Influence of a Training Program on Camp Counselors’ Perceived Competency When Accounting for Prior Camp Experience

Authors

  • Zachary Wahl-Alexander Northern Illinois University
  • Steven Howell Northern Illinois University
  • K. Andrew R. Richards University of Alabama

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/JOREL-2017-V9-I3-7866

Keywords:

Camp counselors, Kirkpatricks model of evaluation, staff training, summer camp

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate summer camp counselors’ perceived competency prior to and after an 8-day training at an independent for-profit overnight camp. The participants in this study were 101 camp counselors who were employed at an overnight summer camp in the northeastern United States. Counselors’ perceived competency was measured with a 21-item survey with seven subscales including typical day routine, conflict management, counselor expectations, safe camp environment, relationships, develop camper skills, and behavior management, prior to and following staff training. Results from the survey indicate increases across all constructs were significant, and the three factors with the largest increase after the orientation training were typical day routine, counselor expectations, and developing camper skills. The two factors with the smallest increase were behavior management and creating a safe camp environment. Devoting additional time teaching tangible methods on how to handle conflict and cultivate camp skills may similarly lead to stronger competency in staff. In the future, integrating video module training for staff prior to training may be beneficial.

Subscribe to JOREL

References

Alliger, G. M., Tannenbaum, S. I., Bennett, W., Jr., Traver, H., & Shotland, A. (1997). A meta-analysis of relations among training criteria. Personnel Psychology, 50, 341–358.

Baldwin, J., Duerden, M. D., & Witt, P. A., (2010). The impact of counselor training on new and returning camp counselors. Camping Magazine, 83, 10-13.

Brown, Z., & Cole, R. J. (2009). Influence of occupants' knowledge on comfort expectations and behaviour. Building Research & Information, 37(3), 227-245.

Cohen, J. (1992) A powerful primer. Psychological Bulletin 112(1), 155-159.

Cronin, G. (2006). Mission impossible: Staff orientation at warp speed. Camping Magazine, 79(3), 1-5.

Day, E. A., Arthur, W., Jr., & Gettman, D. (2001). Knowledge structures and the acquisition of a complex skill. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 1022–1033.

Ducharme, J. M., & Feldman, M. A. (1992). Comparison of staff training strategies to promote generalized teaching skills. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25(1), 165-179.

Greene, B. A., & Miller, R. B. (1996). Influences on achievement: Goals, perceived ability, and cognitive engagement. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 21(2), 181-192.

Kirkpatrick, D. L. (1959). Techniques for evaluating training programs. Journal of the American Society of Training and Development, 13, 3–9.

Kirkpatrick, D. L. (1976). Evaluation of training. In R. L. Craig (Ed.), Training and development handbook: A guide to human resource development (2nd ed., pp. 301–319). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Kirkpatrick, D. L. (1996). Invited reaction: Reaction to Holton article. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 7, 23–25.

Kraiger, K., Ford, J. K., & Salas, E. (1993). Application of cognitive, skill-based, and affective theories of learning outcomes to new methods of training evaluation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78, 311–328.

Praslova, L. (2010). Adaptation of Kirkpatrick’s four level model of training criteria to assessment of learning outcomes and program evaluation in higher education. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 22(3), 215-225.

Salas, E., & Cannon-Bowers, J. A. (2001). The science of training: A decade of progress. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 471–499.

Scales, P. C. (1997). The role of family support programs in building developmental assets amount young adolescents: a national survey of services and staff training needs. Child Welfare, 76(5), 611.

Tabachnick, B. G., and Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using Multivariate Statistics, 6th ed. Boston: Pearson.

Van Buren, M. E., & Erskine, W. (2002). The 2002 ASTD state of the industry report. Alexandria, VA: American Society of Training and Development.

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2017-08-14

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 3 (2017)

Section

Regular Papers

License

Sagamore Publishing LLC (hereinafter the “Copyright Owner”)

Journal Publishing Copyright Agreement for Authors

PLEASE REVIEW OUR POLICIES AND THE PUBLISHING AGREEMENT, AND INDICATE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS BY CHECKING THE ‘AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS COPYRIGHT NOTICE’ CHECKBOX BELOW.

I understand that by submitting an article to Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, I am granting the copyright to the article submitted for consideration for publication in Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership to the Copyright Owner. If after consideration of the Editor of the Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, the article is not accepted for publication, all copyright covered under this agreement will be automatically returned to the Author(s).

THE PUBLISHING AGREEMENT

Assignment of Copyright


I hereby assign to the Copyright Owner the copyright in the manuscript I am submitting in this online procedure and any tables, illustrations or other material submitted for publication as part of the manuscript in all forms and media (whether now known or later developed), throughout the world, in all languages, for the full term of copyright, effective when the article is accepted for publication.

Reversion of Rights

Articles may sometimes be accepted for publication but later be rejected in the publication process, even in some cases after public posting in “Articles in Press” form, in which case all rights will revert to the Author.

Retention of Rights for Scholarly Purposes

I understand that I retain or am hereby granted the Retained Rights. The Retained Rights include the right to use the Preprint, Accepted Manuscript, and the Published Journal Article for Personal Use and Internal Institutional Use.

All journal material is under a 12 month embargo. Authors who would like to have their articles available as open access should contact Sagamore-Venture for further information.

In the case of the Accepted Manuscript and the Published Journal Article, the Retained Rights exclude Commercial Use, other than use by the author in a subsequent compilation of the author’s works or to extend the Article to book length form or re-use by the author of portions or excerpts in other works.

Published Journal Article: the author may share a link to the formal publication through the relevant DOI.

Author Representations

  • The Article I have submitted to the journal for review is original, has been written by the stated author(s) and has not been published elsewhere. 

  • The Article was not submitted for review to another journal while under review by this journal and will not be submitted to any other journal. 

  • The Article contains no libelous or other unlawful statements and does not contain any materials that violate any personal or proprietary rights of any other person or entity.
  • I have obtained written permission from copyright owners for any excerpts from copyrighted works that are included and have credited the sources in the Article.
  • If the Article was prepared jointly with other authors, I have informed the co-author(s) of the terms of this Journal Publishing Agreement and that I am signing on their behalf as their agent, and I am authorized to do so.