OEEDU5001 Concepts in Outdoor Education

Week nineEnvironmental Sustainability in

Outdoor Education

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!

The pressure is on young people!

Myths in personal development

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)

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

Influencing resilience – 7 abilities

Emotion regulation

Impulse control

Empathy

Optimism

Causal analysis

Self efficacy

Reaching OutRevich, K & Shatte, A (2003). The resilience Factor. NY, Broadway Books

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 upsRecall attribution theory biases

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)

OEE and the natural world

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?

Experience of nature

Direct first hand being in and with nature.

Personal knowledge

Tacit knowledge

Sense of place

Use of six senses

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).

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.

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.

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)

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).

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

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

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.

So what is education for?

What should we measure the success of education against?

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).