RHPM 400: Management of Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks

Course Description

This course is designed to give students a comprehensive knowledge of the management of parks and/or recreation operations and agencies. Legalities, policies, practices, procedures, principles, and theories related to planning, organizing, staffing, training, motivating, controlling, evaluating, financing, and managing resources will be discussed. This is a writing proficiency, WP, course; a grade of C- or better certifies writing proficiency for majors and is necessary for graduation.

The course is required in the B.S. in Recreation, Hospitality,

and Parks Management

Course Modality

Classes meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 - 12:15 in Yolo 171 and synchronously on Zoom.


Attendance is expected for all students. If attending on Zoom, students will click on the Zoom class link on Blackboard under the “Virtual Meeting Spaces” section. We do activities in class where students will be required to participate for course credit.


Students are advised that a critical step toward contribution and participation is preparing ahead of time by doing any assigned readings, listening to podcasts, or watching videos so they can participate in class.

Elements of Course Design

TRHPM 400 is organized into Weekly Folders on BbLearn. The content closely follows the format of the textbook Modern Management which includes skills, learning objectives, case studies, activities, and discussion questions.

Student Engagement & Feedback

In this course I facilitate student engagement through:

  • Padlet

  • Poll Everywhere

  • Jamboard

  • Adobe Spark

  • Zoom breakout rooms

  • Group quizzes

  • Role-play

  • Games and activities

  • Required one-on-one meetings with students to review progress

  • Kritik (peer review)

  • Presentations

  • Team projects

Student Assessment

Case Study Report: Students will investigate a problem within the recreation, hospitality, and parks management field in Chico (or beyond) and will apply the problem-solving/decision-making model to:

  1. Identify the symptoms and problem, and establish the criteria (goals) for a successful solution.

  2. Identify a minimum of three alternative solutions.

  3. Evaluate each of the alternatives and select the best/optimal alternative.

  4. Create a plan for implementing the solution and collecting feedback.

This assignment requires substantial research from reputable written sources (minimum of five), as well as interviews with professionals in the field (minimum of three).

In addition to completing this assignment, students will use Kritik to evaluate their peers’ Case Study Report.

Sample student inquiry letter

Students will be using Kritik for many of their assignments, including the Case Study Report (refer to the next slide). It will allow students the opportunity to develop much needed critical thinking skills.

Technology & Tools

In this course we use the following technology and tools:

  • Padlet

  • Poll Everywhere

  • Jamboard

  • Sli-do

  • Blackboard discussion groups

  • Adobe Spark

  • Zoom

Opportunities for Active Learning

In-person: sticky notes

Online: Jamboard

Discussion group and breakout rooms: Complete Google Slides

  • Poll Everywhere

  • Padlet

  • Games related to subject

  • Role-playing & Simulations

  • Kritik (peer student evaluation tool)

Accessibility & Universal Design Learning

Although RHPM is a writing proficiency course, there are plenty of opportunities students to express themselves in different formats and use different technology. In the class we engage in activities such as role playing and Jeopardy. For the final assessment in the class, students create a digital story using Adobe Spark.

In my course syllabus I provide information about accessibility, accommodations, diversity, and inclusion. I also reiterate it in class throughout the semester and check in with students twice in the semester using a Google form to ensure that their needs are being met.