AEE

Early in my career I had the opportunity to work with a group of international teachers. The teachers were in the United States doing graduate work at a university that required an outdoor education component.

I greeted them and started things off with some typical outdoor education icebreaker activities, including a game called Help Tag. It’s a typical game of tag where players can “unfreeze” or rescue tagged teammates. However, I noticed the entire group froze. There was definitely something about the game that was unsettling to the participants. They were just standing there.

I gathered the group into a circle and asked what was wrong and was told the game wasn’t the way they play tag in their country. In fact, they said the version of the game I was proposing was a little scary.

I felt terrible — it was as if I had done more harm than good.

At the end of the day, using a reflective circle, I created time to debrief the activity. When I asked the group how they might teach a lesson that would reach my intended outcome, instead of just talking, they actually taught me a few games that they would have chosen for the lesson.

This was an incredible learning experience. It opened my eyes to the fact that, despite all the training sessions I had attended, all the mentors and organizations I had worked for, no one ever mentioned the importance of selecting games or using language in relationships tailored to the culture(s) with which I would be working. Instead, we depended on the books and activities we had on hand and simply pick one when facilitating programs.

Those teachers gave me real-time training on being culturally aware and responsive — training I should have received from<!–more–> my employers, the conferences I had attended, and other facilitators and guides I worked with over the years.

Without realizing it, we facilitate activities that often reflect deep cultural biases. Many activities celebrate and explore individualism, conquest, aggression, and competition, which may not be valued by all communities. As a result, students with different backgrounds may experience considerable discomfort and alienation when engaging in such activities.

Historically, the outdoor education industry in the U.S. has not been as culturally responsive as it could. It is often criticized for mirroring Eurocentric norms that emphasize individual adventure and the concept of “empty wilderness” (the idea that indigenous populations have no rights to land simply because they don’t have a legal document to prove ownership of it).

However, in recent years, our industry has evolved, with efforts led by the Association for Experiential Education’s (AEE) Professional and Regional Groups to incorporate culturally sustaining pedagogy, increase accessibility, and recognize culturally diverse relationships in the outdoors.

The questions we need to ask ourselves as an industry are:

1. Where did our industry’s cultural bias come from?
2. How can we get to a better place in outdoor education?

In this post, I answer those questions.

Two Factors Driving Outdoor Education’s Lack of Cultural Responsiveness

Cultural bias is deeply ingrained in society as a whole. In outdoor education, this bias can be attributed primarily to the following factors:

Historical lack of representation: The industry has long been dominated by European and North American traditions and values, such as individualism and self-reliance along with white, Western narratives. Additionally, structural barriers, ranging from cost and location to representation among instructors and leadership, can limit who participates and whose perspectives are reflected in lessons and activities. This legacy of exclusion can make the outdoors feel intimidating or unwelcoming to black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities.

Cultural disconnects: Typical outdoor activities often focus on individualistic, competitive, or high-risk challenges, which may not align with the community-focused values of all participants, as I pointed out earlier in this post.

Moving Toward Culturally Responsive Practices

The outdoor education industry is moving toward a more culturally responsive model by shifting from a “standard curriculum” to creating spaces that welcome and encourage diverse cultural perspectives and interactive teacher-student relationships.

Incorporating Diverse Narratives

To become more inclusive, the outdoor education industry has increasingly incorporated narratives that reflect indigenous perspectives, local community knowledge, and diverse voices in outdoor and adventure-based programming. Here are some specific actions you can take to make your outdoor education programs more responsive to participants from diverse backgrounds:

• Focus on local and relatable: Shift from exclusively high-adventure wilderness to local, accessible green spaces and incorporate community-specific knowledge. This approach is commonly referred to as place-based education (PBE).
• Increase accessibility and inclusivity: Remove cost barriers, improve access to gear, and diversify staff.
• Implement culturally responsive teaching (CRT): CRT is a student-centered, research-based approach that connects students’ cultural backgrounds, languages, and life experiences to their learning. The next section explains CRT in greater detail.

Numerous peer-revised studies show that outdoor environmental education, when designed thoughtfully, can significantly boost engagement and foster a sense of belonging in nature for diverse communities.

Shifting to Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT)

Traditional teaching methods tend to be teacher centered. The teacher is the expert presenting the information and guidance the student is expected to absorb. It is an approach geared toward passive learning and standardized tests and a method that is outdated and ineffective for many students.

With CRT, students are engaged more actively in their education. The curriculum is adapted to the student’s cultural framework, making it more relevant to each student’s cultural knowledge, experience, and perspective.

We have more diverse students/clients today. Cherese Childers-McKee is an associate teaching professor in Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies in Boston, Massachusetts, and assistant dean of academic and faculty affairs. She says:

“We don’t have students sitting in front of us with the same background or experience, so instruction has to be different. It needs to build on individual and cultural experiences and their prior knowledge. It needs to be justice-oriented and reflect the social context we’re in now. That’s what we mean when we talk about culturally responsive teaching.”

CRT benefits students in the following ways:

• Strengthens students’ sense of identity
• Promotes equity and inclusivity in learning environments
• Engages students in the course material
• Supports critical thinking

In her article, “5 Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies,” award-winning reporter writer Kristin Burnham presents the following approaches:

1. “Activate students’ prior knowledge.”

When leading group discussions, encourage students to draw on their prior knowledge and experience. This approach anchors new learning to existing knowledge and understanding.

2. “Make learning contextual.”

Present new material in the context of the students’ lived experience in their real-world and online communities. For example, if you’re introducing students to Leave No Trace (LNT), encourage them to think about how these principles might help improve their neighborhood or your learning environment.

3. “Encourage students to leverage their cultural capital.”

Look for ways that enable students to leverage their cultural capital (the set of unique experiences every individual has). The goal is to create opportunities for students in the minority to feel like — and thus present themselves — as experts on something they are uniquely qualified to share.

For example, if you’re teaching a lesson on wilderness navigation and survival to students from an urban setting, you may design activities around situational awareness and route-finding. In that way, you’re encouraging students to draw on their experience of reading surroundings, spotting patterns, and noticing what’s out of place in their urban environments. That enables them to assess risks and make quick, practical decisions about movement and safety in wilderness environments.

Of course, you don’t want to stereotype a particular group’s knowledge and expertise, put a student on the spot, or make a student feel as though they are speaking for everyone in a certain demographic. The right approach requires some finesse.

Every student has a unique set of assets, resources, and talents, collectively referred to as A.R.T. As a teacher, part of your job is to encourage students to leverage and share their A.R.T.

4. “Reconsider your classroom setup.”

Materials and classroom setup include books, manuals, posters, brochures, online content, classroom décor, and more. Carefully examine everything that’s a part of the learning experience with an eye for inclusivity. You want your materials to include different races and ethnicities; cultures (urban, suburban, rural); gender identities; family compositions; ability levels; and so forth. Consider having a diverse group of individuals review the learning space and the materials you use instead of trying to do it all yourself — they may pick up on things you naturally overlook.

5. “Build relationships.”

To be effective, instructors must build relationships with their students, so their students will be more receptive and more eager to engage in the learning process. The goal is to make students “feel respected, valued, and seen for who they are.” As you build relationships with students, they build relationships with one another, which creates a dynamic, collaborative learning environment.

Changing the World Oneself at a Time

Leo Tolstoy wrote, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” The only way for the outdoor education industry to progress toward culturally responsive teaching is for each of us to do so. We need to commit to becoming lifelong learners and teacher-students — both instructing and learning from our students.

I learned a great deal from those international teachers I met early in my career about the importance of being sensitive to cultural differences. Today, I continue to learn from people with different knowledge, skills, and perspectives. This engagement enriches my life and improves how I function in all facets of my life.

I encourage you to take a similar approach as you interact with students and others from different backgrounds. To have any hope of moving the outdoor education industry forward and improving the world, we need to start by changing ourselves and leading by example.

About the Author: Stephen Mullaney is the Director of School Partnerships and Staff Development at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE).

Here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), we are known to be among the best in class among providers of outdoor education and wilderness-based adventures for youths and adults, and wilderness medical and EMT training for adults.

To that end, we are excited to announce that we are currently in the final stage of seeking accreditation with Cognia, a globally recognized nonprofit organization acknowledged by the U.S. Department of Education, that provides accreditation, certification, assessment, and professional learning services for continuous improvement to public, private, and independent postsecondary schools, among others.

NCOAE attributes its success to several qualities that set us apart from others who offer the same or similar services and experiences. These include our highly knowledgeable, experienced, and passionate leadership team and staff and our unique core curriculum, carefully crafted to positively impact each participant’s self-confidence, interpersonal relationships, and commitment to fulfilling their civic and environmental responsibilities.

But we don’t expect you to take our word for it. Several highly reputable, independent organizations have given us their seals of approval through their accreditation programs, including the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) and the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE). Further boosting our street cred is that fact that both the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services and the State of North Carolina have approved us to offer an intensive 21-day EMT-Basic training curriculum.

Why Cognia Accreditation Matters

Since 1895, Cognia, most well-known as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS/CASI) rebranded about five years ago, offers research-based performance standards that are created with one end in mind — to ensure high-quality learning. They define the practices that are essential for (more…)

Like many podcasts that host informal chats with founders of businesses, organizations, and charities, Zac and Celine Adair recently offered listeners a glimpse into the heart and soul of their “baby,” The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE).

Zac and Celine, NCOAE’s co-founders, are showcased in Episode 15 of “It’s In the Experience,” presented by the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) and hosted by Sherry Bagley, AEE’s executive director. To listen to the 45-minute episode, which is titled Overcoming Challenges: Creating Positive Experiences in Experiential Education, subscribe to “It’s In the Experience” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast App, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Or, you can listen to Overcoming Challenges: Creating Positive Experiences in Experiential Education by clicking on the audio file below:

Episode Highlights

Here’s a high-level overview of what’s featured in the episode, which was published by AEE in mid-June of this year: (more…)

As we do each year, we are once again taking advantage of this space to inform you about opportunities for you, your staff, and your organization to participate in professional development, networking, and business growth and development available at upcoming outdoor industry conferences.

In this edition, we are spotlighting nine events taking place between now and the end of this year, as well as bringing to your attention six more events scheduled for the first part of 2024 that might be worthwhile marking on your calendar.

5TH ANNUAL OUTDOOR ECONOMY CONFERENCE
Sept. 18-21, 2023 | Cherokee, North Carolina
Website: https://outdooreconomy.org

Why you should attend: This in-person, multi-day event is designed to foster intentional connections among stakeholders across the outdoor economy, igniting collaborations and catalyzing meaningful actions.

Why your company or organization should exhibit: Whether you’re a conference sponsor with booth space included in your sponsorship package or an independent exhibitor, conference organizers have curated a dynamic program that allows you and your staff to engage with the attendees while respecting the event’s other scheduled activities.

2023 OUTDOOR MEDIA SUMMIT
Sept. 24-26, 2023 | Boise, Idaho
Website: https://outdoormediasummit.com

Why you should attend: Outdoor Media Summit is where some of the brightest minds in outdoor media and marketing gather to share their tips, tricks, strategies, and warnings. If you are a marketer at an outdoor industry brand or an editor, freelancer, podcaster, or other content creator, this may be the conference for you.

WILDERNESS RISK MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
Oct, 18-20, 2023 | Portland, Oregon
Website: https://www.nols.edu/wrmc 

Why you should attend: Attend the Wilderness Risk Management Conference in order to gain practical risk management skills, network with others in the outdoor education and adventure programming industry, share field and administrative techniques, and help develop risk management standards for the outdoor adventure and education industries.

Why your company or organization should exhibit: Connect with more than (more…)

Because of the situation with COVID-19, we’ve been thinking a lot lately about the path forward for outdoor and adventure-based programs like the ones we offer here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE). Specifically, how do we operate in a day and age where physical distancing is either required or strongly recommended? That’s where Collective Impact may come into play.

The concept of Collective Impact takes into consideration the notion that industry players need to coordinate their efforts and work together in order to create lasting solutions to shared and common societal challenges and problems.

Put simply, collective impact is a structured form of collaboration. The term garnered national recognition in 2011 when it was touted by the White House Council for Community Solutions as a powerful framework for solving social issues. The concept became so popular that “collective impact” was selected as among the top philanthropic “buzzwords” for that year.

With the current conundrum of coronavirus facing our world today, we here at NCOAE are of the opinion that solutions for COVID-19-related issues from any qualified source is worth considering. And, if you or your organization is of the same mind, we would love to hear from you. We can listen to each other’s challenges and maybe we can help each other discover solutions to those problems associated with operating an outdoor and/or adventure-based program in the time of coronavirus.

Since this crisis evolved in mid-February, we have been working up schedules and then reworking them. And, because our work crosses into many sectors — including schools, businesses, and government agencies — and because we deal with multiple states and international borders, we find ourselves dealing with a lot of moving parts.

The good news, of course, is that our staff has evolved to become a finely tuned machine. We’re able to juggle a lot and do it well. But that still leaves us wondering how the greater outdoor and adventure education industry may be grappling with the same or similar challenges as we’re contending with.

As most successful adventurers and explorers do, we set out to do some research. And here is some of what we’ve discovered so far: (more…)

There’s a paradox in this outdoor education industry of ours, and that seeming contradiction is this: Sometimes you have to go indoors in order to continue to enjoy the outdoors. Think back to the last time you opened your eyes under a canopy of trees, or glided across a lake on a kayak, or looked up and visually plotted out a course for a complex climb.

For the outdoors enthusiast — and especially for those of us who work in the outdoor industry — this is our life. We’re outside, showing others how to appreciate themselves and the backcountry. But our line of work is often a complex blend of gregarious solitude. We spend our days giving our students the best of who we are.

While we’re concentrating on the experience for the benefit of the novice as well as the experienced adventurers under our charge, we’re missing out on valuable time set aside to connect with our peers on a deeper level — outside of work.

The outdoor season ends, and many of us return home or follow the seasons to continue this work. In many instances, we pass up the opportunity to learn what’s new in the industry.

The solution? Look for outdoor industry conferences, trade shows, and summits you can attend. Traditionally, conferences are those large, more formal events that feature industry speakers, time in lecture halls and breakout rooms, and good dose of PowerPoint presentations. At the larger such gatherings, there’s usually a convention exhibit hall featuring industry vendors.

Summits, especially in the outdoor industry, on the other hand have a looser feel, with industry pioneers and luminaries speaking and offering demos, opportunities to meet with fellow outdoor pros during hands-on adventure-based activities, and the chance to participate in both formally led and informally organized discussions and salons. Summits often incorporate more interplay, with the opportunity to socialize with industry pros, designers and leaders taking precedence over formal education.

Below, we’ve listed some upcoming outdoor industry gatherings for those times when you’ve stepped off the trail and find yourself with some time to delve into what makes our industry tick. These outdoor industry summits, conferences, and trade shows are an excellent opportunity to (more…)

Here’s an outdoor educator’s nightmare: You’re walking through the woods and you spot a bunch of teens climbing barefoot on a rocky cliff leading to water. Other inexperienced campers clumsily tend a campfire that is about to get out of control. Still others in this group stand waist-deep in a river, oblivious to the fast-moving water just feet away, or the possibility of divers above them.

You look around and there doesn’t appear to be any adults, instructors or guides at this nightmarish campsite. What’s wrong with this picture?

First off, if you’re a professional outdoor educator or backcountry guide, you’re probably tempted to walk in amongst this mayhem and ask these youngsters what group they’re with and then ask them what it is they think they’re doing?

The Practice of Risk Management

Here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), we take risk and site management seriously. To us, it’s far more than just a (more…)

The Outdoor Education industry is abuzz with news this time of the year. What with school almost back in session and the industry’s largest and most influential conferences coming up in just a few months, its no wonder there’s so much outdoor education news to catch up on.

In no particular order:

There’s a new trade magazine just for the college and university outdoor education industry. The inaugural issue of Outdoor Insider — published by The Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE) — is now available online without a subscription.

The 2nd edition of Administrative Practices of AEE Accredited Programs is now on sale for just $3.00. Published by the Association for Experiential Education (AEE), this book is an invaluable resource for any outdoor education program administrator. And at just $3.00, buying it now is a no brainer.

AEE is now accepting workshop proposals for its Symposium on Experiential Education in the Digital Age, which takes place in Boston, Mass. from May 2-3, 2015.

The latest issue (September 2014) of the Journal of Experiential Education is now available. Articles include:

• Effects of a Developmental Adventure on the Self-Esteem of College Students (This study examines the effects of outdoor developmental adventure programming (ODA) on college students’ self-esteem. Although some previous studies have shown that outdoor adventure programming has positive effects on self-esteem, others did not find any effect. A quasi-experimental study was conducted over 5 months, which included two pretests and two posttests to address some limitations of previous studies.)

• The Social Climate and Peer Interaction on Outdoor Courses (This two-study report investigates achievement goal theory in the social domain to gain greater understanding of how the social climate of outdoor courses relates to peer interactions.)

• Building a Community of Young Leaders: Experiential Learning in Jewish Social Justice (This study assesses whether more frequent participation in Jewish activist learning events is associated with higher levels of engagement in social justice-related activities and conceptions of Jewish identity. The study design was cross-sectional and comparative.)

• Case Study — Behavior Change After Adventure Education Courses: Do Work Colleagues Notice? (In this case study, a mixed-method approach is used to examine the extent and type of changes in workplace attitudes and behavior, as self-reported by soldiers who had participated in 6- to 10-day “Experiential Leadership Development Activities” (ELDAs) delivered by the New Zealand Army Leadership Centre.)

• Appreciative Inquiry and Autonomy-Supportive Classes in Business Education: A Semilongitudinal Study of AI in the Classroom (In this article, the authors describe 10 separate classroom experiences where an appreciative inquiry (AI) exercise was used for course creation. Post-exercise surveys of students showed that the AI exercise was perceived to be a successful practice.)

• Book Review: Adventures in Social Theory: An Introductory Guidebook

The Association for Experiential Education’s 42nd Annual International Conference is fast approaching. This year’s gathering of outdoor and adventure-based educators, academic and students takes place in Chattanooga, Tenn., Oct. 23-26.

The Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education is getting ready to host its (more…)