Thesis (MEd) -- Macquarie University, Australian Centre for Educational Studies, School of Education, 2008. / Bibliography: leaves 86-89. / Introduction -- Literature review -- The challenge program -- Methodology -- Analysis of questionnaire data -- Analysis of interviews -- Discussion of results. / This study investigates the effects of a week long challenge program on adolescents' social skills and in particular social competence. Current research has shown that there can be positive outcomes for participants attending outdoor education programs, however little is known about the nature and causes of such effects for short term programs. -- Thirty six students attending schools in the Sutherland Shire, south of Sydney were nominated by teachers to attend the week long program and subsequent follow-up sessions. The Life Effectiveness Questionnaire H-1 (Neill, Marsh & Richards, 2003) was completed pre and post program and again six months later. This was used to quantify any change that occurred in the eight constructs measured by the questionnaire deemed to constitute "life effectiveness' in the post program period. -- A cohort of students (n=100) was interviewed immediately after the program and six months later. The questioning sought to determine if participants observed changes in their own social skills and those of others. Interviwees were also asked to identify specific activities that they felt were of general benefit and assisted in the development of personal social skills. The instructor and supervising teacher who attended the same program were asked to identify changes in participants and significant events that may have contributed to participants' reported changes. -- Results from the questionnaire showed significant gains in the constructs of Social Competence and Time Management. These however declined over the sixth month period after the program. It appears that the effect of short term outdoor education programs on Life Effectiveness is short lived. In contrast, the qualitative data collected from interviews showed that participants had observed changes in their social skills and attributed these to the challenge and group activities within the program. Participants reported that these benefits were long lasting. -- The findings of this study demonstrate the positive benefits of short term outdoor education programs and the need to further investigate the post program experience. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / viii, 94 leaves ill

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The work deals with the development, goals and content of the open-air schools at the area of today{\crq}s Czech Republic. The theoretical part defines a term ``outdoor education{\crqq} and describes the development of the open-air schools in the Czechoslovak Republic from the 1920{\crq}s to the end of 20th century and following up until today. The practical part of this work follows up successful theoretical knowledge of open-air schools in the Czech Republic and abroad. Positive experience places the open-air schools firmly in the future.

The goal of this study was to determine the influence of sense of coherence on the experiences of participants in a developmental corporate adventure training programme. The corporate adventure training programme was described from an experiential learning paradigm, while sense of coherence was described from a salutogenic paradigm. The study was undertaken with 37 members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) from different seniority and position in the SAPS. In order to determine the participants' sense of coherence and their experiences in the corporate adventure training programme, one quantitative measuring instrument and one qualitative measuring instrument were used. The quantitative instrument used to determine the participants' sense of coherence, was the orientation to life questionnaire (OLQ). Five participants with the highest scores and five participants with the lowest scores on the orientation to life questionnaire were identified. These 10 participants were subjected to an interview, determining their experiences during the corporate adventure training programme. The results of this study have shown that people with a higher score on the orientation to life questionnaire approached and experienced the programme differently to those with a lower score on the orientation to life questionnaire. Various hypotheses were formulated from the results of the study. These hypotheses were based on the participants' feedback, and included the fact that all participants experienced the corporate adventure training programme as an opportunity to relax away from work, therefore enhancing their psychological well-being. Relationships between the participants' experiences in the corporate adventure training programme and their scores achieved on the orientation to life questionnaire, was found. The environment influenced the experiences of the participants to a large extend, a finding that differed from findings suggested by previous research. / Indust & Org Psychology / MCOM (IND AND ORG PSY)

University of Macau / Faculty of Education

Syftet med det självständiga arbetet var att undersöka hur äventyrspedagogik tillämpas i en Reggio Emilia-inspirerad förskola. Genom att jämföra dessa pedagogiker kan man få syn på likheter och skillnader som motiverar tillämpningens betydelse för barns lärandeprocesser. Undersökningen fick sitt praktiska utförande i en skogsmiljö på en av förskolorna, där två förskollärare hade teoretiska kunskaper inom äventyrspedagogik och Reggio Emilia. Tio pedagoger och en förälder deltog som observatörer i äventyret. Utöver dessa deltog två studenter från förskollärarutbildningen, Stockholms universitet som också är författarna till denna undersökning. Deras observationer och intervjusvar från de två förskollärarna ingår i undersökningen. I äventyret deltog femtiofem sexåringar från fem förskolor inom enheten. Utformningen av äventyret bestod av sju stationer med diverse samarbetsövningar där utmaningarna i övningarna hade olika svårighetsgrader. Barnen skulle utmanas i och få utforska sina frågor i en spännande miljö med hela kroppen. Det framkom att resurser i form av tid för planering, föräldrar och pedagoger ute i äventyret både som observatörer och som säkerhet och trygghet krävdes. Resultatet av vår undersökning visar att tillämpningen av äventyrspedagogik med sin syn på sinnliga samspelsövningar med motoriska inslag och med naturen som stöd, berikar och kompletterar förskolors arbete med barns lärandeprocesser samt Reggio Emilias syn på barns möjligheter till utveckling och lärande. / The purpose of the independent work was to investigate the adventure pedagogy applied in a Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool. By comparing these pedagogies can catch sight of the similarities and differences that justify the application's impact on children's learning processes. The survey received a practical point in a woodland setting on one of the pre-schools, where two preschool teachers had theoretical knowledge in adventure education and Reggio Emilia. Ten teachers and a parent participated as observers in the adventure. In addition to these two students attended from preschool teacher, Stockholm University, who is also the authors of this study. Their observations and interview responses from the two preschool teachers surveyed. The adventure took fifty-six year olds from five kindergartens within the unit. The design of the adventure consisted of seven stations with various team-building exercises where the challenges of the exercises had different difficulty levels. The children were challenged to explore and get their questions in an exciting environment with your whole body. It was revealed that the resources in terms of time for planning, parents, and educators around the adventures both as observers and that safety and security was required. The results of our study show that the application of adventure education with its view of sensuous interplay exercises with motor elements and with nature that support, enrich and complement förskolors work with children's learning processes and the Reggio Emilia approach to children's opportunities to learn and develop. / <p>Sebastian Palm har efter att uppsatsen skrevs bytt efternamn till Denus.</p>

The goal of this study was to determine the influence of sense of coherence on the experiences of participants in a developmental corporate adventure training programme. The corporate adventure training programme was described from an experiential learning paradigm, while sense of coherence was described from a salutogenic paradigm. The study was undertaken with 37 members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) from different seniority and position in the SAPS. In order to determine the participants' sense of coherence and their experiences in the corporate adventure training programme, one quantitative measuring instrument and one qualitative measuring instrument were used. The quantitative instrument used to determine the participants' sense of coherence, was the orientation to life questionnaire (OLQ). Five participants with the highest scores and five participants with the lowest scores on the orientation to life questionnaire were identified. These 10 participants were subjected to an interview, determining their experiences during the corporate adventure training programme. The results of this study have shown that people with a higher score on the orientation to life questionnaire approached and experienced the programme differently to those with a lower score on the orientation to life questionnaire. Various hypotheses were formulated from the results of the study. These hypotheses were based on the participants' feedback, and included the fact that all participants experienced the corporate adventure training programme as an opportunity to relax away from work, therefore enhancing their psychological well-being. Relationships between the participants' experiences in the corporate adventure training programme and their scores achieved on the orientation to life questionnaire, was found. The environment influenced the experiences of the participants to a large extend, a finding that differed from findings suggested by previous research. / Indust and Org Psychology / MCOM (IND AND ORG PSY)