The epistemological underpinning of Adventure Sports Coaches' (ASCs) coaching and leadership practice is a growing area of research. The epistemological stance that links to caving instructors, winter mountaineering instructors and rock-climbing instructors practice however has not been considered. Consequently, this paper sought to explore the…

Background: Over the past 10 years, research has started to investigate the pedagogic practices of instructors and coaches working in adventure sports settings. Outdoor instructors face particular challenges regarding the impact the dynamic environment has on the coaching process and their students. This challenging combination of factors obliges…

This paper utilised a two-part mixed-methodology to examine the value placed on judgement and decision-making by a sample of qualified mountain leaders in the UK. Qualified leaders (N = 331) completed a web-based survey and a smaller sample (N = 8) were then interviewed. Survey data showed that mountain leaders place greater value on their…

Outdoor leader and adventure sport education in the United Kingdom has been characterized by an over-emphasis on technical skills at the expense of equally important, but often marginalized intra- and inter-personal skills necessary for contemporary outdoor employment. This study examined the lived experience of vocational outdoor students in…

Outdoor practitioners widely embed reflective practice (RP) into the delivery of experiential education, but its contribution to their continued professional development remains under developed; by default, claims of its worth to the experiential education, they deliver must be approached with caution. Although the value of RP has been established…

Debunks various myths related to the adventure experience: rural idyll versus urban squalor, the British character, leadership potential, adventure as substitute for aggression, role models, adventure experience as a route to political and social awareness, adventure is environmentally friendly, economic regeneration, the hills are free, adventure…

Two groups of students were taken on the same canoe trip and overnight outing. The unpleasant experience of the first group taught the leaders some important lessons about briefing, organizing access, checking gear, and preparedness in general that were used to make the second outing a success. (TD)

Discusses ways in which outdoor leadership preparation differs in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada based on questionnaire responses of 169 selected experts. Examines skills (technical activity, organizational, environmental, instructional, group management, problem solving) and attributes (motivational,…

A group of outdoor teachers camping in the snow on high ground was caught in a blizzard at night. Their tents were ripped and they were forced to descend in the dark. Analysis determined that they had been caught unaware, they had improper equipment, and a lower-risk option for the descent would have been more prudent. (TD)

Soon there will be national occupational standards of competence for managers of outdoor education and recreation centers in the United Kingdom. Charlotte Mason Management Services has mounted a competence-based residential course for outdoor and environmental center managers. Fewer than half the participating managers have had any previous…

Eleven students of novice paddling ability were divided into two groups, one group receiving verbal, the other nonverbal, instructions on using the kayak stern rudder. The verbal group was significantly better at performing the correct sequence of movements. Results support existing research showing that observation alone does not enable the…

Discusses Alan Hales's model of safety management in the context of caving. When two sets of hazards, human and environmental, are present together, risk occurs. Objective risk is uncontrollable and should be avoided in educational settings; subjective risk is controllable. Presents positive and negative strategies for engaging or avoiding…

Describes duties and responsibilities of outdoor instructors under British criminal and civil law. Discusses elements of negligence under civil law including damage, duty of care, standard of care, in loco parentis, students' duty of care, foreseeability, and employer's legal duty. Presents risk management in terms of primary, secondary, and…

In the United Kingdom, outdoor educators have varied backgrounds in terms of academic versus professional outdoor training, and the profession has not agreed upon required qualifications. Multiple influences in the historical development of outdoor education have contributed to this situation. Since the 1970s, several U.K. colleges and…

A false allegation of sexual abuse at a residential outdoor education facility demonstrates why programs should have written policies and procedures directing staff how to respond to infatuations and "come-on" traps of young people; how to avoid bodily contact, being alone with a group, or dealing emotionally and physically with…