Goal setting and reflection as a tool for children summer camp
Proskova, Barbora (2023)
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023061223626
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023061223626
Tiivistelmä
This research was conducted to study the impact of goal setting and reflection used during summer camp. To be specific, to find whether or not there are any improvements possible by using these methods for the Get Wild! summer camp located in British Columbia, Canada. We, adults, use these methods almost daily, in everyday life. However, there are not many practices with children despite its importance.
The Get Wild! summer camp did not have any similar activities included in their program so far. For that reason, they welcomed the idea very much. As they are an educational organization working with children for many years, they understood the potential of such development. They agreed on our cooperation to develope a goal setting and reflection sessions in order to improve their summer camps.
It was necessary to find out what the coordinators are in need of improving. A questionnaire was constructed with questions targeting the outcome. The result was heavily feedback- and communication-oriented, as coordinators desired to know more about the camp from the children perspective. After collecting the answers from the first questionnaire, a short interview was conducted. This interview served a purpose of communicating more details between the researcher and the coordinators before the summer camp officially started.
The very first two weeks of the camp were strictly about an observation. This step helped to narrow down the structure of the week.
The development result consisted of one goal setting session and one reflection session per week. To help keeping the data from each week, an excel sheets were introduced to the coordinators. They transcribed each child’s goal and reflection session. On top of that, they reported in a separate excel sheet about the past week. Another data collecting method were two questionnaires that were sent to the coordinators. It served a purpose to be able to compare the data from before the implementation and after. The last data collecting method was an observation during the summer camp.
The implementation of this study was successful. The coordinators reported that the receiving feedback and communication element improved during their summer camp. Other observations were made about more benefits from this development work for children and the coordinators.
There is still space for more improvement and further study in this field. More unexplored theories and ideas crossed the mind as, for example, the educational part of such practices could have been involved more.
The Get Wild! summer camp did not have any similar activities included in their program so far. For that reason, they welcomed the idea very much. As they are an educational organization working with children for many years, they understood the potential of such development. They agreed on our cooperation to develope a goal setting and reflection sessions in order to improve their summer camps.
It was necessary to find out what the coordinators are in need of improving. A questionnaire was constructed with questions targeting the outcome. The result was heavily feedback- and communication-oriented, as coordinators desired to know more about the camp from the children perspective. After collecting the answers from the first questionnaire, a short interview was conducted. This interview served a purpose of communicating more details between the researcher and the coordinators before the summer camp officially started.
The very first two weeks of the camp were strictly about an observation. This step helped to narrow down the structure of the week.
The development result consisted of one goal setting session and one reflection session per week. To help keeping the data from each week, an excel sheets were introduced to the coordinators. They transcribed each child’s goal and reflection session. On top of that, they reported in a separate excel sheet about the past week. Another data collecting method were two questionnaires that were sent to the coordinators. It served a purpose to be able to compare the data from before the implementation and after. The last data collecting method was an observation during the summer camp.
The implementation of this study was successful. The coordinators reported that the receiving feedback and communication element improved during their summer camp. Other observations were made about more benefits from this development work for children and the coordinators.
There is still space for more improvement and further study in this field. More unexplored theories and ideas crossed the mind as, for example, the educational part of such practices could have been involved more.