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College of Education
Department of Health and Human Performance

Community-Engaged-Scholarship

Community-Engaged-Scholarship

Scholars from multiple academic and diverse disciplines conduct collaborative research projects, interventions, and programs with a particular emphasis on enhancing quality of life for people in underserved communities. Scholarly investigations and intervention programs are conducted in schools, community agencies, out-of-school programs, and neighborhoods in Travis, Comal, Guadalupe, Hays, and Bexar counties. The Community Engaged Scholarship Lab (CESL) provides the researchers a physical space to analyze and interpret data, conduct individual or focus group interviews, lead training programs and plan research projects. 

Some of the current CESL research includes investigations in: 

  • Social and psychomotor interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder
  • Recreational therapy modalities (e.g., adaptive sports) for individuals with disabilities
  • Nature studies, and outdoor education programs and activities (e.g., mountain biking, kayaking, etc.) intended to enhance coping skills, motivation, perceived competence and leadership, 
  • Recreational activities to address those youth who are “at risk”, 
  • Positive youth development (e.g., life skills, self-esteem, self-determined motivation, connection with others) through physical activity and sport, 
  • Factors affecting prekindergarten education with an emphasis on early literacy, nutrition, and fine and gross motor skill development, and
  • Chronic disease prevention and self-management strategies among individuals living with Prediabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and Gestational Diabetes, which will be examined using individual and focus group interviews.

Spring Lake Outdoor Education Program (SLOEP) is a grant-funded partnership between Texas State University, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and San Marcos Parks and Recreation. Through this program, Texas State students gain experience facilitating outdoor, experiential, education programs for middle school and high school students in San Marcos CISD. Over the last year, student leaders and pre-service educators have facilitated outdoor recreation and experiential education programs for over 500 participants.

Rebound: As part of the SLOEP program, students enrolled in Therapeutic Recreation at Texas State work with students from SMCISD’s Discipline Alternative Education program.  The focus of rebound is to equip middle school and high school students with behavioral coping skills while also improving self-esteem.  Texas State students gain valuable experience in implementing and assessing the therapeutic process. SLEOP benefits Texas State students and the greater San Marcos community by enhancing the wellness and education of SMCISD students

School Based Programs: Recreation Majors as well as students in Physical Education Teacher Education are involved in designing, implementing and assessing the impact of Outdoor Education on school age children.  Programs include during school, after-school, weekend and summer offerings. The goals of these community programs are to teach leadership, personal and social responsibility, mindfulness and pro-social/environmental behavior via outdoor experiences.  Researchers involved in these projects continue to learn and inform their professions of evidence-based practices for outdoor education via the research process.