Recent empirical research on outdoor education programs describes adjustment symptoms that instructors suffer from after the programs have come to an end. Post-course effects are also documented for students, but those are normally scientifically coded in measured changes in "skills" or "learning effects." In this paper, the…

Facilitated discussion before, during and after experiences is widely accepted practice in the field of outdoor adventure education. Much of the literature appears to house the assumption that individual learning may be considerably restricted if participants' experiences are not processed with the help of an external facilitator, as they may not…

The author describes her experiences leading remote wilderness canoe trips for a coed camp; differences in leadership styles when trips are led by two women, by a man and a woman, or by two men; and her own camping experiences as a youth when camp leaders were cast into stereotypical gender roles. (LP)

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…

Three years after a 35-day wilderness expedition in northern Ontario, five youths described lessons from the trip that were either transfered to their home environments or were overcome by the social influences of their home environments. Follow-up support is recommended to assist with integration of learning into the home environment. (Contains…

Laurentian University (Ontario) offers a 4-year holistic outdoor adventure leadership program that promotes personal growth, develops leadership skills, and trains individuals to be safety-minded in various outdoor settings. A strong environmental ethic is promoted through courses in biology and Canadian Native culture. Practicums, internships,…

Two former staff members reflect on their feelings about the August 1995 closing of Bark Lake Leadership Centre (Ontario, Canada), which for 49 years had offered outdoor adventure and environmental education courses to youth and adults. They discuss their experiences as both students and teachers at the center, which helped shape their careers in…