Introduction to Recreation and Leisure

Introduction to Recreation and Leisure, Third Edition, gives students a broad view of the field, offering them a solid foundation for understanding the industry they plan to enter upon graduation.

Students learn from the perspectives of 52 leading professors, professionals, and emerging scholars from the United States, Canada, Brazil, China, and around the globe. Led by new editors, Tyler Tapps and Mary Sara Wells, these experts introduce recreation and leisure foundational concepts, delivery systems, and programming services. Students benefit from the diversity of perspectives and viewpoints from around the world as they learn about the similarities and differences in the industry from an international perspective.

The following are new to this edition:

• New editors and contributors from around the world, including emerging scholars

• Updated data throughout the book

• New chapter sections

• An expanded chapter on international perspectives on sustainability and ecotourism

• Real-world connections to recreation and leisure theories that help students consider career options

• A web study guide with On the Job learning activities, a glossary, chapter overviews, article summaries, and recommendations of websites to explore

A Strong Foundational Overview

Introduction to Recreation and Leisure grounds students in the historical, philosophical, and social aspects of the industry. The authors offer fresh insights into community parks and recreation departments, nonprofit organizations, and commercial recreation and ecotourism enterprises. Students learn about various enriching educational programs and services for people of all ages.

“The text encompasses a variety of services, including recreational sport management, outdoor and adventure recreation, health and wellness, and arts and culture,” says Tapps. “It also exposes students to career options and supports them as they explore their interests and prepare for challenging careers in the industry.”

Text Contents

The book is organized into three parts. In part I, students learn about the foundations of recreation and leisure, including the historical, philosophical, and social issues that have shaped the field. Part II explores various sectors of the field, including leisure service delivery systems, public recreation, the nonprofit sector, the for-profit sector (such as event and ecotourism enterprises), and therapeutic recreation, among others. Part III focuses on the programming of recreation and leisure services, including program delivery systems, recreational sport management, outdoor and adventure recreation, the nature of recreation and leisure as a profession, and more.

Each chapter includes learning objectives that highlight the chapter’s important concepts, as well as an Outstanding Graduates feature that introduces former students who have gone on to successful careers in the field. A glossary of important terms is included in the web study guide and instructor guide, which are part of the ancillary package.

Ancillaries

The text is supported by an instructor guide, a test package, a PowerPoint presentaation package, and a web study guide that contains chapter summaries and learning experiences. These resources make it easier for instructors to prepare for and manage their courses, and they help students retain what they learn from the text.

Guidance for Students Making Career Choices

This fully updated text, with its insights and perspectives from top professionals and professors from around the globe, opens up the world of recreation and leisure for students, offering them vital information that will help them make informed choices as they move forward in pursuit of careers in this growing field. With its cutting-edge view of recreation and leisure services, Introduction to Recreation and Leisure prepares students for success in the field of recreation and leisure.

Tyler Tapps, PhD, is an assistant professor at Northwest Missouri State University. He received his PhD in health, leisure, and human performance from Oklahoma State University in 2009. In 2015, he was certified as a park and recreation professional by the National Recreation and Park Association, from which he also received the Robert W. Crawford Young Professional Award. He also was awarded the Charles Adam Esslinger Outdoor Recreation Fellowship. Tapps is a military veteran with recreation programming experience in the military. He is a member of the Academy of Leisure Sciences board and is the president of the Leisure Educators section of Missouri Park and Recreation Association. He is also the chair of the Academy of Leisure Science’s Future Scholars program. Tapps enjoys running, working out, boating, and spending time with his wife and two sons.

Mary Sara Wells, PhD, is an associate professor in the University of Utah’s department of parks, recreation, and tourism. She teaches courses in youth development, community recreation, and sport management.

Since 2004, Wells has researched sportsmanship issues in youth sport. She has published her research in numerous journals, presented at several national and international conferences, and conducted trainings and evaluations for multiple municipal youth sport agencies across the country.