How does Outdoor Education contribute to knowledge and understanding of the natural environment. Outdoor Education for sustainability.

1. OEEDU5001 Concepts in
Outdoor Education
Week nine
Environmental Sustainability in
Outdoor Education

2. Therapy, development and
outdoor leadership demand
differing professional skills and
knowledge – don’t trick yourself
into thinking they are the same!
(Although many recreation leaders may well be outdoor
educators and the other way around?!!)
BUT we are not therapists!

3. The pressure is on young people!

4. Myths in personal development

5. Myths in personal development
Character development is argued.
But virtues do exist with some transfer.
However, transfer is problematic unless
context is considered and transfer fostered
via efficacy links.
Positive psychology focus on happiness.
(3 components = joy, flow and meaning)

6. Building resilience/happiness
Identify character strengths and then use those
Examine fears
Identify bodily responses to fear – cope!
Focus on positive skills you have to cope with
fears. Feedback, learning, coping
Power of positive thinking on performance
Posture, self image and performance

7. Influencing resilience –
7 abilities
Emotion regulation
Impulse control
Empathy
Optimism
Causal analysis
Self efficacy
Reaching Out
Revich, K & Shatte, A (2003). The resilience Factor. NY, Broadway Books

8. Jumping to conclusions = salience bias
Fundamental error of internality = seek
external sources as well. (It’s not all about them)
False consensus = over generalise
Actor observer bias = how did others and
context contribute? (It’s not just about me)
Avoid thinking stuff ups
Recall attribution theory biases

9. Stability vs instability = what is changeable
and controllable?
Distinctiveness = what is the critical
behaviour factor here?
Communication skills = give and receive in
each domain.
(receive = paraphrase, impression check,
describe behaviour/ send = clear statements,
describe feelings, show behaviour)

10. OEE and the natural world

11. Possible outcomes in OE to do
with the natural environment
Experience of the environment
Environmental appreciation
Environmental knowledge
Environmental relationship critique
Are any of these more unique or distinctive for OE to promote
and foster in schooling?

12. Experience of nature
Direct first hand being in and
with nature.
Personal knowledge
Tacit knowledge
Sense of place
Use of six senses

13. Environmental appreciation
Affective component (feeling/emotional).
A liking for nature just because it feels or
seems pleasant.
The beginning of a relationship with nature?
Differing perspectives or metaphorical
images of nature exist (imply behaviours, values
and language).

14. Environmental knowledge
Cognitive component (belief/knowledge)
In OEE there are types of knowing nature,
eg:
As a scientist = rational / reductionist
As a naturalist = based in curiosity and lived
observation
As an outdoor person through pursuits as a
way of knowing.

15. Environmental relationship
critique
Socially critical perspective.
In OEE you could have an aim of education for
sustainability (EfS).
Uses OE’s capacity to look back at:
What living well/sustainably might mean
What is needed for living well/sustainably
Our relationship with technology
Our understanding of knowledge of importance
Our relationship with place, space and time.

16. Sustainability
Sustainable development “meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs”
(Brundtland 1987, p. 8) – (Agenda 21 Rio summit 1992)

17. But, isn’t development the root
cause of un-sustainability?
Politics of unsustainability = paradox of global
agreement on need for change but no meaningful
action (Mickey Mouse sustainability).

18. Models of sustainability economic, social
and environmental components (political?)
Economy
Social Enviro
Triple bottom line
(weak sustainability)
Social Enviro
Economic
Mickey Mouse
Enviro
Social
Economy
Strong
sustainability

19. What do you think are important
values to promote in society to
enable strong sustainability?

20. Strong sustainability values?
Placing importance on non-material sources of
happiness
Removing the perceived link between economic
growth, material possessions and success.
Affirming the interdependence of all people (respect,
fairness, cooperation, gratitude, compassion, humility)
Affirm values of local communities – decrease
footprint and increase cooperation.
Valuing nature intrinsically – environmental
responsibility and integrity of ecosystems.

21. So what is education for?
What should we measure the success
of education against?

22. So what is education for?
“The conventional wisdom holds that
all education is good and the more of it
we have the better… The truth is that
without significant precautions,
education can equip people merely to
be more effective vandals of the earth”
(David Orr, 2004, p. 5).