Positive College Perception: The Impact of a Curriculum-Based Summer Camp's Transition

• Published in: Journal for leadership and instruction Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 13 - 17
• Main Authors: Mocarski, Richard, Moore, Tatiana, Bice, Matthew, Nebesniak, Amy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: SCOPE Education Services 2022
• Subjects: Campuses; College School Cooperation; Educational Environment; Elementary School Students; Experiential Learning; Parent Attitudes; Student Attitudes; Summer Programs
• ISSN: 2475-6032

Due to financial strain, a local school district in the Central Great Plains abandoned a curriculum-based summer camp and the local university adopted it, providing opportunities for growth and educational expansion. Additionally, a research component was added to the camp to understand better the impact of the primarily experiential learning activities on parental and student perception. This study of the first year of a curriculum-based summer camp for students in first through sixth grades aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the transition in terms of students' perceptions of college, educational experiences within the camp, and potential pitfalls of the transition from the public school system. An open-ended questionnaire was completed by 95 parents and 72 student participants, which included pre- and post-camp evaluations. Qualitative responses reported in this manuscript, were analyzed for common themes. Though concerned about participant safety, parents had an overall positive response to the transition of the camp and placed value on early college exposure for students. Student responses indicated positive reactions to participation in experiential learning activities. The data support that the transition to a local university was successful in that students and parents perceived the camps positively. Additionally, unique aspects of the college campus were leveraged to enhance experiential learning opportunities, which the data suggest were appreciated by students.