Home Page > ICEL > Abstracts > Peter Burridge, Cathryn Carpenter and Brenda Cherednichenko

Outdoor Experiential Learning: Building Exemplary Practice

Outdoor Experiential Learning: Building exemplary practice.

This paper explores the integral processes of Outdoor Education: experiential learning theories, facilitation and leadership approaches, and human experiences in nature, from a practitioners’ perspective.

As part of an investigation to enhance our understanding of Outdoor Education in practice, eleven outdoor educators wrote cases detailing experiences within their work practice. The cases were then examined, identifying common themes and approaches to build up a picture of common practices as used by practitioners in the field. This examination indicated that experiential learning theory appears to underpin the practices of outdoor educators. As a theory it could be used to identify and develop exemplary practice in the field.

Analysis of the outdoor educator’s cases also revealed similarities between experiential learning and praxis inquiry. Praxis inquiry is an approach employed to develop reflexive teaching practitioners in teacher education within the School of Education at Victoria University. The question arose as to whether praxis inquiry is just a version of the experiential learning cycle or are there identifiable differences? If so could praxis inquiry be a useful framework for the development of outdoor educators?