Participant responsibility in outdoor education programs is placed on a continuum from passenger status through participant and partner to practitioner. Corresponding leader roles are directive, coaching, supporting, and delegating. The disempowering effects of the passenger approach to risk management and the value of teaching a group to manage…

Describes the steps in utilizing fast-tracking to phase out the overloaded two-year Outdoor Recreation Technician Co-op program at Seneca College (Ontario) and phase in a one-year graduate Outdoor Recreation Certificate program with a lower teacher-student ratio. A concept model relates generalist core skills to specializations and outdoor…

This paper describes the competencies in the domain of human interaction that are required of leaders in various outdoor adventure programs. These programs may be grouped on a continuum from recreational outdoor adventure to primary (adventure) therapy. In the middle of the continuum, educational, enrichment, and adjunctive (adventure) therapy…

This document consists of materials presented at a conference organized by representatives of university outdoor programs to discuss issues and exchange ideas about outdoor topics. Twenty-six papers were presented: (1) "Conference on Outdoor Recreation for the Disabled: Breaking the Stereotype" (Tom Whittaker and Sheila Brashear); (2)…

The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) is an internationally recognized outdoor school with five branch schools located in Wyoming, Alaska, Kenya, Mexico, and Washington. The philosophy of NOLS is to develop judgment and leadership skills in its students. Three priorities guide this school: (1) safety and care of the individual; (2) safety…

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 common assumption in the outdoor field has been that women's development as outdoor leaders has not kept pace with their participation in outdoor adventure activities. A survey about women's employment was mailed to 103 outdoor education programs with an adventure component; 62 responded. The programs served 160,585 participants in 1994, of…

A communication and problem-solving model is presented for individuals who lead extended field-based courses. The model focuses on the positive aspects of a situation and on encouraging individuals to accept responsibility for their behavioral choices. The four steps in the model are establishing rapport, what needs to change, where are we going,…

Interviews and surveys of 98 students and 7 instructors in Outward Bound Canada found that specific aspects of course activities, the physical environment, instructors, and participants influenced course outcomes. As role models, instructors made a greater contribution to student interpersonal skills than most other course components. Implications…

Outdoor adventure educators need a solid foundation in theoretical knowledge that will influence and guide equally important practical skills. A strong sense of professional practice should be instilled in new outdoor adventure educators to prevent them from becoming insulated in their ideas and practices. Philosophical underpinnings and good…

Examines need for realignment of outdoor experience into non-competitive mode, suggesting similar changes in outdoor leadership training. Develops training model from experts' ideas of important components of outdoor leadership training. Applies model to four-year North American university program. Recommends program model for scrutiny and…

An outdoor trip leader reflects on the outdoor leader's role and responsibilities and on three qualities that set outdoor education programs apart from recreational programs: they promote continued self-directed learning; encourage reflection on the experience, both through structured activities and the creation of conditions conducive to…

Nineteen practitioners, academics, and students of outdoor and adventure education explored the role of adventure education in promoting spiritual development at a think tank held in 1999 in Cumbria (England). Discussions on the nature of spirituality, outdoor education elements conducive to spiritual development, and ethical considerations…

Defines emotional crises in an adventure education context. Discusses crisis intervention from a mental-health perspective and presents nonviolent intervention techniques for anxiety, disruptive behavior, and harmful behavior. Describes two techniques--critical incident stress debriefing and traumatic stress defusing--aimed at managing traumatic…

This proceedings contains 20 papers from the 1995 International Conference on Outdoor Recreation and Education. The papers include guidelines for various aspects of outdoor leadership and materials relevant to program development and administration in outdoor recreation, outdoor education, and adventure therapy and education. Papers are:…