Adventure learning One of the many joys of working in outdoor education is we get to meet students and teachers from all over the world. I mean, literally all over the world! We have camped with students from Singapore, gone on safari with students from Thailand, climbed Mount Kenya with young people from England, built classrooms with students from Scotland, done field guiding trips with students from Sweden, biked across the open savanna with Malagasays and recently we even had a school from the little island of Mauritius! There is so much that happens on a school trip and very lucky to have a film crew visit recently while Richie, our Field Coordinator reflects on what it means to learn through adventure…
Adventure learning has become a well-defined method of learning that is continually being adopted by schools and higher institutions of learning. It’s simple: a group go through an experience, they process this experience and review the outcomes while having a lot of fun. Unlike traditional forms of learning, adventure learning has ‘discovery’ at its core. Rather than the theory of principles taught, the group – not the teacher – learns first hand through the experience.
The role of the Outdoor Guide is to introduce the group to these activities, and guide them into gaining confidence, working together or problem solving. How well they do this determines their sense of achievement.
As much as Adventure Learning happens in the outdoors, without paper, pen and notebook for the most part, it is based on fundamental principles that structure its curriculum. Among these, we have the Environment as a pillar for education. We seek to let students gain an appreciation for the environment, and encourage them to have inquisitive minds. By understanding land formations, water sheds that supply our household needs, climate patterns and change, the intricate balance between humans, wildlife and vegetation, they begin to see why it is important more than ever to be ambassadors for our environment, and champions for change.
There are also countless benefits to controlled risk-taking environments, where a student can climb a rock, jump into water pools or bike alongside wildlife, within a safe and structured setting. However, students inevitably must exit their comfort zones, and identify each other’s strengths and attributes, appreciating that they, as a team are capable of achieving more together, than as individuals. These attributes are crucial to young students at their stage of development. They are learning from a young age that challenges help us to seek ways we can achieve success by learning or improving our skills, tapping into each other’s strengths and abilities, supporting each other and working together. These are fundamental life lessons that go beyond the traditional classroom…
The outcomes of adventure learning are continual. Many times, they will affect and cause change so that individuals are more confident, resilient, empowered and self-reliant. They are also more informed, decisive, and critical in thinking. Adventure learning goes on to show them that they can acquire or improve on a skill and at the same time, have a BLAST!
