The purpose of this study was to evaluate summer camp counselors' perceived competency prior to and after an 8-day training at an independent for-profit overnight camp. The participants in this study were 101 camp counselors who were employed at an overnight summer camp in the northeastern United States. Counselors' perceived competency was…

The Wilderness Education Association (WEA) trains outdoor leaders, instills a sense of stewardship in the wild outdoors, and provides the skills and knowledge necessary to lead and teach the public in the appropriate use of wilderness areas. WEA courses are offered through a network of 40 accredited affiliates around the world, including colleges…

Eleven students of novice paddling ability were divided into two groups, one group receiving verbal, the other nonverbal, instructions on using the kayak stern rudder. The verbal group was significantly better at performing the correct sequence of movements. Results support existing research showing that observation alone does not enable the…

In this paper I discuss some of the strengths and weaknesses of two different approaches to teaching motor skills to students in outdoor education and outdoor recreation settings. Using acronyms to describe their stages: DEDICT is a six step, direct instructional model that some outdoor leaders may already be familiar with; and FERAL is my…

This teaching guide provides basic information on training outdoor leaders for a wilderness course at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Lander, Wyoming. The first chapter, "Teaching at NOLS," overviews teaching fundamentals and describes teaching techniques such as the use of demonstrations, modeling, formal classes,…