HOPE Lab
The purpose of the HOPE Lab is to investigate the role of outdoor physical activity, exercise, and play on health, the environment, and human development.
Prior to the development of the HOPE Lab (Healthy Outdoor Play & Exercise), Dr. Rebecca Battista and Dr. Joy James facilitated a research cluster that investigated the role of outdoor play on health, the environment, and human development. Seven faculty from across Appalachian State University participated in the project to identify and examine the classic texts related to the nature movement with a focus on outdoor play and health. As a result, the HOPE Lab was established to bring together researchers and practitioners from a variety of disciplines and fields to promote health through spending time in the outdoors engaged in physical activity, exercise, and play.
Vision
The vision of the HOPE Lab is to continue developing the scientific foundation for promoting and supporting outdoor physical activity, exercise, and play through interdisciplinary research.
Goals
- To develop a HOPE Student Champion program that promotes Health, Outdoor Play and Exercise at Appalachian State University.
- To contribute to the public health, exercise science and leisure scholarly literature on the effectiveness of Outdoor Play Rx programs.
- To seek out resources and funding for a regional Outdoor Play Rx research study.
- To develop relationships with regional pediatricians, Parks & Recreation Departments and health insurance providers.
Projects
- Connecting science and active learning: A Qualitative Study of first-grade students’ perceptions
- Rooted for success: The impact of Nature integration in freshman orientation
- Irons Oaks Environmental Learning Center Nature Play Trail Evaluation
Researchers
Rebecca A. Battista, PhD
Team Co-Lead and Professor of Kinesiology
Kinesiology
battistara@appstate.edu
J. Joy James, PhD
Team Co-Lead and Professor of Recreation Management
Recreation Management & Physical Education
jamesjj@appstate.edu
Reagan Breitenstein, PhD
Team Member and Associate Professor of Pscyhology
Psychology
breitensteinrs@appstate.edu
Robert Broce, PhD
Team Member and Professor of Social Work
Social Work
brocers@appstate.edu
Richard W. Christiana, PhD
Team Member, Professor of Public Health, and Department Chair
Public Health
christianarw@appstate.edu
Brooke Towner, PhD
Team Member and Associate Professor of Physical Education
Recreation Management & Physical Education
townerbc@appstate.edu
Research Assistants
To aid in the advancement of the HOPE Lab, we look for highly motivated undergraduate and graduate research assistants and student researchers. Students will have the potential to obtain credit hours through an independent study, as well as pursue awards from the Office of Student Research.
- Research Assistants will be involved in the data collection and analysis of any ongoing projects.
- Student Researchers will be responsible for conducting a research project of their choosing with the ultimate goal of presenting the findings at various national and/or regional conferences and/or as a published manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal. Student researchers must be highly motivated. In addition to assisting with ongoing projects, these students will be required to conduct a thorough literature review, recruit participants, conduct all data collection and analysis, and interpret the data in the form of a manuscript.
Resources
Appalachian Outdoorosity Podcast – Hear stories that entertain, inspire and inform you about living an active outdoor lifestyle. Each episode features a story with the goal to get you outside and keep you going outside to improve your overall wellness.
Prescription Programs (Nature Rx, Outdoor Rx, Park Rx, TRACK Rx)
- Campus Nature Rx Network
- Prescribing Parks for Better Health: Success Stories
- Park Prescription Program Toolkit, Institute at the Golden Gate
- ParkRx Initiative
- Park Rx America
- Kids in Parks (TRACK Rx)
Nature and Health
- A Scoping Review of the Health Benefits of Nature-Based Physical Activity
- “Improving Health and Wellness through Access to Nature”, policy statement by the American Public Health Association (APHA)
- CDC Healthy Places
- Children & Nature Network
- PlayCore – resource library
Contact Information
If you have questions about any of our projects or simply want to learn more about the HOPE lab, please reach out to us.
Phone: 828-262-6322
Email: hopelab@appstate.edu
Physical address
Room 432L, Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences
1179 State Farm Road
Boone, NC 28608