Making errors can be a salutary learning experience. The problem in outdoor adventure education is to protect the error makers from real harm, which requires careful structuring of the learning situation. Discusses error limits, how much error correction is appropriate, involving participants in decision making, video playback and debriefing…

Drug users who participate in outdoor education pose a potentially dangerous situation. Tables detail how drug users feel and act when using certain drugs and provide other information on commonly abused drugs. This information may help outdoor facilitators to identify symptoms and to deal with drug-induced states. (KS)

On a canoeing trip with a group of 8 14-year olds, the leader was faced with a paddler who floated away from the group, a capsizer, and a reluctant participant. Subsequent analysis of the situation suggests that a briefing on signals prior to the experience and an experienced assistant in two locations were needed. (KS)

Describes the rails-to-trails movement, particularly in Ontario, where abandoned railways are converted to trails for hiking, skiing, cycling, and horseback riding. Proposes the often controversial rails-to-trails issue as a resource for discussion in outdoor leadership classes, focusing on rural and urban viewpoints. Also suggests using the…

Adventure educators must elevate participants' experience beyond a parade in the environment. Innovative right-brain strategies that can be used before, during, and after the encounter to capture the wonder of the "natural moment" include visualization, sensitizing, treating flora and fauna as celebrities, thematic photography, the mind…

Responds to a letter from a camp leader who experienced difficulty with an adolescent girl during a 3-day hike and disapproved of a staff member's response. Offers advice on handling such a problem, addressing the staff member's intervention without undermining his credibility, revisiting the situation with the group, and exploiting the…

Provides guidelines for planning and conducting a guided nature walk of short duration (1-3 hours) that provides opportunities for spontaneous teachable moments. Includes pre-hike planning related to public relations, the theme of the walk, and the trail; and tips for matching the presentation of material, discussion, and group activities to…

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…

The pocket-sized guide book is intended for law enforcement and land management agencies responsible for land-based search and rescue missions and is also useful for outdoor leaders. The information in the book is based on two premises, that a search is an emergency situation and that a search is a classic mystery. The guidebook contains…

Outdoor leaders and those involved in personal outdoor adventure pursuits must be knowledgeable in the assessment, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries in the backcountry. In the wilderness medicine setting, extended time periods of patient care, rugged terrain, severe environmental conditions, and limited resources create…

The experiences found in adventure programs often parallel the archetypes depicted in mythological quests. Drawing on the work of Joseph Campbell, the stages and trials of adventure participants are compared to similar rites of passage and epic adventures experienced by heroes and heroines in epic literature and mythology. The basic pattern of…

This paper examines the long-term impact on public lands of human-powered adventure activities. These activities take individuals into federal- or state-owned wild areas to enjoy backpacking, hiking, camping, and a wide variety of sports. Trends in supply and demand for outdoor opportunities are explored. Factors influencing demand include growing…