An Investigation of Summer Camp Reflection Practices
What We Do
The project uses quantitative and qualitative methods to examine mindset development at summer camps. This project is supported by funding from the American Camp Association, New York and New Jersey, and is a collaboration between ACA, NY & NJ, the University of Virginia, and four participating summer camps.
Project Info
Status: May 2016 - May 2017
Partners: Camp Champions, Liberty Lake, Project Morry, Camp Alvernia
Funding: ACA New York & New Jersey
The qualitative study seeks to better understand, through observation, how the summer camp context activates social-psychological processes related to positive youth development. The quantitative study seeks to better understand the potential ways to facilitate transfer of the skills and mindsets cultivated at camp to non-camp contexts, like home and school. Currently, we know that campers self-report that camp deeply impacts their lives, however it remains unclear if the benefits transfer outside of camp. The hypothesis is that reflection is a critical component in facilitating transfer of skills/mindsets from one context to another.