Applying the mastery learning model in a wildlife recreation planning and management class

Wildland Recreation Planning and Management is a 400 level course taken by Wildland Recreation majors (B.S. in Forestry) in the spring semester of their Junior year prior to their summer internship. Due to the number of field trips taken during the semester, the course is limited to 12 students. Generally 7-9 students are Wildland Recreation majors with the remaining students from Wildlife and Fisheries Science, Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design, or Liberal Arts. The course meets once a week from 12:40 to 6:30 pm although the class period varies with the use and length of field trips. The Mastery Learning approach in this class evolved out of the desire to raise the competency level of students in preparation for their internship experience and their future professional careers. In particular, the need for a mastery approach was based on the demands and expectations placed on the students by their internship experience. In their internships, students address issues and concerns associated with visitor and resource management often in presentations, conversations, and meetings with people from different backgrounds and disciplines. Essentially, the students are communicating with and educating the public and other professionals about concepts related to resource protection and visitor management