Adventure Education

1. Adventure Education

2. Definition – Adventure Ed. • Actively engaging participants in authentic experiences that have benefits and consequences; focused on intra and interpersonal development

3. Q&A • What are some ‘synonyms’ for adventure education? • Project adventure, team challenge, cooperative activities • What are some examples of contrived adventure type activities?

4. Related to but not: • Outward Bound (loosely) • Outdoor/Wilderness education • More about recreation and education in natural settings • Less about contrived activities and personal/group growth • May incorporate some elements of adventure education (challenge by choice and personal growth but it is different) • Examples: Orienteering, rock climbing, camping, kayaking, mountain biking, etc

5. Generalized History of AE • 4H, YMCA, YWCA • Kurt Hahn (Germany, Gordonstoun-Scotland) • Outward Bound • NOLS • Project Adventure (make advantages of outward bound available to everyone) • More recent • AEE, ACCT, specializations

6. Adventure Education • Values process of participation and promotes: • Cooperation (collaborative problem solving) • Challenge oneself (expand horizons/abilities) • Risk assessment • Trust in others • Problem solving • Self-esteem/confidence • Communication (speaking and listening) • Tolerance for differences • Exploring personal limitations

7. Adventure Education • Stretch Zone Experience

8. Teacher Roles • Safety enforcer • Teach spotting, mindful of safety ALWAYS • Rule enforcer • Keep students on task according to the rules • Encourager • Problem presenter, NOT SOLVER • Be patient, use subtle hints if necessary • Modify challenge if necessary • Tone setter • Create atmosphere of respect, enjoyment, trust; redirect negative or unacceptable behavior; “blind” or “mute” dominant people so other leaders might emerge.

9. Experiential Learning Cycle Briefing (frontloading) Activity Debriefing

10. Experiential Learning Cycle STEPS – all are important • Explanation of the task (briefing) • Usually in the form of a story or scenario (sinking ship etc) • Experience or physical activity (activity) • Reflecting (debriefing) • Group discussion • Challenge students with questions to promote affective growth for group and individuals Apply or transfer learning to real-life settings

11. Experiential Learning Cycle • Debriefing • Experience, • Reflect (what happened) • What does it mean • Now what (application) • Do’s and don’ts

12. Debriefing • Types: • Let experience speak for itself • Tell them what happened (well, improve, learned) – not recommended • Questions that guide participants to discoveries - most common • Subtype: Tie experience back to frontload emphasis • Self facilitation – journals, pose own Q’s, create poem

13. Debriefing • Observe the students during the challenge, take notes if necessary. Debriefing helps groups realize what is going on – the big picture. This includes the way the group was communicating, working out conflicts, how the group made decisions, and how individuals helped or hindered the group. By gaining insights to these things, the group will pull together. • From Cayuga Nature Center

14. Sample Debriefing Q’s • How did you feel when…? • What did you do when…? • What happened when…? • What did the group do when…? • Did everyone’s idea get heard? • Was there any one leader? Who? • Did everyone like the final solution? • What was the biggest highlight for you? • What was the biggest challenge? • What was the biggest disappointment? • Have you learned anything about yourself?

15. Sample Debriefing Q’s What effective communication were used? How did your teammates enable you to succeed? How did everyone work together? What would you change if you could do it again? What did we learn? What helped us to do that learning? What worked well? Not so well? How could we improve our work together? Did the conversation move us closer to our goals? How? Did we actually focus on the students' work, or on other issues? (personal) Did we follow the process as we planned? If not, why? How could we improve our process? How might we build on this conversation? On what issues were individuals willing to compromise?

16. Sample Debriefing Q’s How did your team work as a group? Was there conflict in the decision making process? How did the students discern important messages from less important communications? Were certain communications automatically given priority or ignored? How does this compare with the flow of information in the real world? Who else had the same experience? Who reacted differently? What do you understand better about yourself/your group? What might we draw/pull from this experience? What does that suggest to you about [communication/conflict/etc.] in general? How does this relate to other experiences you’ve had? How could you apply/transfer that? What might you do to help/hinder yourself? How could you make it better? What modifications can you make work for you?

17. Sample Debriefing Q’s Linked files: Additional questions 1 Additional questions 2

18. Full Value Contract • Social contract • Written or verbal • Actions toward others • Student ownership • Contracts are the guidelines • May want to have each student sign a contract prior to participating. • Example 1 • Example 2

19. Challenge by Choice • Definition – participants may choose the level of learning that promotes optimal learning • Honor a student’s ability to decline so long as they don’t abuse the choice. • As an alternative to yes/no choice options, provide an appropriate range of options. For example, on the pamper pole, one student may choose to jump from top while another chooses to climb only 5 feet up • Respect choices • Stretching their potential • Example

20. Possible Activities • High Elements: Group or individual challenges in the air requiring a belay for safety (pamper pole, ships crossing) • Low Elements: Group or individual challenges that require spotting (nitro crossing, spider’s web…) • Field Initiatives: Group or individual challenges on the ground, not spotting required • Ropes courses are typically outside, project adventure typically takes place in a gymnasium

21. Levels of Difficulty • Not all elements are made the same (Project Adventure Inc.)

22. Risk – Perceived v. Actual (Adventure Program Management Training Manual, Project Adventure Inc., 2005)

23. Injury Rate Comparison (20 Year Safety Study, Project Adventure Inc, 2005)

24. PE at Chenango Forks, NY Combination of Adventure and Outdoor Ed. • Indoor climbing wall in pool • Mountain biking at local state park • Kayaking/canoeing at local pond, state park, and pool • Ropes course and tower in woods alongside school • Lower grades completed extensive project adventure curriculum and various low elements prior to advanced components

25. Emphasis of Standards within Adventure Education Reference:  Moving into the Future: National Standards for Physical Education, 2nd ed. (2004), p. 11

26. Assessment • Portfolio • Group focus • Document progress • Positively independent • Select examples • Rubrics • Journals • Others

27. Websites • http://www.fairfield.k12.ct.us/rogerludlowe/C_RogerLudlowe/05/project_adventure.htm • http://www.summit.k12.nj.us/sps/Admin/Comm/PA%20story.htm • http://www.tenafly.k12.nj.us/~lweissman/check_harness.htm • http://www.fairfield.k12.ct.us/tomlinson/adventure/project.html • http://www.nsboro.k12.ma.us/zeh/physed.htm • http://www.florence.k12.wi.us/District%20new/District_web_pages/district/adventure_education.htm • http://www.germantownacademy.org/academics/us/pe/11/ropes.htm • http://ssd.sau21.k12.nh.us/14532022103219393/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=53942

28. Sample Activities Sample activities 1 Common and popular Sample activities 2 Over 200 activities Dr. Cummiskey’s facilitator notebook Team building bible

29. Knot Tying • You Tube Videos • Figure 8 Knot • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yO7ePhqx8E • Figure 8 Loop • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu3WNceTJ7o • Figure 8 Follow Through (used for direct tie-ins) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI6KzRx8zAY • Super 8/Double Figure 8 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp7x4LNr-Do • Butterfly Knot (aka Alpine Butterfly Knot) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyH-otibEGE • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbCXHqLCCu0 • Double Fisherman’s • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OIIRbpoTJw&feature=fvst • Prussic knot • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDU4sSkXrIM • Overall website for all of the above knots if you prefer animated tutorials • http://www.abc-of-rockclimbing.com/howto/learn_climbing_knots.asp

30. Other Resources • Sample program • Websites: • http://www.pa.org/ • http://wilderdom.com/pa.htm • http://www.geocities.com/dr_adventure/activitypage.html • http://www.chelseapiers.com/eventsales/activities_EG.htm • http://wilderdom.com/games/OtherSites.html

31. Competencies Checklist • Adventure programs want facilitators to have the proper training in order to promote participant success and minimize potential liability. This may involve mastering several competencies laid out in a checklist or self-assessment format • Example self assessment

32. Summary • Innovative curricular strategy • Student-centered • Meets NASPE standards

33. Activity • Design your own project adventure activity. Must include: • Briefing (story) • 4 possible debriefing Q’s • Relate to activity, not just generic Q’s from PPT