Outdoor Education: is an experiential method of learning with the use of all senses.  It takes place primarily, but not exclusively, through exposure to the natural environment.  In outdoor education, the emphasis for the subject of learning is placed on relationships concerning people and natural resources.
 

Two branches:

Environmental Education  &  Adventure Education

Environmental Education is concerned with two relationships: ecosystemic and ekistic.

Ecosystemic relationships refer to the interdependence of living organisms in a ecological microclimate.

Ekistic relationships refer to the interactions between human society and the natural resources of an environment.

Adventure Education

... is also concerned with two relationships; interpersonal and intrapersonal.

Interpersonal relationships refer to how people get along in a group of two or more people.

Intrapersonal relationships refer to how an individual gets along with self, self-concept, spirituality, confidence, self-efficacy, etc.

- is a powerful too for modifying the behaviours of many client groups....

- involves the use of adventurous activities such as the outdoor pursuits, or artificial adventure environs (ropes or initiative courses).

- entered into voluntarily,
- must be intrinsically motivating of itself,
- the outcome must have some uncertainty, some risk!

Risk -  the potential to lose something of value, physical, mental, social, or financial.
 

Real Risk -  is the true potential for loss .... no one can  tell with absolute certainty where the real risk lies at any time!

Perceived Risk -  is the best estimation of real risk,  sound judgement based on plenty of experience enhances the accuracy or risk perception.

- often considered the founder of "Adventure Education"

- was born into a family of successful Jewish German industrialists.

- spent time at various German Universities, and finally Oxford.

- returned home to Germany in 1914, served time in the German Foreign Office, and finished the war as an advisor to Prince Max of Baden, Germany's last imperial chancellor.

- with the support of Prince Max, founded Salem (peace) Schule in Germany.  This school borrowed heavily on the ideals of  Plato, Dr. Arnold of Rugby, from Eaton, and others ... the purpose of education was to develop a righteous man who is vigilant and an active citizen, who has a sense of duty to his fellow man and to God.
 

Kurt Hahn at Salem Schule refined his views on the "Social Declines", these he outlined as:

- decline of Fitness due to modern methods of locomotion;

- decline of Initiative and Enterprise due to the widespread disease of spectatoritis;

- decline of Memory and Imagination due to the confused restlessness of modern life;

- decline of Skill and Care due to the weakened tradition of craftsmanship;

- decline of Self-discipline due to the ever-present availability of stimulants and tranquilizers;

- decline of Compassion due to the unseemly haste with which modern life is conducted.

- in 1934 he opened Gordonstoun Boys School in Scotland, with the young Prince Phillip of  Greece as one of the first 21 students.

- in 1941 in opened the first Outward Bound program, at Aberdovey, Wales.  This month long program was "... less a training for the sea than through the sea, so to benefit all walks of life."  The program involved a mix of small-boat training, athletic endeavour to reach standards of competence, cross-country route-finding, rescue training, expeditions, and service to local peoples.

Kurt Hahn cont'd

- at wars end he returned to Gordonstoun School.

- in the post war years he was involved in the development of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, the Peace Corps and the United World Colleges (L. Pearson College in B.C. is one).

For more info' on Kurt Hahn check out:

Kurt Hahn org

Kurt Hahn Quotes

Key Elements of an Adventure Curriculum

- a consistently high level of expectation demanded and created by both the intrinsic and external forces... not something that just anyone can accomplish ....  and a guide or teacher that CARES that the goal is reached.

- a positive, success orientation in which growth is supported and encouraged.

- an atmosphere of mutual support.

- a sense of enjoyment, fun, an opportunity to laugh at the situation, at oneself and others.

- an approach to learning which makes use of group problem- solving, problems requiring a variety of personal contributions, problems though that can not ordinarily be solved individually.

- the use of a learning laboratory (activity, modality) that is more complex, more engaging (fun, interesting) and less predictable and less familiar than a school classroom.

- involves the merging of intellectual, social, physical and emotional learning and development.

- involves a significant amount of cognitive work related directly to abstractions and questions....

- combines moments of active involvement with moments of personal and group reflection and evaluation ...  an awareness that "teachable and learnable" moments are unpredictable but necessary ingredients.

- an organization and structure which define the limits of the experience and state expectations, but within which the participants have freedom to make decisions, choices and make mistakes.

- an economic and structural reasonableness which allows the curriculum to effectively compete for dollars and other resources within an educational economy which is limited in its resources.  Neither too long, too exotic or too expensive.
 

Adventure Training Results

Pretest: control group of 11 managers, and experimental group of 17 managers completed a "Team Development Indicator" approximately 2 months before a three day adventure training program.  There was no significant difference in the TDI test results in the pretest.

The experimental group completed a three day training program composed of challenge course events and group initiative activities.

Post test: both groups again completed the TDI two months after the training program.  Post-test scores of the experimental group were significantly different from those of the control group, and improvements were noted in test items related to group goals , genuine concern , effective listening, decision making, respect for diversity, high standards, recognition of ideas, and encouragement for feedback.