Principles, Standards & Practices

Foundations of

Recreation, Parks, Tourism

And Leisure Services

Wisdom grows as knowledge shrinks, and facts are swallowed up in

principles.--Dr. Edsko Jerry Dyksterhuis

Texas A&M University, 1968

What is Knowledge

¨ Plato defined knowledge as "justified true belief".

¨ It is expertise, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education.

¨ The term knowledge is used to mean the confident understanding of a subject with the ability to use it for an appropriate application or purpose.

What is Wisdom?

¨ Accumulated knowledge, gained through a combination of academic study and personal experience, that goes beyond knowledge by representing broader, more generalized rules and schemas for understanding a specific domain or domains; wisdom allows you to understand how to apply concepts from one domain to new situations or problems.

¨ Source: myphliputil.pearsoncmg.com/student/bp_jessup_ist_1/JessupGlossary.html

¨ accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment

¨ the trait of utilizing knowledge and experience with common sense and insight

¨ ability to apply knowledge or experience or understanding or common sense and insight

¨ the quality of being prudent and sensible

¨ The ability to use knowledge for a purpose.

What is a Principle?

¨ The Law of Nature by which a system operates.

¨ A rule of conduct, especially of right conduct.

¨ A fundamental truth, law, doctrine, or motivating force, upon which others are based.

¨ Synonyms: rule, law, theory, notion, dogma, tenet, assumption

What is a Standard?¨ Something established for use as a rule or

basis of comparison in measuring or judging capacity, quantity, content, extent, value, quality, etc.

¨ Anything recognized as correct by common consent, by approved custom, or by those most competent to decide.

¨ A level or grade of excellence or attainment, regarded as a goal or measure of adequacy

¨ Synonyms: criterion, benchmark, model, paradigm, yardstick, pattern, measure

What is a Practice?

¨ The exercise of a profession or occupation¨ A frequent or usual action, habit, or usage¨ The doing of something, often as an

application of knowledge¨ Synonyms: custom, way, tradition, system,

habit, routine, procedure, ritual

What are some examples of Principles?¨ Conduct—¨ Science & mathematics—¨ Nature & environment—¨ Society & Law—

What are some examples of Standards?¨ Quality—

– Water– Air– Food Storage

¨ Maintenance– Cars and Machinery– Home repairs

¨ Parks--Acres per 1000 population

What are some examples of Practices?¨ Playground equipment—¨ Graffiti & Vandalism—¨ Drainage Erosion—¨ Golf courses—¨ Buildings

– Interior– Exterior– Foundation

How are standards set?

¨ Criteria Used– Safety– Aesthetics– Practicality, etc.

¨ Who sets & determines extent of compliance?– Roles of Society and Law

¨ What is included in a standard?

Written Statements of Principle

¨ A principle is a linguistic statement—not a single word. “Safety” may imply the existence of a principle or set of principles, but the word itself does not constitute a statement of Principle.

¨ “Safety of visitors and employees is of paramount importance in park/tourism management.” is a linguistic statement which defines an operating principle.

¨ Sometimes, principles may be defined by a shorter catchy phrase such as “Graffiti begets graffiti.”

¨ A more appropriate linguistic statement might be “The presence of graffiti or vandalism tends to promote or engender more of the same.”

Where can we find standards for maintenance?¨ Talk to professionals in the field¨ Books and periodicals, especially those

with a professional orientation¨ The internet¨ Equipment suppliers¨ Laws, rules and regulations

What kinds of problems do we encounter in using standards?

¨ Undefined measurements¨ Interpretation of the words used¨ Ambiguous or conflicting statements¨ Time when checked for compliance

Wisdom grows as knowledge shrinks, and facts are swallowed up in

principles.--Dr. Edsko Jerry Dyksterhuis

Texas A&M University, 1970

Check Your Understanding

¨ Who founded the first institute of higher learning? Where? When?

¨ How do the terms Wisdom and Knowledge differ? Define them and give an example.

¨ How do the terms Principle, Standard, and Practice differ? Define each and give an example.

¨ How are standards derived?

Who was Plato?

Did you study Plato?

Or did you miss that class

because of some unfortunate

circumstances?

Is Plato Relevant Today?

Who was Plato?¨ A Greek philosopher taught

by Socrates, his most famous pupil was Aristotle.

¨ He founded the Academy in Athens in 387 BC, the first institution of higher learning, which was closed in 529 AD by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.

¨ Remembered for his Dialogues.

¨ The Key to the Class– (also the end of the show)