal of this piece is to impress upon you, the need to create a sense of belonging for bodies of non-dominate campers. To achieve this, it is critical to seek to understand and gain knowledge about the trauma Black and brown bodies experience because they are different and to create emotionally safe environments for all bodies. Information © CAB International 2024

Joseph Reimer: Making Shabbat: Celebrating and Learning at American Jewish Summer Camps

Joseph Reimer: Making Shabbat: Celebrating and Learning at American Jewish Summer Camps

STEMing together: a comparison of co-ed and all-female informal learning environments

STEMing together: a comparison of co-ed and all-female informal learning environments

Variation in metabolic control in children with DM1 after a summer camp

Variation in metabolic control in children with DM1 after a summer camp

Blasting off with NASA’s Neurodiversity Network

NASA’s Neurodiversity Network (N3) is a five-year program that is funded as part of NASA’s Science Activation Network. N3's main goal is to provide a pathway to NASA participation and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) employment for neurodiverse learners, with a focus on those on the autism spectrum. Through the N3 program, we are enabling STEM education for a segment of the population that is significantly underserved through a process in which existing NASA education resources are redesigned with significant input from autistic learners and their instructors. The co-design process occurs primarily in informal environments, including high school summer programs, and camps and activity sessions for middle school students sponsored by the New York Hall of Science. N3 also offers a mentored summer internship program for at least ten neurodiverse high school students each year. Mentoring is provided by NASA Subject Matter Experts, individuals who collectively possess expertise that spans NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.

Impact of a Development-Oriented Summer Camp in Shifting Ways in Which Left-behind Children Describe Social Relationships

Impact of a Development-Oriented Summer Camp in Shifting Ways in Which Left-behind Children Describe Social Relationships

The Mysteries of Summer Camp, Chronic Illness, and Magic

Summary Never was the dynamic and complexities of living with chronic mystery illness more apparent than in the summer camp setting. My first year as a counselor brought me face-to-face with the realities of my physical state and how I related to my body in the summer camp context. Now, as an Executive Director of a summer camp, spurred on by the memories of what I endured, and committed to making the space different, I weigh the impact of changing camps, and question what parts of the challenge are necessary to preserve “camp magic”? Information © CAB International 2024