Youth Development through Outdoor Adventure: Results from the Outward Bound “Unity Project”

Equity and inclusion are critical issues that need to be addressed in outdoor adventure education. Although some literature identifies inclusive practices for enhancing equity in outdoor adventure education, most research does not situate these practices within the contexts in which they were created and used. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore outdoor adventure education instructors’ inclusive praxis, and the conditions that influenced their praxis on their courses and in their instructing experiences. To this end, we conducted semi-structured interviews with ten instructors from four Outward Bound schools in the USA. The instructors varied in their gender, school, types of programs facilitated, and duration of employment with Outward Bound. Our inductive analysis of the interview data focused on the identification of themes illustrating the characteristics of instructors’ inclusive praxis, as well as the conditions that influenced their praxis. Themes emerged from our analysis that highlighted the macro and micro conditions that set the stage for instructors’ inclusive praxis, which focused on creating spaces that fostered inclusive group cultures on their courses. The findings from this study may be a useful starting point for enhancing the instructors’ role in fostering equity and inclusion on outdoor adventure education courses. We conclude with suggestions for future research.

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Outcomes from the Components of an Outward Bound Experience

Journal of Experiential Education ◽

10.1177/105382590502800206 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

pp. 123-146 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Marni Goldenberg ◽

Leo McAvoy ◽

David B. Klenosky

Keyword(s):

Experiential Education ◽

Personal Values ◽

Outward Bound ◽

Outdoor Adventure ◽

Adventure Programming ◽

Course Experiences ◽

Course Outcomes ◽

The Relationship ◽

Self Administered Questionnaire

Means-end theory provides a useful approach for characterizing the relationship among the attributes or components of an experiential education course (the “means”), the benefits, or the outcomes associated with these attributes/course components, and the personal values (the “ends”) these outcomes help to reinforce for course participants. The purpose of this article is to show how this “means-end” perspective can enhance our understanding of the outcomes associated with outdoor adventure programming. A self-administered questionnaire designed to identify the linkages among program attributes (i.e., course components), course outcomes, and personal values was administered to a sample of 216 Outward Bound course participants. Analysis of the data provided useful insights into the outcomes associated with Outward Bound course experiences and with specific course components. The results can assist experiential educators in linking outdoor adventure course outcomes to course components, and in marketing course programs to potential clients.

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Outdoor Adventure Education in East Asia: Interpreting Data From Outward Bound Hong Kong

Journal of Outdoor Recreation Education and Leadership ◽

10.18666/jorel-2018-v10-i1-8194 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 67-78

Author(s):

Jim Sibthorp ◽

Aaron Funnell ◽

Mike Riley ◽

Bacon Chan ◽

Lisa Meerts-Brandsma

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

East Asia ◽

Adventure Education ◽

Outward Bound ◽

Outdoor Adventure ◽

Outdoor Adventure Education

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Urban Youth Perspectives on the Benefits and Challenges of Outdoor Adventure Camp

Journal of Youth Development ◽

10.5195/jyd.2019.809 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 122-143

Author(s):

Edmond P. Bowers ◽

Lincoln R. Larson ◽

Alexandra M. Sandoval

Keyword(s):

Youth Development ◽

Urban Youth ◽

Youth Of Color ◽

Outdoor Adventure ◽

Connection To Nature ◽

Social Competencies ◽

Growth Environment ◽

Adventure Programming ◽

Low Levels ◽

Method Approach

Consistent evidence indicates that urban youth, and particularly youth of color, report relatively low levels of participation in quality youth program experiences and spend less time outdoors as compared to non-urban and White youth. Outdoor adventure camps (OACs) provide an excellent opportunity for engaging these youth in experiences that can help promote positive youth development (PYD). In the present study, we examined the experiences and perceptions of 75 urban youth who participated in a 3-day high adventure camp experience. Through a mixed-method approach, results indicated that urban youth from all racial and ethnic backgrounds grew in several PYD outcomes including social competencies and self-improvement capacities. Many youth also reported growing in their connection to nature as a consequence of participating in the OAC. Youth thought camp was a positive and worthwhile experience, reflecting key attributes of a PYD setting. Overall, the OAC provided a challenging and engaging growth environment for youth. Findings highlight implications for socially just and culturally inclusive outdoor adventure programming aimed at diverse urban youth.

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The Pedagogic Value of Student Autonomy in Adventure Education

Journal of Experiential Education ◽

10.1177/105382590803100203 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 136-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Jim Sibthorp ◽

Karen Paisley ◽

John Gookin ◽

Nate Furman

Keyword(s):

Youth Development ◽

Adventure Education ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Developmental Outcomes ◽

Near Miss ◽

Outdoor Adventure ◽

Outdoor Leadership ◽

Pedagogical Tool ◽

Student Autonomy ◽

Autonomous Student

Allowing students a sense of autonomy has long been considered an important pedagogical tool. This paper synthesizes the current literature on student autonomy from the education, youth development, and outdoor adventure fields and explores its value through an analysis of data from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). The results supported the two main hypotheses: Developmental outcomes are related to participants' perceptions of autonomy, and autonomous student expeditions (ASE) provide students with authentic and meaningful opportunities to experience autonomy during adventure education programs. A secondary analysis found that injury, evacuation, and near-miss rates were no different during ASEs than when students are accompanied by instructors. Despite these findings, the use of ASEs remains controversial. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

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Identity Exploration and Commitment of Albanian Youth as a Function of Social Opportunity Structure

European Psychologist ◽

10.1027/1016-9040.11.4.268 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 268-276 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Aida Orgocka ◽

Jasna Jovanovic

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Identity Development ◽

Youth Development ◽

Female Students ◽

Male Students ◽

Opportunity Structure ◽

School Students ◽

Identity Exploration

This study examined how social opportunity structure influences identity exploration and commitment of Albanian high school students. A total of 258 students completed a questionnaire that gauged their identity exploration and commitment in three domains: education, occupation, and family. ANOVA results indicated that, overall, students scored highest in exploration in the domain of education and in commitment in the domain of family. Students' exploration and commitment were linked to gender. Albanian female students scored higher than male students in exploration and commitment regarding education and family. Perceived work opportunities in Albania or abroad also significantly moderated participants' exploration in the domain of education and were associated with commitment in education and occupation. As one of the first studies to explore Albanian youth's identity development in relation to social opportunity structure, findings are discussed in light of furthering the field of Albanian adolescent and youth development.

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Youth Development in Europe

European Psychologist ◽

10.1027/1016-9040.14.4.372 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 372-375 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Katariina Salmela-Aro ◽

Ingrid Schoon

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Relationship Quality ◽

Youth Development ◽

Social Relationships ◽

Transition To Adulthood ◽

Cultural Context ◽

Integrative Framework ◽

Reciprocal Interactions ◽

The Family ◽

Key Players

A series of six papers on “Youth Development in Europe: Transitions and Identities” has now been published in the European Psychologist throughout 2008 and 2009. The papers aim to make a conceptual contribution to the increasingly important area of productive youth development by focusing on variations and changes in the transition to adulthood and emerging identities. The papers address different aspects of an integrative framework for the study of reciprocal multiple person-environment interactions shaping the pathways to adulthood in the contexts of the family, the school, and social relationships with peers and significant others. Interactions between these key players are shaped by their embeddedness in varied neighborhoods and communities, institutional regulations, and social policies, which in turn are influenced by the wider sociohistorical and cultural context. Young people are active agents, and their development is shaped through reciprocal interactions with these contexts; thus, the developing individual both influences and is influenced by those contexts. Relationship quality and engagement in interactions appears to be a fruitful avenue for a better understanding of how young people adjust to and tackle development to productive adulthood.

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