Introduction: Children with visual impairments (that is, those who have low vision or blindness) often demonstrate lower levels of perceived and actual motor competence and physical activity compared to peers who are sighted. The purpose of this study was to assess the way in which seven-day sports camps specially designed for children with visual…

Self-concept, self-efficacy, and interest are inextricably tied together. Researchers collected data from high school students' (n=44) responses to 4 short answer questions taken from a National Institute of Education interest inventory survey. These students were Texas science and engineering fair winners awarded the opportunity to attend a…

Constructivist-based pedagogy is particularly applicable to gifted secondary students in the sciences due to the increased background knowledge of the population and the nature of the study of science. This research was an investigation of the effectiveness of a residential constructivist-based summer learning experience in aquatic biology and…

The effect of a six-week multimodal summer camp program on the self-concept and reading/writing skills of 42 campers (ages 9 to 14) with dyslexia was assessed. Campers improved significantly in phonetic reading, spelling skills, self-concept, and overall academic competence, but not in sight-word vocabulary or reading speed. (Author/CR)

This study investigates the change in social self-concept among adolescents participating in a summer program for the gifted. Participants include 140 gifted students who had completed the 7th through 10th grade during the previous academic year. Social self-concept was measured at the beginning and end of the summer camp using the same-sex peer…

The effectiveness of a summer camp program in enhancing self-concept was investigated with 13 mildly and moderately mentally retarded young adults. The California Test of Personality, Primary Level, was utilized as the measure of self-concept. Results indicated significant improvement in self-concept of the experimental group over the 2-week camp…

An evaluation of the Detroit Board of Education's 4-session 2-week Outdoor Education and School Camping Program for the summer of 1971, this report examines the 2 camps that served approximately 1400 campers from public schools. Children were assigned 10 to a cabin, and each child was guided and counseled by a cabin counselor. The camp program…

The 1981 study ascertained whether the self-concept of 66 camp staff from 2 Wisconsin camps changed more than a control group of 18 college students attending summer school; if differences in self-concept were based on a particular characteristic (age, gender, staff position, years at camp); and in what ways, if any, self-concept of camp staff…

Abstracts are presented of twelve presentations made at the March 1982 National Convention of the American Camping Association: (1) the operations and environment of a summer residential camp serving individuals with disabilities, and the relationships among staff members' perceptions of the organizational climate, acceptance of self, acceptance…

Research was conducted at Camp ASCCA (Alabama's Special Camp for Children and Adults) to investigate the effects of an 11-week outdoor residential camp experience with handicapped campers on their self-esteem, attitude toward handicapped individuals, and locus of control scores of first year counselors with no previous experience. Self-esteem was…

Twenty abstracts represent papers on: an agenda for camping research, use of alternative learning environments in an outdoor setting for emotionally disturbed children and youth, effects of specialized camping program on coronary heart disease risk factors in children, efficacy of physical activity programs for overweight pre-adults at specialized…

This report presented results of longitudinal evaluation of Indian Youth Leadership Conference summer camps which provide 8- to 10-day sessions of physical activities and action-oriented problem-solving situations for male and female junior high aged Indian students aimed at developing skills and motivation. The evaluation provided information…

A camp program is described which reflects the Young Men's Christian Association's traditional commitment to the development of the whole person, introducing the development of a "wellness" lifestyle. A wellness lifestyle is described as one that involves living fully and abundantly while recognizing and assuming responsibility for one's…

Prepared as a guide for summer camp administrators, this manual and this wellness program are built upon six principal concepts: enjoying fitness; eating well; taking care of oneself; enjoying life; relating to others; and being part of the world. Wellness is described as serving to awaken one's awareness to lifestyle norms and practices that…