Self-Efficacy and Adventure Programs: Transferring Outcomes to Everyday Life

In the field of outdoor education, the be­lief that outdoor adventure programs have the ability to increase the participants\u27 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\u27 self-efficacy will carry over into the participants\u27 lives after the course, there is little empirical research on this topic. In Hattie, Marsh, Neill, & Richards\u27 (1997) meta-analysis of research on adventure programs, they point out the need to study the development of self­-efficacy and to test specifically for efficacy (rather than self-concept in general or self-esteem). They suggest using alter­native research designs to enhance the standard pre-test, post-test design so commonly used in our field. In this paper, we address the theoretical and methodo­logical issues raised by Hattie et al. (1997), as well as the question of the transference of self-efficacy gained on an outdoor adventure course to individuals\u27 everyday lives. The paper reports on a study of self-efficacy in adult Outward Bound participants, and the level of trans­ference of self-efficacy gains to everyday life

Summary of Group Development/ Group Dynamics Discussion

Summarizes the group discussion held following the keynote on group development and group dynamics

Benefits and Components of an Inclusive Adventure Program for Families with Children Who Have a Disability

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, Hamby & Gordon, 1993; Lakin, 1998; Turnbull & Turnbull, 1997), which can create pathways toward the social inclusion of the family to the greater community. Family support and commu­nity human service programs are recognizing this and beginning to recommend incorporating inclusive, family-centered recreation opportuni­ties for the entire family into community pro­gram philosophy and practice (Dunst, et al., 1993; Lakin, 1998; Orthner, 1998). The purpose of this research was to identify the benefits and components of an inclusive family outdoor rec­reation program. The participating families in this study identified the programmatic compo­nents that contributed to their successful involvement

Strengthening the Foundations of Outdoor Education

A preface to the journal Research in Outdoor Education, volume 3 is presented by the authors on behalf of the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors (CEO) Research Committee

Outdoor Leadership: A Question of Vision and Ethics

Outdoor education increasingly includes programs for youth-at-risk, multi-cultural groups, battered women, and other special populations. The diversity of such groups and their needs and expectations place additional demands upon the outdoor leader. Good judgement on a trip with seniors may not be identical to good judgement on a trip with youth-at-risk; group exercises appropriate for young males of color may be inappropriate for women who have been abused. The diverse populations and situations will require outdoor leaders to become more self-aware, reflective, and sensitive to culture, race, and gender differences (Greenleaf, 1970; Shapiro, 1988; Terry, 1988). Resolving conflicts and ethical differences will also include competencies in critical thinking and ethical decision-making as applied to outdoor recreation/education (Hunt, 1989; Warren, 1989). This exploratory study looked at student journal writings and papers during a course about ethical outdoor leadership that included readings from the areas of outdoor recreation and ethical leadership. The text of 26 students was analy:zed using the Minnesota Contextual Content Analysis computer program (McTavish & Pirro, 1989) and traditional content analysis. Preliminary results indicate a conceptual difference between writings about ethical leadership and outdoor leadership. The students perceived the material about outdoor leadership as practical and actionented. They saw the infonnation about leadership and ethics as being academic and not­very pragmatic. As the course progressed, and in their final papers, the material of both fields begins to be integrated using examples of class exercises and discussions. Students provided more ethical analysis when discussing iri:.Class exercises and student interaction than responding direttly to readings or lecture information. The use of critical thinking skills did not increase, which may reflect the lack of consistent, direct teaching of these skills. Fmally, the students made small changes in applying the principles to their own leadership and ethical frameworks. Future research should address preconceptions about leadership, direct .teaching of critical thinking skills and ability to describe ethical dilemmas, the role of ethical followership, and the integration of readings with class experiences for analysis and transfer of ethical leadership skills

Leader Integration Competencies and Staff Training

The purpose of this study was to test that competencies about inclusion were learned in staff training. Specifically, the study sought to identify the leadership competencies necessary for leaders in integrated outdoor adventure pro­grams and to measure the effectiveness of a staff training addressing one of these competencies (the ability to apply integration strategies). This study was exploratory in nature and centered on one agency, Wilderness Inquiry, Inc. (WI) of Minneapolis, which is recognized as the fore­most integrated outdoor adventure program in the country. The study focused on current staff of Wilderness Inquiry and on the approximately 30 new program staff that Wilderness Inquiry brings into the organization each summer. The study design used a literature review and three focus groups to identify the primary leadership competencies needed for leaders of integrated programs

Cooperation In Resource Management Planning: A Model Process for Promoting Partnerships Between Resource Managers and Private Service Providers

This study presents a modified transactive planning process intended to improve communication and cooperation between public sector resource managers and private sector businesses that serve visitors to an outdoor recreation resource. The elements of the transactive planning process are illustrated and applied in a case study approach with the U.S. Forest Service and commercial outfitters adjacent to a forest recreation area. Outcomes of the planning process indicate that public managers and private businesses share many of the same management goals and concerns. They also agree they can and should address these concerns cooperatively. Results of the study indicate that this transactive process: (1) can promote cooperation and improved communication between public managers and private sector service businesses, and (2) can be effectively integrated into the implementation phase of the traditional allocative planning model on which most public resource agencies rely. Strengths and weaknesses of the transactive planning process are discussed

The Relationship Between Summer Camp Employment and Emotional Intelligence

Camping professionals have long claimed that summer camp employment provides camp staff with a number of benefits. The summer camp staff experience has been shown to have a positive effect on the staff members\u27 personal, social and emotional growth (Bialeschki, Henderson, & Dahowski, 1998; DeGraff & Glover, 2002). Yet, some influentia. others such as parents and human resources professionals have questioned the wisdom of a college student spending a summer of fun in the sun , working at a summer camp for low pay. The concept of emotional intelligence has been recently gaining favor in the human resource management arena, and it may be a:fruitful concept to apply to the potential benefit of summer camp employment. Emotional intelligence refers to a \u27type of·social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one\u27s own and others\u27 emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use the information to guide one\u27s thinking and actions (Mayer & Salovey, 1993, p. 433). The purpose of this study was to identify how the summer camp experience impacts staff members and to better understand if emotional intelligence is developed through summer camp employment

A Modified Outdoor Adventure Program Serving Individuals with Cognitive Disabilities Who Present Serious Accommodation Challenges

When inclusive programming is to be offered in an outdoor adventure context, and attempts are made to welcome individuals who present disability issues that make accommodation unusually challenging, the obstacles to program success can begin to look insurmountable. Research indicates there are a number of benefits realized through participation in inclusive outdoor adventure programs (McAvoy, Schatz, Stutz, Schleien, & Lais, 1989; Anderson, Schleien, McAvoy, Lais, & Seligman, 1997; McAvoy, 2001). There has been a paucity of research focused on persons with cognitive disabilities in outdoor programs that typically go on camping excursions into wilderness or wilderness-like natural areas rather than staying in a developed camp facility. The limited research available does show that benefits can be realized through outdoor adventure programs that include persons with cognitive disabilities (Newman, 2004). Recognizing the need for further study in this area, the primary purpose of this research was to assess participant growth in social/socialization and leisure skill functioning of persons with cognitive disabilities relative to participation in a modified inclusive outdoor adventure program. The study used the Peterson and Stumbo (2000) Leisure Ability Model as a conceptual foundation for assessing programmatic outcomes

Research In Outdoor Education: Group Development And Group Dynamics

This article contains the text of a keynote presentation at the Inaugural Symposium for Research in Outdoor Education at Bradford Woods, January 1992,. The presentation focused on the development of positive group dynamics