Today, outdoor therapies are practiced in many nations around the world, with a broad diversity of philosophies, theories, methods, functions, and formats (Norton et al., 2015). The field of therapy within the outdoors has been much discussed and debated within the experiential profession (Itin, 1998). The disputes and deliberations have centred…

Presents models through which educators can examine rationale for putting lives of others at risk. Reviews "Adventure Experience Paradigm" for facilitating changes. Considers components of exploration, experimentation, adventure, peak adventure, misadventure, devastation, and disaster. Suggests "Normal Life Risk" model as common means to justify…

Presents a new definition of outdoor education. Describes the different approaches to outdoor education advocated in adventure education and environmental education. Proposes that an integration of approaches can result in a functional outdoor education experience. (ML)

Describes numerous benefits of ropes courses including (1) increasing self-esteem; (2) promoting physical fitness; and (3) fostering group cooperation. Traces the history of ropes courses. Emphasizes safety through construction standards for ropes courses outlined in "Safety Practices in Adventure Programming" by Priest and Dixon. (KS)

Examines ways in which outdoor adventure programs can guard against charges of negligence and the possibility of lawsuits without diluting challenge or participant satisfaction. Discusses risk management, insurance, safety guidelines to use in the development of program-specific standards, and accident prevention. Contains 19 references. (SV)

Provides advice on how an adventure program can protect itself from the risk of being sued. Defines terms dealing primarily with civil liberty and describes the four criteria for negligence. Lists strategies for preventing litigation, responding appropriately to an accident, seeking legal counsel after an accident, and using contributory and…

Five stages of development in the facilitation of adventure experiences in order of sophistication are letting the experience speak for itself; speaking for the experience by the instructor; debriefing the experience through reflection; frontloading the experience with prebriefing; and framing the experience isomorphically. (KS)

Summarizes theories of group development encompassing the stages of orientation, conflict, integration, achievement, and breakup. Relates group development stages to leadership styles and the leader's relative concern for dimensions of task and relationship. Applies the five-stage model of group development to the progress of groups involved in…

Twenty-seven corporate managers completed the Priest Attarian Risk Taking Inventory before and after a day of rappelling. Subjects also completed a business version of the inventory a few weeks before and a few weeks after the experience. Subjects appeared to transfer some of their new risk-taking behaviors to their jobs. (KS)

The purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes of using metaphors to enhance learning in the framing and debriefing of teamwork issues for a corporate adventure training (CAT) program. Through random assignment, four different but intact regional work groups from a European banking institution participated in a CAT program for the purposes…

Discusses ways in which outdoor leadership preparation differs in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada based on questionnaire responses of 169 selected experts. Examines skills (technical activity, organizational, environmental, instructional, group management, problem solving) and attributes (motivational,…

Describes a 10-step process for analyzing danger as a way of reducing the chance that an accident will happen, or minimizing its consequences to acceptable and recoverable levels. Factors that can inhibit the process include inappropriate attribution, relaxed concentration, rushing to maintain a schedule, group or peer pressure, and poor judgment.…

Defines debriefing as a process of guiding reflection on experience in order to learn from the experience. Examines why debriefing is necessary; who runs it; and when, where, and how it is conducted. Guides facilitators through five categories of questions: review, recall, and remember; affect/effect; summation; application; and commitment. (TD)

A survey of trainers of challenge course facilitators resulted in a list of general competencies to be included in facilitator training. Includes technical skills involving challenge or ropes courses, group initiatives and low ropes, safety and environmental issues, and program administration. Facilitation skills involve recreational, educational,…

Reviews socio-psychological theories regarding human motivation in adventure education. A synthesis of these theories produces a model of participant behavior based on combinations of varying degrees of perceived risk and competence, and resulting outcomes. Includes suggestions for modifying experiences so that all participants can achieve…