Request for Proposals: 2011 SPRE Teaching Institute

Request for Proposals

2011 SPRE Teaching Institute

Members of the Society of Park and Recreation Educators and affiliated Universities are invited to submit proposals to host the 2011 SPRE Teaching Institute. Proposals must address all elements of the Sponsorship Selection Criteria listed below and must be received by October 1, 2009 for fullest consideration. Please prepare the proposal as a Word file, although additional common format files may be appropriate, and forward it as an email attachment to Lowell Caneday, SPRE President at Lowell.Caneday@okstate.edu

Introduction

The purpose of the SPRE Teaching Institute is to share insight among recreation, parks, and leisure educators concerning traditional and new issues/trends related to education, education administration, teaching, and research so educators can remain current in the techniques, content, and skills needed in higher education. The goals of the Institute are to foster a sense of collegiality among recreation educators through renewing old acquaintances and making new ones, to develop networks and strategies for sharing course materials, and to stimulate new ideas that will challenge educators to think and expand their academic horizons. The primary focus will be on teaching but an emphasis on research is encouraged as it pertains to teaching. The Institute is held every odd numbered year in late winter or early spring and is scheduled so as to not conflict with Regional NRPA meetings or the National AAHPERD Conference. The Institute is placed on a regular rotation across the three geographic NRPA regions consisting of Southeast/Northeast, Great Lakes/West, and Pacific. The 2005 institute was held in the Pacific region, the 2007 institute in the Southeast/Northeast region (South Carolina), and the 2009 institute in Utah. In geographic equity, priority will be given to proposals from a region of the country that has not been represented recently; however, proposals from all regions are invited. The exact location within any region will be selected from proposals made by sponsors in the geographic area and will be announced at least one year prior to the Institute.

Sponsorship Selection Criteria:

A proposal for sponsoring the Institute should include the following:

1. Sponsoring University and partners (if applicable)
   
2. Proposed dates
   
3. A description of the proposed facility, its proximity to a major airport, reasonable costs for room and board, appropriateness of facilities for a conference, access to local transportation, and conduciveness of the facility to meet the goals of the Institute.
   
4. A program addressing the purpose of the Institute and a plan designed to market the program to the potential audience. The following elements may be included: theme of the proposed institute, the organizational format, potential keynote speaker(s) and a proposed schedule of events
   
5. A budget addressing considerations given to financial viability should be attached as an Appendix. It is the goal of the Institute to “break even”.
   
6. An individual(s) from the sponsoring unit will be appointed SPRE Teaching Institute chair(s). The chair(s) will work with other individuals to plan and conduct the Institute.
   
7. Regular reports will be given to the SPRE Board of Directors concerning progress toward planning for the Institute.
   

If you have questions regarding this call, please contact Lowell Caneday at the email address or telephone below. If you have questions related to recent SPRE Teaching Institutes, we will direct you to those who have hosted recent events.

Lowell Caneday, Ph.D.

Professor

Leisure Studies

180 Colvin Center

Oklahoma State University

Stillwater, OK 74078

(405) 744-5503

Lowell.Caneday@okstate.edu