All 41 young adults who finished a 22-day Australian Outward Bound program showed large positive changes in resilience scores. Perceived social support was strongly related to resilience gains, with ratings of the least supportive group member being the best predictor. Recommendations concerning group process are offered to group leaders.…

Interviews with facilitators of eight Outward Bound Belgium programs examined the tacit knowledge that guides their program facilitation. Findings focus on experiential learning as a process of developing awareness of one's own behaviors, group development as a condition for learning, and program facilitation as enactment of a theory of relational…

In this paper I discuss some of the strengths and weaknesses of two different approaches to teaching motor skills to students in outdoor education and outdoor recreation settings. Using acronyms to describe their stages: DEDICT is a six step, direct instructional model that some outdoor leaders may already be familiar with; and FERAL is my…

Criticizes the New Zealand approach to outdoor leadership, which relies on teaching risk assessment and management from manuals and checklists and which asserts that risk-management skills are transferable between risky sports. Suggests that sound outdoor practice involves more than "legal duty of care," and recommends reliance on…

Analyzes a situation in which a group of adolescents on an outdoor adventure trip experienced emotional distress after a participant became ill, was evacuated by the group, and was taken to the hospital. Recommends strategies for the instructor that would have prevented emotional distress, including maintaining a proper perspective of the…

A high-profile liability case concerning a fatal ice-climbing accident provides the background for this discussion of liability issues in adventure activities. A brief history of outdoor adventure litigation, emerging trends, and how outdoor guides can protect themselves and their clients is presented. Guides should candidly describe the risks…

Contrasts the instructional process for canoeing (explanation of the skill, demonstration, imitation by trainees, correction of errors by the instructor, and trials for further practice) with the coaching process (observation by the coach, analysis of technique by coach, goal setting, trials of modified behavior by trainee, observation and…

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…

Attitudes toward various outdoor leadership competencies and differences in approaches to selection, training, assessment, and certification of outdoor leadership candidates were examined among 169 experts from 5 English-speaking countries. U.S. experts had the most extreme attitudes and were concerned about insurance, litigation, and land…

A study found that male and female co-leaders of wilderness camping trips were very aware of stereotypes of male and female leadership roles. Sometimes leaders deliberately performed stereotypical tasks and roles of the opposite sex, but tasks and roles generally resulted from preferences, necessity, or participant expectations. The D-R model of…

Makes suggestions to help leaders of adventure and experiential learning activities deal with participants' emotions and issues of emotional safety and risk: acknowledge the situation, be clear about what is being done, monitor individuals' actions in the group, make sure the activity is physically safe, and be aware of participants' conscious and…

The purpose of this article is to report the findings of a study, conducted among Wilderness Education Association Affiliates, aimed at understanding the service-learning options provided. Several definitions and viewpoints regarding service-learning can be found throughout the literature; only a few are presented to introduce the topic. E-mails…

The Wilderness Education Association's (WEA) 18-Point Curriculum emphasizes experiential teaching and learning and is based on a central belief that wilderness education and outdoor leadership are essential in order to elevate preservation in the minds of students and future leaders, help develop a land ethic congruent with the ideals of the…

In this paper we examine the effect an outdoor and experiential education program on the life effectiveness skills of its participants. A private boys school in Melbourne focused on the challenging time of year nine to implement a program they hoped would enable the boys to develop life effectiveness skills in the areas of time management, social…

Examines attitudes of 184 outdoor leaders toward certification and course content of their preparation programs. Indicates small majority supports development of certification curriculum and credential and desires course content emphasizing leadership training. (NEC)