PRM 120
Leisure and Quality of Life
School of Community Resources & Development
T, Th: 12:15 – 1:30pm, Room LSA 191
Spring 2007
ProfessorOffice Hours
Dr. Megha BudrukTue: 10:00am – Noon
411 N. Central Avenue, Ste. 555at Tempe Campus: AG 172
Phoenix, AZ85004and Wed: by appointment
(602) 496 0171 or t the ASU Downtown Campus
T.A. Office Hours
Stacey FloresTue: 10:00 – 11:00am MU 350
AG 172and Tue: 11:00am – noon AG 172
Course Description:
Conceptual foundations for understanding the role of leisure in the quality of life. Social, historical, psychological, cultural, economic and political foundations of play, leisure and recreation are explored. (PRM 120 is a general studies course satisfying the university requirements for Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB)
Note:Generally, this course explores the meaning and behavior of leisure (ways of thinking about the human expression of play and leisure behavior). It weaves both contemporary and pluralistic (variety) perspectives into an overview of the history, psychology, sociology, and economics of leisure behavior. The course requires a fair amount of reading and is designed to reward students who read and attend class regularly.
Course Objectives:
To provide a conceptual understanding of the nature and function of play, recreation, and leisure with regard to the quality of life of individuals and groups in contemporary society.
To provide a conceptual understanding of the psychological, sociological, and physiological significance of play, recreation, and leisure from an historical and cultural perspective.
To provide an understanding of the nature and significance of play, recreation, and leisure throughout the life cycle in contemporary society.
To provide an understanding of the nature and role of play, recreation, and leisure in the lives of particular populations including youth, teens, minorities, women/men, the disabled, and the elderly.
To foster an understanding of the interrelationship between leisure behavior and the natural and man-made environment.
To foster an understanding of the technological, economic, political, and cultural significance of play, recreation and leisure in contemporary society.
Required Text:
Russell, Ruth V. (2005). Pastimes: The Context of Contemporary Leisure, 3rd Edition. Champaign, IL: Sagamore Publishing
Additional readings may be posted on ASU Blackboard. Announcements regarding this will be made in class.
Blackboard:
This course is supported by the ASU Blackboard website at MyASU ( This blackboard website is designed to be a tool for students and will contain important class information, including weekly lecture summaries, assignments, study guides, course syllabus, table of contents for readings and various class announcements. This website will be an important key to your success in this course and for getting student lecture notes. You should have been automatically enrolled in the PRM 120 website, unless for some reason, you do not have a current ASURITE account. Please ensure that you check Blackboard at least twice a week.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
- Class Attendance and Participation: You are expected to keep up with your readings, to attend class on a regular basis and to contribute to classroom discussions.Readings should be completed prior to coming to class on the date assigned. Failure to attend regularly scheduled sessions will compromise your mastery of the material, and adversely affect your performance in the course. Should you miss class, do not assume that the instructor can go over with you the material you missed. You areresponsible for all material and announcements provided in class.
- In-Class Reaction Assignments - (50 points): Twelve short writing assignments will be announced in class and will require in-class work be turned in during that class period. Assignments will relate to course content (or reflection on readings or life experience).These papers will be graded using the following scale: adequately responded to the issue = 5 points, weak or superficial response = 3 points, and did not respond to issue = 0 points. The two lowest reaction paper grades will be dropped before determining the student's final grade. These papers cannot be made-up if missed. (In other words, students could miss two reaction paper assignments and not have it affect their grade – this is meant to cover unplanned emergencies). This means ten of the twelve assignments will count toward your grade. Students wishing to challenge their reaction paper scores must do so within one week of the score being posted on the (MyASU) grade book.
- Written Assignments: (60 points): You will have two short written assignments. Late assignments will NOT be accepted. If you cannot turn in the paper to me on the due date, you should use the drop box in Blackboard . Each paper is worth 30 points. More details on these two papers will be provided later. Due Dates: February 20th, 2007 and April 5th, 2007.
- Exam I- (70 points) – Exams will be based on readings and lecture material. No make-ups will be given without documentation of an emergency. Exam questions will be multiple choice, true-false and matching items. February 15th, 2007
- Exam II- (70 points). March 29, 2007.
- Final Exam- (70 points) – May 8th, 2007. The final exam is cumulative. ** Class Policy: No early Final Exams will be given prior to the final exam date – make your plans accordingly.
Grades:
Grading will be based upon the total points earned for the semester, out of 320:
A+ = 99-100%B+ = 87-89%C+ = 77-79%D = 60-69%
A = 93-98%B = 83-86%C = 70-76%E = 59 and below
A- = 90-92%B- = 80-82%
Class Policies:
- Withdrawing From Class--An instructor may withdraw a student from the course with a mark of "W" or a grade of "E" in cases of disruptive classroom behavior (ASU General Catalog). A student may withdraw with a grade of "W" from one or more classes beginning with the second week of classes through the tenth week of classes for the Fall and Spring semesters.Please refer to the ASU General Catalog for additional information and the schedule of classes for withdrawal date deadlines.
- Academic Integrity--The faculty in the School of Community Resources & Development assume that academic honesty will serve as the cornerstone of the academic experience. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, or deception on an exam, paper, or class assignment. Plagiarism is defined as "intentionally or knowingly representing the words and/or ideas of another as one's own in any academic exercise" (Board of Regents Code of Conduct and Academic Dishonesty). Cheating and plagiarism may result in disciplinary action including, but not limited to, a failing grade on the assignment, a failing grade in the class, or suspension/expulsion from the university. Please note the following links to ASU policies. Students are responsible for reviewing and complying with all ASU policies:
Academic Integrity Policy:
Student Code of Conduct:
Computer, Internet and Electronic Communications Policy:
- Class Attendance and Participation--The instructor of a course has full authority to decide whether or not class attendance is required. During the second week of classes (Fall or Spring), the instructor can drop a student for non-attendance. It is the student's responsibility to contact the instructor before the end of the first week of classes if absences during that period cannot be avoided.
- Students are expected to attend class regularly and participate in all class discussion. Excessive absences will result in lower course grades. If absences are excessive, but medically excused, a student will receive an "I" or "W," depending on the circumstances. Tardiness constitutes an absence. Students who miss class should not assume that the instructor can go over with them the material they missed. Please do not call the professor to find out what you missed. Students are responsible for all material and announcements made in class. If a student misses class, it is his or her responsibility to obtain notes from a fellow student. Work-related absences are not legitimate excuses for missing class.
- Excused Absences--If you miss class because of an excused absence, you will be allowed to make up what you missed. Excused absences include ONLY hospitalizations, religious holidays, and university-sponsored athletic events.
- Missing Class Anyway-- If you anticipate that unavoidable, extreme circumstances not covered above may force you to miss a test or an assignment deadline, you need to contact me as soon as possible as the emergency is occurring. I do not look favorably on students missing a test or deadline and contacting me only after the fact. There are not very many circumstances that I consider extreme enough to warrant a make-up test or extension. Work-related absences and jail time are not legitimate excuses for missing class.
- Classroom Courtesy--Students are asked to show common courtesy to others in order to encourage a positive learning environment for all. Cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices are to be turned off throughout the duration of the course. Should yours ring by mistake, do not answer it, but turn it off immediately. Also, please do not chat in class unless we are in discussion groups. It is distracting.
- Note Taking--Although lecture notes containing some material will be posted on Blackboard in “course documents,” students are STRONGLY encouraged to take their own notes as well. One successful strategy is to print out lecture notes before class and add your own notes in class. Try printing as “handouts” with three slides per page; the printer adds space by each slide for notes.
- Non-Native English Speakers--Everyone is welcome to tape record lectures, especially non-native English speakers. Non-native English speakers are also welcome to use a dictionary during exams.
- Please feel free to bring news items about leisure, recreation, and quality of life issues to share with the class. You are also encouraged to participate in discussions, ask questions, provide examples, and seek clarifications of readings.
PRM 120 – Spring 2007
Course Outline
Part 1Reading
1/16Orientation/Introduction
1/18Humanities and Ancient HistoryChapter 1
1/23Everest
1/25Meanings and Connotations
1/30Having FunChapter 2
2/1Play
2/6Theories of Leisure BehaviorChapter 3
2/8Leisure and the Life SpanChapter 4
2/13Play and Recreation/ Short Review
2/15EXAM 1
Part 2
2/20Leisure’s AnthropologyChapter 5
2/22Leisure’s Anthropology
2/27Leisure’s Geography Chapter 6
3/1Common CultureChapter 7
3/6Common Culture
3/8Leisure and Technology Chapter 8
3/13 and 3/15SPRING BREAK – NO CLASSES
3/20Taboo Recreation Chapter 9
3/22Movie: Pleasure Power
3/27Compulsive Behavior/Short Review
3/29– EXAM 2
Part 3
4/3American Leisure ExperienceChapter 10
4/5Using Leisure for Social Good
4/10Paying for it AllChapter 11
4/12Movie: Affluenza
4/17Of Time and Work Chapter 12
4/19Of Time and Work (Contd.)
4/24Leisure and EquityChapter 13
4/26Leisure and Equity
5/1Review
FINAL EXAM – Tuesday, May 8, 2007at 12:20 – 2:10pmin the same classroom (LSA 191). BRING YOUR ASU ID.
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