Outdoor education: Research topic or universal value? Part Two

Abstract

This paper follows the theme of part one in that it sets out to discover if the history of outdoor education provides its modern exponents with a legacy of prescribed conservatism or alternatively a form of education which embraces, or is capable of embracing, diversity of theory and practice. Focusing on local authority residential outdoor education centres it begins with the 1970s through the 1980s and ends with the 1990s.

Secondary sources are used and include government and civil service education circulars as well as the body of literature that relates to outdoor education. The paper analyses how discussions of philosophical underpinnings and aims, together with the public perception of safety and risk came to influence the practice of outdoor education. This leads to a discussion of terminology and the role of outdoor education as a curricular subject. The influence of market forces on the provision of outdoor education and the increasing call for cost effectiveness is analysed in relation to the increasingly diverse range of activities coming under the umbrella term of outdoor education.

The evidence shows that throughout this period significant changes regarding the nature of outdoor education are observable. However, within this flux one point is clear. The body of outdoor education literature attaches more importance to outcomes relating to personal and social education than environmental education and this point will be the bridge between part two and part three.     

Other Books on Broadcasting

Howard Poteet's Published Radio a Television, and Film Scripts:A BibLioqraphy (Troy, N.Y.: Whiston Publishing Co., 1975—$15.00)

Richard Adler (ed.) Television as a Cultural Force (New York: Praeger Special Studies, 1976—$15.00/4.95, with single pbk copies available from the Aspen Communications program office in Palo Alto (see order form enclosed))

Jethro K. Lieberman and Neil S. Rhodes' The Complete CB_Handbook (New York: Avon Books 29553, 1976—$1.75, paper)

Fredric Stuart's The Effects of Television on the Motion Picture and Radio Industries (New York: Arno Press, 1976—$23.00)

Ben Armstrong and LaVay Sheldon (eds.) Directory of Religious Broadcasting : 1976 (National Religious Broadcasters, Box 2254R, Morristown, N.J. 07960—$15.00, paper)

MARC Newsletter (Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center, 191 West Huntington Drive, Monrovia, Calif. 91016)

Spectrum (Billy Graham Program in Communications, Graduate School, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill. 60187)

WACC Journal (Eckart-Verlag, D-4800 Bielefeld 1, Postfach 2520, Federal Republic of Germany)

Action (World Association for Christian Communication, 7 St. James St., London SW 1, England)

Interfilm Reports (Bulletin of Interfilm, the International Interchurch Film Centre, P.O. Box 515, Hilversum, Netherlands)

Pastor A.W. Allworthy's Petition Lansman-Milam Petition (Christ the Light Works, Box 19641, Dallas, Texas 75219– $8.45, paper, including postage)     

A case study of using peer feedback in face-to-face and distance learning classes among pre-service teachers

This study investigated a feedback exchange activity for engaging pre-service teachers and the nature of such feedback in two undergraduate classes, a distance learning (DL) and a face-to-face (F2F) class. The research question asked if the nature of peer feedback was different between F2F and DL class formats. Students’ work samples were collected during class time to examine feedback function ratings. Participants also completed an online questionnaire to examine the nature of expectations of the feedback given. For both the nature of expectations and feedback function ratings, results for chi-square analyses demonstrated no statistically significant difference between the two modes of instruction (F2F versus DL), and the peer feedback categories. However, provision of feedback was significantly favoured in the F2F class over the DL class. Implications for course curriculum and future research are discussed.     

The Development of Abstract Reasoning about the Physical and Social World

This study investigated 3 questions: (1) Can neo-Piagetian theory predict the developmental sequence through which adolescents progress, in using an abstract form of mathematical analysis to understand the operation of a physical apparatus (the balance beam)? (2) Can the same theory be used to predict the sequence through which they pass in using an abstract form of social analysis, to understand the behavior of a story character? (3) If so, does progress through each sequence take place at the same rate? 80 subjects, aged 9–19 years, were tested. Most were found to be functioning at the level predicted by the theory on each task. A substantial minority, however, were more advanced on 1 task than the other. These results, in conjunction with those from other studies, are interpreted as indicating that abstract thought develops in a fashion that includes both general and specific components.     

Outdoor education: Research topic or universal value? Part one

This paper sets out to discover if the history of outdoor education, within the UK and more particularly Scotland, provides its modern exponents with a legacy of prescribed conservatism or alternatively a form of education which embraces, or is capable of embracing, diversity of theory and practice. It begins in the post World War II period entitled “out of the ashes” and charts the history decade by decade.

Secondary sources are used and include statutory instruments as well as the body of literature that relates to outdoor education. The paper has succeeded in adding to the literature through uncovering rarely used sources. Secondary sources have been supplemented by primary data in the form of interviews. The interviews were used to provide detail and fill gaps where secondary sources were lacking.

The time between the post-war period until the end of the 1960s charts the growth of outdoor education provision. This growth is characterised by diversity where common themes such as “fitness for war”, “character building” “social education” “recuperative holiday for socially disadvantaged young people” and “progressive education” emerge as competing and contrasting claims. Consequently it can be stated that outdoor education defies definition in terms of being a fixed entity of common consent, homogeneous over time and space.     

Outdoor education: Research topic or universal value? Part Two

This paper follows the theme of part one in that it sets out to discover if the history of outdoor education provides its modern exponents with a legacy of prescribed conservatism or alternatively a form of education which embraces, or is capable of embracing, diversity of theory and practice. Focusing on local authority residential outdoor education centres it begins with the 1970s through the 1980s and ends with the 1990s.

Secondary sources are used and include government and civil service education circulars as well as the body of literature that relates to outdoor education. The paper analyses how discussions of philosophical underpinnings and aims, together with the public perception of safety and risk came to influence the practice of outdoor education. This leads to a discussion of terminology and the role of outdoor education as a curricular subject. The influence of market forces on the provision of outdoor education and the increasing call for cost effectiveness is analysed in relation to the increasingly diverse range of activities coming under the umbrella term of outdoor education.

The evidence shows that throughout this period significant changes regarding the nature of outdoor education are observable. However, within this flux one point is clear. The body of outdoor education literature attaches more importance to outcomes relating to personal and social education than environmental education and this point will be the bridge between part two and part three.     

From hardback to paperback:The Chocolate War,by Robert Cormier

This article is the first in an occasional series in which books recently published in paperback will be introduced to readers.Cle will select titles which seem particularly suitable for school students to read together. Our intention is to choose books readily available in North America as well as countries served by British publishers. Our first selection,The Chocolate War, appeared in the USA in 1974, in the UK in 1975 and in paperback in the USA in 1975 and in the UK in February, 1978.Robbie March-Penny read English at Birmingham College of Commerce and York University. She has taught English in comprehensive schools in Birmingham and Bristol and is now an editor of children's books for a London publisher.     

A Stereotype Threat Account of Boys' Academic Underachievement

Three studies examined the role of stereotype threat in boys' academic underachievement. Study 1 (children aged 4–10, n = 238) showed that girls from age 4 years and boys from age 7 years believed, and thought adults believed, that boys are academically inferior to girls. Study 2 manipulated stereotype threat, informing children aged 7–8 years (n = 162) that boys tend to do worse than girls at school. This manipulation hindered boys' performance on a reading, writing, and math test, but did not affect girls' performance. Study 3 counteracted stereotype threat, informing children aged 6–9 years (n = 184) that boys and girls were expected to perform similarly. This improved the performance of boys and did not affect that of girls.     

Recruiting and counseling people of color at Western universities

This article focuses on the recruitment and retention of students of color in Western universities. It highlights concepts and strategies which have been effective in recruiting and counseling students who are racial minorities. The content is based on the author's experience in practice over the past six years and is supported by literature, empirical data, and interviews. Vignettes related to work done with students of color are incorporated within the body of the paper.Although the article is derived from work the author has performed at an American university, the implications and conclusions of that work should be of interest to all Western institutions of higher learning that recruit and want to retain students of color in their respective academic environments.