Expanding Pedagogical Horizons: A case study of teacher professional development

Development of pedagogies within schools that inform adolescent learning has been an ongoing struggle within education systems. A novel approach to this issue was taken by the Non Government Organisation (NGO) \u27Evolve’ based in Victoria, Australia, who worked in partnership with disadvantaged secondary schools to develop a multi-faceted curriculum. This curriculum incorporated traditional outdoor learning approaches of residential experiences and expeditionary journeys, alongside school based inquiry projects. Data collected over three years found that the different educational settings of the program exposed teachers to a range of teaching practices. This exposure combined with the collaborative development of curriculum with Evolve staff broadened the pedagogy used by teachers. This study indicates that programs collaboratively implemented by schools with external providers can expand the development of teachers’ teaching practice. The process is most effective when external providers work directly with teachers and students collaborating on the development and delivery of the curriculum

Wheat interactions with Italian ryegrass; forage production and quality in pure and mixed stands of wheat, oats, and ryegrass; and halosulfuron interaction with soils

A growth room experiment compared seedling growth after nine weeks of two wheat genotypes in pure cultures and mixtures with Italian ryegrass at a low phosphorus (P) level and the P level recommended by soil testing. At the recommended P level in both pure and mixed culture, Mit, a semi-dwarf genotype, had a greater height, leaf area, tiller number, and dry weight of leaves, stems and roots than did Kharkof, a landrace. These results reflected the visual selection criteria for seedling vigor and tillering used in the initial development of the semi-dwarf cultivars. Field experiments compared total dry matter, calories, and percent crude protein and acid detergent fiber of oats, wheat, and ryegrass in pure culture and mixtures at four locations in central Texas at first clipping, second clipping, and unclipped. Although, forage yield was lower for the first clipping than the second clipping or the unclipped treatment, the first clipping had the best forage quality. There was a strong environmental influence on yield and quality. The best forage was pure wheat at College Station, pure ryegrass at Marlin, the wheat-ryegrass mixture at Temple, and pure oats at Thrall. Since Temple had the greatest yield of any site, the wheat-ryegrass mixture demonstrated the highest yield potential. The soil adsorption characteristics of halosulfuron was examined using six soils. Soil adsorption of halosulfuron appeared to be a function of organic matter. Low Kf,ads values indicated that a relatively high plant availability of halosulfuron could be available for plant uptake. Sorghum produced in soils with a low organic matter content may experience injury because of the high plant availability

Outdoor education and bush adventure therapy: A social-ecological approach to health and wellbeing.

Together, outdoor education and bush adventure therapy can be seen to constitute a population-wide health intervention strategy. Whether in educational or therapeutic settings, the intentional use of contact with nature, small groups, and adventure provides a unique approach in the promotion of health and wellbeing for the general population, and for individuals with identified health vulnerabilities. This paper explicitly emphasises human and social health, however, an integral assumption is that a healthy and sustainable environment is dependent on healthy human relationships with nature. We invite outdoor educators and bush adventure therapy practitioners to examine the proposition that healthy interactions with nature can create a unique stream of socio-ecological interventions. A spectrum of outdoor adventure programs is provided, allowing outdoor educators and bush adventure therapy practitioners to locate their work according to program context and aims, and participant aims and needs.<br /

Efficacy of yoga for vasomotor symptoms: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the efficacy of yoga in alleviating vasomotor symptoms (VMS) frequency and bother. METHODS: This study was a three-by-two factorial, randomized controlled trial. Eligible women were randomized to yoga (n = 107), exercise (n = 106), or usual activity (n = 142), and were simultaneously randomized to a double-blind comparison of ω-3 fatty acid (n = 177) or placebo (n = 178) capsules. Yoga intervention consisted of 12 weekly 90-minute yoga classes with daily home practice. Primary outcomes were VMS frequency and bother assessed by daily diaries at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index) at baseline and 12 weeks. RESULTS: Among 249 randomized women, 237 (95%) completed 12-week assessments. The mean baseline VMS frequency was 7.4 per day (95% CI, 6.6 to 8.1) in the yoga group and 8.0 per day (95% CI, 7.3 to 8.7) in the usual activity group. Intent-to-treat analyses included all participants with response data (n = 237). There was no difference between intervention groups in the change in VMS frequency from baseline to 6 and 12 weeks (mean difference [yoga--usual activity] from baseline at 6 wk, -0.3 [95% CI, -1.1 to 0.5]; mean difference [yoga--usual activity] from baseline at 12 wk, -0.3 [95% CI, -1.2 to 0.6]; P = 0.119 across both time points). Results were similar for VMS bother. At week 12, yoga was associated with an improvement in insomnia symptoms (mean difference [yoga - usual activity] in the change in Insomnia Severity Index, 1.3 [95% CI, -2.5 to -0.1]; P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Among healthy women, 12 weeks of yoga class plus home practice, compared with usual activity, do not improve VMS frequency or bother but reduce insomnia symptoms

Menopausal Quality of Life: A RCT of Yoga, Exercise and Omega-3 Supplements

Objective— Determine efficacy of three non-hormonal therapies for improving menopause- related quality of life (QOL) in women with vasomotor symptoms (VMS). Methods— 12-week 3×2 randomized, controlled, factorial design trial. Peri- and postmenopausal women, ages 40-62 years, were randomized to yoga (n=107), exercise (n=106), or usual activity (n=142), and also randomized to double-blind comparison of omega-3 (n=177) or placebo (n=178) capsules. Interventions: 1) weekly 90-minute yoga classes with daily at-home practice; 2) individualized facility-based aerobic exercise training 3 times/week; and 3) 0.615 gram omega-3 supplement, 3 times/day. Outcomes: Menopausal Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL) total and domain (VMS, psychosocial, physical and sexual) scores. Results— Among 355 randomized women, average age 54.7 years, 338 (95%) completed 12- week assessments. Mean baseline VMS frequency was 7.6/day and mean baseline total MENQOL score was 3.8 (range 1-8 from better to worse) with no between-group differences. For yoga compared to usual activity, baseline to 12-week improvements were seen for MENQOL total -0.3 (95% CI -0.6 to 0.0, p=0.02), and VMS (p=0.02) and sexuality (p=0.03) domain scores. For exercise and omega-3 compared to controls, improvements in baseline to 12-week total MENQOL scores were not observed. Exercise showed benefit in the MENQOL physical domain score at 12- weeks (p=0.02). Conclusion— All women become menopausal and many seek medical advice on ways to improve quality of life; little evidence-based information exists. We found, among healthy sedentary menopausal women, yoga appears to improve menopausal QOL - the clinical significance of our finding is uncertain due to modest effect

Ecological leadership: A new perspective on leadership

Given today's focus on the state of the environment and the developing role of corporate social leadership in could be argued that there is a need for the development of successful business leaders who have a positive relationship to the natural world. Gifford (2007) argued that any real change in sustainable practice will most likely happen at an individual level, through changes in attitudes and everyday behaviour. For this change to happen, an individual will need to feel connected to the natural world (Dunbar, 2004; Schroll, 2007). Roszak (1992) developed the notion of ecopsychology specifically to explore this relationship and suggest new ways to generate greater environmental awareness as well as ameliorate psychological problems caused or exacerbated by widespread alienation from nature. From this perspective it seems imperative that we develop people centred leader’s who feel connected to the natural world whilst demonstrating solid performance, as measured by organisational and social indicators. This paper presents information from an International research project that might add further insights into the role outdoor education plays in the development of generic leaders who have a positive relationship to the natural world. Three questionnaires, an established measurement of generic transformational leadership (MLQ) and two established measurement of attitudes to and feelings about the natural world (the New Ecological Paradigm Scale and the Connectedness to Nature Scale), were administered to 214 (males, n=138 and females, n=76) International outdoor leaders with the implicit aim of assessing the nexus of transformational leadership theory and adventure based leadership development. The large and diverse cohort of participants has provided ground-breaking insights into transformational and ecological leadership styles. This paper outlines a descriptive analysis of findings and offers valuable information for those involved in training leaders. Throughout this presentation participants will be encouraged to contextualise the information for their specific circumstance

Changing spaces : contextualising outdoor experiential programs for health and wellbeing

Using Gidden\u27s structuration theory to explore marginalised young people\u27s perceptions of a six-week outdoor experiential program, this study uncovers the processes involved in increasing the agency and control the young people have over their future health and wellbeing to enable them to make significant changes in their life styles

Enhancing social capital through experiential learning: a case study of reconnecting adolescents to education and employment

This case study reports on the practice of a program designed to enhance the social capital of young people through reconnecting them to education and employment