Showing papers in "Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning in 2009"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore what makes children's risky play risky and reveal two categories of risk characteristics in children's play: (1) environmental characteristics (features of the play environment), and (2) individual characteristics (how the play was carried out by the child).
Abstract: This paper explores what makes children's risky play risky. Risky play can generally be defined as thrilling and exciting forms of play that involve a risk of physical injury. Few, if any, studies have been conducted to explore what identifies play activity as risky. The present study aims to determine what characteristics to judge risky play by. Risky play in two Norwegian preschools was observed and videotaped during 18 observation days over five months. The results reveal two categories of risk characteristics in children's play: (1) environmental characteristics (features of the play environment), and (2) individual characteristics (how the play was carried out by the child). These two categories include several different risk characteristics that identify the risk in risky play. The results indicate that both features of the play environment as well as children's risk-taking actions based on their subjective risk perception influence the objective risk present in the play situation. The study contrib...
132 citations
TL;DR: In this article, two almost identical questionnaires including a total of 26 statements adjusted to each context were completed by the children four times from 2000 to 2003 and a significant difference (p < 0.001) was found between the school/classroom and the outdoor environment when scores from all four questionnaires (2000-2003) wer...
Abstract: Two teachers from a school in Copenhagen were allowed to move their third grade teaching into a forest every Thursday for three years. Thus 20% of the class's regular teaching took place in an outdoor environment. The purpose of the present study was to ask the children how they experienced lessons in the classroom and the forest settings. Therefore, two almost identical questionnaires including a total of 26 statements adjusted to each context were completed by the children four times from 2000 to 2003. Further, in the forest questionnaire three specific statements were added about the outdoor environment plus one question about their choice of playmates during breaks at school and breaks in the forest. Ten statements were categorized as ‘social relations’, 14 statements as ‘teaching’ and finally two related to ‘self-perceived physical activity’. A significant difference (p < 0.001) was found between the school/classroom and the outdoor environment when scores from all four questionnaires (2000–2003) wer...
104 citations
TL;DR: This paper found that extreme sports aficionados do not simply view the natural world as a commodity, a stage for risk taking, or vehicle for self-gratification, on the contrary, for veteran adven...
Abstract: Research on extreme sports has downplayed the importance of the athletes' connection to the natural world. This neglect stems, in part, from the assumption that these activities derive their meaning primarily from risk. The authors' long-term research reveals that the interplay between adventure athletes and the natural world is, in fact, crucial for many participants. This study used hermeneutic and phenomenological analysis of first-hand accounts of these sports and interviews with 15 veteran participants. These included BASE jumpers, big-wave surfers, extreme skiers, waterfall kayakers, extreme mountaineers and solo rope-free climbers. Participants spoke extensively about developing a deep relationship with the natural world akin to an intimate ‘dance’ between actively engaged partners. Our experience-based analysis has found that extreme sports aficionados do not simply view the natural world as a commodity, a stage for risk taking, or vehicle for self-gratification. On the contrary, for veteran adven...
100 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a sociocultural lens expands possibilities for how outdoor adventure education is conceptualized, with a focus more on learning than on risk, and as such offers an opportunity to broaden instructors' repertoires of practice for the benefit of OAE participants.
Abstract: Risk is positioned as a distinguishing feature of outdoor adventure education (OAE) pedagogy. Risk defines much of what happens in OAE, from participants ‘taking’ risks to instructors ‘managing’ risks. The taken-for-granted centrality of risk continues to have currency due to the thrill and allure of adventurous outdoor activities. This paper questions the centrality of some current conceptions of risk in OAE and explores an alternative pedagogical perspective where risk is less central. A sociocultural lens expands possibilities for how OAE is conceptualized, with a focus more on learning than on risk. This alternative approach is well supported by research on teaching and learning, and as such offers an opportunity to broaden instructors' repertoires of practice for the benefit of OAE participants.
72 citations
TL;DR: The authors examined the influence of occupational socialization on two AEs with less than five years' experience and found that both AEs' acculturation led to them entering formal training without having had any structured teaching of adventure content modelled for them, suggesting, as has been found in physical education under similar cir...
Abstract: A relatively small number of researchers have found it interesting and useful to examine why and how persons choose to be and become adventure educators (AEs) and why they teach as they do. The implications of this knowledge are: (1) gaining insight into novice AEs' perceptions of what is required to provide in-depth and high quality instruction in adventure education; and hence, (2) the impact on the structure of AE training. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of occupational socialization on two AEs with less than five years' experience. Data were collected using a variety of qualitative techniques while the AEs worked at two, week-long summer camps for elementary and middle school-aged children. They were analysed using standard interpretive methods. Results indicated that both AEs' acculturation led to them entering formal training without having had any structured teaching of adventure content modelled for them, suggesting, as has been found in physical education under similar cir...
29 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the historical and cultural milieu that has enabled the emergence of outdoor education in Singapore and report on exploratory survey research into Singaporean teachers' conceptions of outdoors education, concluding that personal development outcomes are important for Singaporean outdoor educators, these are developed more for the benefits of society and the State.
Abstract: Outdoor education is not a universal value. Rather, outdoor education's contributions need to be grounded in time, place and culture. In this paper we describe the historical and cultural milieu that has enabled the emergence of outdoor education in Singapore and report on exploratory survey research into Singaporean teachers' conceptions of outdoor education. We compare the reported outcomes of outdoor education in Singapore to similar studies from Australia and New Zealand. Further focus group research is then used to develop a vision for outdoor education in Singapore. In so doing we aim to illustrate, and celebrate, how culturally-specific circumstances must be considered in both interpreting and conceptualizing outdoor education. We conclude that while personal development outcomes are important for Singaporean outdoor educators, these are developed more for the benefits of society and the State. The future role of outdoor education in Singapore will most probably continue to be linked to ongoing and...
26 citations
TL;DR: This paper examined therapeutic alliance in relation to a standardized measure of social and psychological outcomes for adolescents with behavioural, emotional and substance use diagnoses in a wilderness treatment program and found that client self-ratings of treatment outcome and therapeutic alliance were found to improve significantly.
Abstract: The author examined therapeutic alliance in relation to a standardized measure of social and psychological outcomes for adolescents with behavioural, emotional and substance use diagnoses in a wilderness treatment programme. Client self-ratings of treatment outcome and therapeutic alliance were found to improve significantly. However, early alliance scores and change from early- to post-treatment alliance scores were not predictive of treatment outcomes as suggested in treatment literature. Questions concerning wilderness leader/therapist roles, wilderness effect and involuntary treatment related to alliance are raised. Methodological difficulties in completing this line of research are shared and implications for practice are discussed.
23 citations
TL;DR: In this article, an in-depth analysis of the facilitation process was carried out, which revealed that the facilitator is always part of the group, and that the type of influence that facilitators have on the outdoor learning process depends on the way that they approach their role within the group.
Abstract: The traditional role of the facilitator in outdoor education is frequently seen as outside the group of
participants, either in a position of power over the participants or detached and passive. Following
an ethnographic study at a residential outdoor centre, an in-depth analysis of the facilitation process was carried out, which revealed that the facilitator is always part of the group, and that the type of influence that the facilitators have on the outdoor learning process depends on the way that they approach their role within the group. For the purpose of this paper, the term ‘facilitator’ is used to refer to both centre staff as well as visiting teachers accompanying the school groups. This paper addresses critical questions regarding the effectiveness of the outdoor learning process when
a position of power is adopted. The paper will also show the impact that recognizing the facilitator as a member of the group has on the learning experience in the outdoor classroom.
20 citations
10 citations
TL;DR: Learning in Motion as discussed by the authors was a European project involving seven partners in five countries: Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Germany and Greece, which focused on inclusion and access to outdoor education.
Abstract: Learning in Motion was a European project involving seven partners in five countries: Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Germany and Greece. The project focused on inclusion and access to outdoor education a ...
8 citations
TL;DR: Ormrod and Belinda Wheaton as discussed by the authors compiled the results of a conference on adventure sports held at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, supported by the Leisure Studies Assoc...
Abstract: This publication compiled by Joan Ormrod and Belinda Wheaton is the result of a conference on adventure sports held at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, supported by the Leisure Studies Assoc...