Experiential Education

Covered in mud, we return to the sterile walls of the school. Nearby, students and teachers stop and stare at us. We say nothing. We keep moving, exhausted from our time spent in the wilderness, observing, interacting, developing skills to survive, absorbing information and processing the incredible time we had spent as a group.

What we experienced together as a class is a far cry from what most students find in a traditional educational setting. In that scenario, a teacher lectures from a lesson plan they wrote a decade ago or downloaded online. Students stare out the window, whisper to each another about things unrelated to subject matter, or they concentrate on their rectangular cell phones. Somebody might look up and ask whether what the teacher is saying will be on the test. Curriculum standards have changed little, nor has the teacher’s approach. 

Taking a Critical Look at Traditional Education

Education in many schools can be so mundane to the point of stifling inspiration and creativity. It happened to me and it created obstacles to my learning and personal development. It even led to some unfortunate behavioral incidents I’d rather not discuss.

Didactic learning, more commonly known as (more…)

Editor’s Note: Today’s post is the 250th since we launched our blog in December of 2013. And what better way to mark the occasion than by publishing a post about the efficacy of outdoor and adventure-based experiential education. Thank you to everyone who has been along for the ride so far. From our writers and editors to our readers and those who choose to share our posts, we appreciate the opportunity to share our expertise and experience and we look forward to continuing to do so for many years to come.

Leadership Skills, Personal Development are Backcountry Bonuses at NCOAE

By, Elizabeth Shirley, WFR, NCOAE Director of Outdoor Programming & Education

For those of us who work in adventure-based and experiential outdoor education, it’s pretty much a given that backcountry, expedition-style experiences can set students up for success in life, sometimes well beyond the expedition itself. Whether these wilderness experiences include the mountains of Alaska, the rivers of the Pacific Northwest, or the coast of North Carolina, outdoor education expeditions offer an opportunity for meaningful life experiences. 

In fact, backcountry courses  planned and expertly guided by The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) are intentionally designed expeditions, with a focus on leadership and personal development that goes hand in hand with learning or improving technical outdoor skills and environmental science.

The term “empower” has become a trite and ineffective word in today’s world, much like a father telling his son, “I empower you to mow the lawn.” However, there are numerous occasions during an NCOAE wilderness expedition where students are offered a variety of opportunities to step into leadership roles while in the field.

These assignments include serving as a Leader of the Day — a student charged with making sure the group stays on task and on the trail, utilizing a map and compass. The Cook of the Day guides the assigned expedition members in the preparation of meals and the subsequent cleanup. And the Gear Crew helps the group set up camp, position bear hangs, collect water, and more. Students also participate in a variety of (more…)

Zac Adair, our co-founder and executive director, recently asked one of our course
participants why they signed up for a particular outdoor adventure. “It was a photo that
appeared on your website of a guy on top of a mountaintop with the blue skies above the
glaciers in the background.”

Picture yourself here. It’s a common tactic in all great marketing campaigns. If after
seeing an advertisement, you can picture yourself wearing a specific shirt, driving a
particular truck, or vacationing on a cruise ship that’s making its way to the Bahamas,
then the team of marketers responsible for those ads has done their job.

Here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education — where we’re focused
on designing and guiding outdoor and adventure education experiences that promote
personal growth, professional development, and stewardship in our community and the
natural environment — we employ the same tactics. Take one look at our website and
you’ll see photographs and videos featuring real NCOAE students participating in the
very courses and trainings that we offer around the globe.

So, it’s little wonder that these videos and photos prompt our website visitors to picture
themselves on one of our backcountry adventures. But here’s the thing that may escape
such a casual or initial thought. That picture of a (more…)