Adventure educators have a role in bridging the gap between ecophilosophy (the philosophy of humanity's relationship with nature) and its application to everyday work. Summarizes three reasons for the philosophy-practitioner gap, suggests a framework for bridging the gap, and describes educational strategies by which adventure programming can…

Orthopedagogisch Centrum Michiel is a multifunctional institution in the eastern Netherlands for youth with emotional problems. The staff of the institution's residential treatment center has gradually become involved with outdoor experiential education through training programs, conferences, special projects, and supervised programs. Activities…

A growing number of schools and institutions in North America have begun offering training in high risk activities such as high element rope courses, rock climbing, white water kayaking and canoeing, and scuba diving in conjunction with their regular physical education activity programs. High risk activities are those activities which occur in or…

Over 80 wilderness/adventure programs have emerged as a valuable alternative to traditional treatment for juvenile offenders, especially in combination with other services. Participants are referred from many points in the juvenile justice system by agents who should have a thorough understanding of wilderness programs so as to prepare the…

Overviews philosophies related to the principles of adventure education and stresses the need to create a theory of adventure education in which concepts such as enchantment, happiness, awareness, and the mystical are central; the natural world is included; concepts are created that stay true to the essence of adventure education; and thought and…

Outdoor leaders with sound judgment can gather many specific experiences, induce them into a collection of general concepts, store these as memory maps in the mind, later recall the general concepts as needed, and deduce a specific prediction from them. Proposes that evaluative reflection after a judgment is made is the component missing from most…

This paper outlines a conceptual framework for understanding individual development as it relates to the larger issue of intercultural competence and prejudice reduction. A hierarchical model of the multidimensional self-concept is presented in which self-concept encompasses academic, physical, social, and cultural identities. The essence of the…

The mini reviews in this collection synthesize current information regarding three timely topics in outdoor education: utilizing adventure education as a treatment mode for juvenile delinquency; providing outdoor education for the handicapped; and developing outdoor education nature centers. In "Outdoor Adventure Education and Juvenile…

Traditional ethics are founded on unquestioned principles that transcend the limitations of a particular person. The result is that behavior is judged on how well people follow rules, not on how well they treat one another. This essay contends that applying this patriarchal approach to teaching situations ignores the needs of students in…

Adventure education is filled with "doers," which improves practice but does not necessarily enhance theory. This book addresses that gap by examining the philosophy of adventure education. Chapter 1 examines foundational principles, which have their roots in the ideas of philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau, and Dewey, and…

This book provides an overview of an evolving orientation to the facilitation of growth and learning that can be summarized as "challenge education." Challenge education is a complex synthesis of a variety of therapeutic, educational, recreational, rehabilitative, and enrichment strategies. Chapter 1 outlines the historical roots of challenge…

Judgment is the process of making decisions with incomplete information concerning either the outcomes or the decision factors. Sound judgment that leads to good decisions is an essential skill needed by adventure education and outdoor leadership professionals. Cognitive psychology provides several theories and insights concerning the accuracy of…

Outdoor leaders need counseling skills to deal with interpersonal conflicts that arise within a group and to facilitate participant growth and change. Person-centered counseling, reality therapy counseling, and behavioral counseling are discussed, as well as how various techniques from each can be used to the benefit of the leader and the group.…

Too much excitement leads to anxiety, resulting in the impetus to reduce stimuli. Adventure experience leaders, in their enthusiasm for challenge and self-discovery through adventure, may ignore those clients who exist in a state of anxiety. This warning is particularly salient in regards to captive populations, such as a school group in a…

Discusses the forces driving increasing environmental problems, why these problems defy easy solution, and the role of experiential education in natural resource management issues. Discusses adaptations of experiential programming to lessen impacts on natural environments and to promote proenvironmental behaviors through awareness building,…