A study investigated the personality type preferences of people who voluntarily chose to participate in a structured, field-based, outdoor education program. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was administered to 87 participants prior to beginning a 10-day Wilderness Education Association outdoor leadership trip. Participants were 18-46 years…

This paper offers suggestions for making ropes challenge courses accessible to individuals with special needs. Federal legislation requires that programs be updated to be inclusive of individuals with disabilities. A transdisciplinary approach is suggested for promoting a better and safer program based on input from occupational therapists,…

A professional adventure educator offers numerous resources about adventure-based learning, drawn from his book, "Teamwork and Teamplay." Organizational resources include libraries, the Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC), Kendall/Hunt publishers, the American Camping Association book store, Project Adventure, the Association for…

Discusses the content, rewards, risks, and legal implications of adventure education. (WD)

The goals of and the development of a year-round outdoor-oriented adventure education program at The Asheville School in North Carolina is discussed. Available from: Center for Environmental, Camping and Outdoor Education; University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Pine Lake Field Campus; 4016 Blumenthal Road; Greensboro, NC, 27406. (AN)

The first (1997) international conference on adventure therapy (Perth, Australia) was attended by over 270 participants from 21 countries. Major themes included defining adventure therapy, therapeutic behavior change versus changing attitudes and values, the ethics of therapy, whether adventure therapy must link to a recognized school of…

Reviews the literature on the relationship of adventure education and experiential learning to spiritual experiences and development. Discusses definitions of spirituality, religion, and related terms; two frameworks for integration of psychology and spirituality and their application to experiential education; specific strategies for integrating…

Examined potential aspects of Walsh and Golins' (1976) model of the Outward Bound process in the context of current education literature and theory, testing the relationship between participant antecedent factors, perceptions of characteristics of an adventure experience, and self-efficacy. Data on teens from a summer adventure camp indicated that…

Debunks various myths related to the adventure experience: rural idyll versus urban squalor, the British character, leadership potential, adventure as substitute for aggression, role models, adventure experience as a route to political and social awareness, adventure is environmentally friendly, economic regeneration, the hills are free, adventure…

An Italian working for Outward Bound in Great Britain describes his exploration of an Outward Bound center in southern France, focusing on the residential facilities, program philosophy, French emphasis on psychology, range of available outdoor activities, and general program design. (SV)

Forty-four males and 40 females completed an adaptation of the Linear Arousal and Stress Scale after a 1-day rafting trip. Men showed higher base levels of anxiety than women. Anxiety and arousal increased significantly prior to the first rapid. Levels of anxiety and arousal during this adventure activity changed constantly as different situations…

Five questions that can help trainers implement effective outdoor experiential training are (1) what is to be accomplished? (2) why outdoors? (3) what type of facilitator is needed? (4) what role does the trainer play? and (5) who should attend? (JOW)

From its beginnings as a bush camp for hard-core juvenile delinquents, Project DARE has expanded to provide programs to a variety of troubled youth in Ontario, Canada. Programs include residential schools, remote wilderness adventure programs, and community-based experiential learning and recreational opportunities. (SV)

Outlines a low-cost introductory adventure program. Discusses proper activity sequencing to ensure participation and group unity, adaptation of activities to participant needs, incorporation of briefing and debriefing, and the leader's role. Describes ice breakers, trust-building activities, and simple rope courses. (SV)

Contrary to a rule to never teach students to lead climb, an instructor taught several youth to lead climb at a parent's request. These students planned to pursue rock climbing on their own after they left school, and preparing them was deemed a safety precaution. Analysis of this "close call" offers guidelines for introducing students…