Leisure Studies Commons^™

Meta-Analytic Research On The Outcomes Of Outdoor Education, James T. Neill

Research in Outdoor Education

For most outdoor education (OE )advocates the ready-at-hand, ad hoc evidence is sufficient to support their en­thusiastic claims about OE. Indeed, the smile when a participant conquers a challenge and the glowing words spoken during a debrief are often compelling. But is it enough to let such evi­dence speak for itself? Professional OErs should know more about research results, as should all stakeholders in OE programs and related fields of endeavor, includ­ing researchers of OE. To date, however, there has been a lack of high quality research reviews that have been written for both researchers and practitioners. Thus the current …

Motivations Of Elderhostel Participants In Outdoor Adventure Programs: A Life-Cycle Perspective, Deborah M. Sugerman

Research in Outdoor Education

This manuscript examines the motivations of older adults to participate in outdoor adventure experiences based on whether or not they are retired to determine the association of motiva­tion and retirement status. A particular focus for the paper is to better inform providers of outdoor adventure programs for older adults about the specific motivations of participants based on their stage of life cycle development. Under­standing these motivations may aid in conduct­ing effective and appropriate outdoor adventure programs for this population.

The Relationship Between Program Components And Outcomes: Participants' Perceptions Of An Outdoor Adventure Student Orientation, Cheryl K. Baldwin, Harry C. Zinn, Linda L. Caldwell

Research in Outdoor Education

The purpose of this study was to assess participants' perceptions of program com­ponents and outcomes of a first-year college student outdoor adventure orientation (OAO) program. Qualitative, semi-struc­tured post-trip interviews were conducted during the spring semester with 11 OAO participants.

Ten Years Of Challenge Course Research: A Review Of Affective Outcome Studies, Camille J. Bunting, John P. Donley

Research in Outdoor Education

Over the past 30 years, challenge/ropes courses have spread across the country and are now focused toward a variety of popula­tions, including adolescents, college stu­dents, and corporate employees. Despite their success and growing popularity as an effective training tool, challenge/ropes courses have earned little credibility through academic research. Although a significant amount of research has· been completed, questions continue to arise regarding the efficacy of challenge/ropes experiences for corporate team development and the educa­tional enhancement for adolescent and col­lege students. The purpose of this study was to assimilate and synthesize challenge/ropes course research during the 1990s that stud­ied affective outcomes …

The Relationship Of Motivation Factors To Level Of Development In Outdoor Adventure Recreationists, Sharon L. Todd, Lynn Anderson, Anderson B. Young, Dale Anderson

Research in Outdoor Education

A growing body of empirical studies tests theories of developmental level in a recreation activity. Most are based on two prominent lei­sure theories: specialization (Bryan, 1977, 1979) and amateur/professionalism or "serious leisure" (Stebbins, 1979, 1992). A parallel group of stud­ies has focused on understanding the developmental levels of outdoor adventure (or risk) receation behavior, primarily using the Adventure Recreation Model (ARM) (Ewert, 1989) as a cornerstone. Both areas of the literature have sought to understand developmental levels in relation to other variables, including motivation. The purpose of this study was to determine the motivation factors that are related to partici­pants' …

Outcomes Of Camping: Perceptions From Camper Focus Groups, M. Deborah Bialeschki, Amy Krehbiel, Karla A. Henderson

Research in Outdoor Education

The Recreation and Leisure Studies De­partment at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) and Morry's Camp are working together to develop an evaluation re­search plan that blends appropriate measurement tools with assessing desired outcomes. Several methodological techniques are in place to gather qualitative and. quantitative longitudinal data from Morry's Camp.

This paper, however, will focus on one set of qualitative results gathered from three exploratory focus groups conducted with campers. The purpose of this paper is to describe the match between the camp's objec­tives and the valued aspects of the camp experi­ence as articulated by the campers. Our …

An Examination Of The Effects Of Experiential Education In A Cross Cultural Context On The Moral Reasoning Of High School Students, Jordana Dezeeuw

Research in Outdoor Education

The purpose of this study was to ascertain if a student's moral reasoning may be enhanced during cross-cultural immersion programs, which intentionally incorporate experiential learning (i.e., the cycle of ex­perience reflection transfer new knowl­edge). Using the University of Minnesota's Cen­ter for the Study of Ethical Development Defin­ing Issues Test - 2 (DIT-2) as a quantitative in­strument, the study looked at the indicated differ­ences in the moral reasoning of 50 students between the ages of 14 and 18 before and after their experiences on Global Routes and Interlocken travel programs.

Grappling With The Theoretical And Measurement Issues Involved In Assessing The Impact Of A Combined Adventure/Social-Cognitive Prevention Program On Violent Behavior, Aleta L. Meyer

Research in Outdoor Education

The focus of this presentation is to out­line the issues we have been grappling with on the journey from developmental psychology to­ward the field of outdoor education, and to invite practitioners in outdoor adventure to join in this walk for the purpose of seeing how we might be able to collaboratively prevent youth violence and promote positive development.

Development And Validation Of An Outdoor Leader Experience Use History Instrument, Shayne Galloway

Research in Outdoor Education

This abstract describes the con­ceptualization, development, and validation of an instrument designed to measure the personal and professional experience levels of outdoor leaders - ­the Outdoor Leader Experience Use History (OLEUH). The OLEUH represents one method to generate empirical measurement in what has his­torically been an intuitive arena.

The Awareness Activation Model For Transfer Of Learning In Experiential Settings, Ron Ramsing, Karen P. Hurtes

Research in Outdoor Education

An individual applying her or his newfound knowledge and transferring the information, through action to a new setting is a valued out­come for experiential education practitioners. At the most basic level, the notion of transfer of knowledge appears so simple and commonsensical that it may only subconsciously serve as the focal point of initiative/rope course activities. Yet, transfer facilitated with intention may very well make any new knowledge acquired through experience more efficacious, applicable, and enduring for an individual. Intentional facµitation, including isomorphic framing, may be the "trigger" that activates one's sense of mindfulness toward long-term use or even a …

Youth Development Outcomes Of Adventure Program Perceptions, Marge Scanlin

Research in Outdoor Education

The research will encompass 100 camps randomly selected from various strata of ACA's accredited camps. A total of at least 5000 campers will complete three sets of surveys in 2002/03. Several youth develop­ment outcomes will be measured through pre-; post-, and follow-up surveys of camp­ers and their parents, staff observational checklists, and focus groups with a sample of participating camps. The outcomes under study include increased positive identity ; improved social skills; increased positive values; and learning new skills including cognitive, and psycho-motor skills.

A Multivariate Model Of Adventure Program Perceptions, Jim Sibthorp, Eddie Hill

Research in Outdoor Education

Continued interest in ·program evaluation· and improvement has led to calls for additional multivariate research, better measurement tools, and more complex research designs (Roberts & Yerkes, 2000; Ewert & Sibthorp, 2000). Through multivariate studies, researchers and practitioners can better discern which components of adventure programs have the greatest explanatory power regarding program outcomes, and which variables interact to facilitate or im­pede the learning of programmatic objectives. Recently, new instrumentation has been de­veloped to better address the needs of adventure education research and evaluation. The Life Effectiveness Questionnaire (LEQ) was de­signed to measure eight domains that are pos­sible outcomes for adventure …

What Have We Been Doing?, Anderson B. Young

Research in Outdoor Education

A preface to the journal "Research in Outdoor Education," volume 5 is presented by the author on behalf of the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors (CEO) Research Committee.

Testing The Adventure Recreation Model: A Replication With Subjects Involved In A Required Outdoor Experience, Lynn Anderson, Dale Anderson, Anderson Young

Research in Outdoor Education

The Adventure Recreation Model, first pro­posed and tested by Ewert and Hollenhorst (1989), attempts to describe participant. charac­teristics and patterns of use in adventure recrea­tion activities. The model was originally tested with students at Ohio State University who were involved in an outdoor pursuits program con­sisting of a wide variety of outdoor adventure activities. This study replicated and extended this research by using subjects who participated in a required outdoor course with an outdoor adventure component. The purpose of the study was to test the fit of the adventure model with subjects who were expected to be more diverse in …

The Effects Of A Public School System's One Day Adventure Experience, Harlan Eagle, Janelle Gordon, Lindy Lewis

Research in Outdoor Education

This paper reports on a study that investi­gated the effects of a public school system's one-day adventure experience on students' self ­reports of life effectiveness. According to Neill, Marsh & Richards (1997), life effectiveness is defined as, "the psychological and behavioral aspects of human functioning which determine a person's effectiveness or proficiency in any given situation".

Cultural History Interpretation In Adventure Education: Promoting "Landfull" Experiences, Molly A. Baker

Research in Outdoor Education

This study was designed to investigate inter­pretation as a potential method of promoting "landfull" experiences. To date, no studies have explored the application of cultural history in­terpretation in adventure-based programming. This study investigated the use of interpretive activities that focus on the cultural history of the area during an adventure-based trip and evalu­ated the impact of this interpretation on partici­pants' experiences. As an exploratory effort, the purpose of this study was threefold: To provide a rationale for the use of cultural history inter­pretation in adventure-based programming; to create a prototype for integrating cultural history interpretation in adventure programming; and to …

Developing Life Skills Through Adventure Education: A Qualitative Study, Jim Sibthorp

Research in Outdoor Education

In an attempt to understand the process of learning during a longer duration adventure edu­cation program, students in Broadreach were interviewed after participating in a three week long sail and dive-training program. In addition to sail and dive training, the Broadreach pro­gram focuses on leadership and personal devel­opment through experiential methodology.

Front Matter, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors (Ceo)

Research in Outdoor Education

The Coalition for Education in the Outdoors initiated a Research Task Force in 1990 with the purpose of supporting the conduct of research in the field and the dissemination of the results. The symposium at Bradford Woods and these Proceedings offer evidence of the success of this task force. At the first symposium in 1992, there was general agreement that the symposium be a regular occurrence. The 2000 Symposim and these Proceedings are indicators of the Coalition's continued support of research in outdoor education. Information on future events will be available through the Coalition office.

This article includes the Editors, …

Trends And Issues In Not For Profit Camping, Deborah Bialeschki, Karla Henderson, Kate Dahowski

Research in Outdoor Education

The purpose of this study was to examine in­fluences on not for profit agencies involved in camping programs to determine critical trends and issues related to organized camping. The American Camping Association (ACA) Not for Profit Forum and Council funded this study. The project consisted of three data collection phases: 1) an extensive literature review; 2) a survey sent to a random sample of camp directors and their not for profit agency executives; and 3) focus groups conducted at a national ACA con­ference. This descriptive research study uses information from the second phase of this pro­ject to present quantitative data …

Leadership Development And Youth Camping: Determining A Relationship, Rachelle H. Toupence, Christine D. Townsend

Research in Outdoor Education

The terminology may have changed, but the concepts of "leaders" and "leadership" have been a part of human thought for thousands of years. Similarly, so has leadership education. Leadership is one of the core skills employers expect of their employees at every level (Scheneman, 1991) and leadership development has emerged as a goal of outdoor education (Fri­ese, Hendee, & Kinziger, 1998). Debate contin­ues concerning the most effective methods for developing leadership as in recent years leader­ship education has been brought to the forefront. This is borne out in leisure literature as well, where in the last decade scholars have begun …

Outdoor Adventure And Health: Supporting Empirical Data, Camille J. Bunting

Research in Outdoor Education

The intent of this paper is to introduce a theoretical framework for considering connec­tions between outdoor adventure and health, not to present the findings of one or two new re­search studies. A compilation of empirical data will be presented from various studies to illus­trate the proposed connections, and provide documentation for subjective observations and beliefs long held by outdoor adventure educa­tors. Therefore, the format that follows is not one of a typical research report, but of a position paper with supporting empirical data from the author's own research.

Benefits And Components Of An Inclusive Adventure Program For Families With Children Who Have A Disability, Kathleen Scholl, Leo Mcavoy, John Smith

Research in Outdoor Education

Due to the national movement in the 1970s to de-institutionalize individuals with dis­abilities, the vast majority of these children live with their families in community settings; how­ever, the recreation opportunities for these fami­lies to participate together in community spon­sored programs may be limited. There are many programs for children with disabilities, but few are designed for the entire family when one or more children have a disability. Shifting the fo­cus from the individual with the disability to the entire family can support and enrich the intrinsic strengths that already exist in the family (Clapp & Rudolph, 1993; Dunst, Trivette, Starnes, …

The Effects Of Environmental And Adventure Education Programs On The Wilderness Attitudes Of Japanese Early Adolescents, Taito Okamura

Research in Outdoor Education

The conceptual framework for this study is that outdoor education represents the integration of environmental education and adventure edu­cation (Bisson, 1998; Bunting, 1990; Donna, 1996; Priest, 1986). The purpose of the study was first to compare the effects of environmental and adventure education programs in a resident camp setting on the wilderness attitudes of Japa­nese early adolescents.

The Impact Of Camp Programs On Children With Disabilities: Opportunities For Independence, Ann Fullerton, Steve Brandon, Joel Arick

Research in Outdoor Education

The purpose of this article is to examine the impact of specialized, residential camp programs on children and youth with disabili­ties. In general, the question is: "Does the camp experience result in positive or negative impacts on development, and do these changes transfer to home or school?" Camps are rich in social (both Vgotsky's and Bandura's con­ceptualizations; Gredler, 1992) and experien­tial (Kolb, 1984) learning. In camps, learning occurs while doing tasks within the functional, meaningful contexts of daily and social life in the camp community. Moreover, the naturally occurring consequences of one's actions are immediate and salient. The extensive litera­ture …

Building The Research Foundations Of Outdoor Education, Karen M. Fox, Leo H. Mcavoy, Anderson B. Young

Research in Outdoor Education

A preface to the journal "Research in Outdoor Education," volume 4 is presented by the authors on behalf of the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors (CEO) Research Committee.

An Integrative Review Of The Literature On Women In The Outdoors, Karla Henderson, Nina Roberts

Research in Outdoor Education

The intent of this integrative re­view was to examine approaches used in the existing literature about women and the outdoors, to determine the status of current research, and to suggest implica­tions for the future.

Front Matter, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors (Ceo)

Research in Outdoor Education

The Coalition for Education in the Outdoors initiated a Research Task Force in 1990 with the purpose of supporting the conduct of research in the field and the dissemination of the results. The symposium at Bradford Woods and these proceedings offer evidence of the success of this task force. At the first symposium in 1992, there was general agreement that the symposium be a regular occurrence. The 1994, 1996 and 1998 Symposia and these Proceedings are indicators of the Coalition's continued support of research in outdoor education. Information on future events will be available through the Coalition office.

This article …

"A Sense Of Competence." Re-Conceptualizing Issues Of Competence For Women In Outdoor Education, T. A. Loeffler

Research in Outdoor Education

Competence development in outdoor education is a complex process that is shaped by gender-role socialization, learning environments, and by individual differences. Outdoor educators need to further their un­derstanding of this process so they can fully empower themselves and their students. Outdoor programs need to be designed to support the development of both compe­tence in outdoor skills and a sense of com­petence in these skills so program partici­pants will be able to fully participate in out­door activities. This abstract provides an introduction to the issue of competence de­velopment and further discussion of this topic is available in Loeffler (1997).

Self-Efficacy And Adventure Programs: Transferring Outcomes To Everyday Life, Todd Paxton, Leo H. Mcavoy

Research in Outdoor Education

In the field of outdoor education, the be­lief that outdoor adventure programs have the ability to increase the participants' self-efficacy has long been. used to defend program existence and to give more credi­bility to the discipline (Berman & Ber­man, 1994; Cockrell, 1991; Ewert, 1989; Miles & Priest, 1990). Although outdoor adventure programs are based on the as­sumption that a positive effect on indi­viduals' self-efficacy will carry over into the participants' lives after the course, there is little empirical research on this topic. In Hattie, Marsh, Neill, & Richards' (1997) meta-analysis of research on adventure programs, they point out the need …

Factors Affecting The Personal And Social Outcomes Of Organized Camping, Marta K. Moorman

Research in Outdoor Education

Summer camp holds a special place in the minds of children. thoughts of camp bring images of swimming, hiking, laughing and making new friends. According to Dustiri (1989), the secret of organized camping is that camp is on a finite, human scale. Anyone can make a difference in their own comer of the world. Another important aspect of camp (Dustin, 1994) is creating a place for children to be children, not ''minia­ture adults" (p.28). Chenery (1984) sees the essential contribution of camp as. providing children with a space for spiritual development. Many factors could influence what sort of experiences campers …