Master of Science / Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Fred Bradley / Outdoor orientation programs (OOPs) have the same goal as traditional first-year student orientation programs (e.g., First-Year Seminar), that is, helping facilitate the transition of first-year students to collegiate life. There are many challenges first-year students face while transitioning into college. Research shows that OOPs can increase retention rates of first-year students; help first-year students to grow personally, socially and spiritually; and increase friendship formation among this population (Davis-Berman & Berman, 1996; Devlin, 1996; Galloway, 2000). Today, there are approximately 164 higher education institutions in the United States that offer OOPs to their first-year students. Currently, Kansas State University has several programs that aid students in their transition to collegiate life. However, they do not currently have an OOP in place. A survey was conducted at Kansas State University to evaluate the level of interest in an OOP and/or an outdoor trips program. Survey results suggest that there are a significant number of current students on campus who would have participated in an OOP if one were offered when they first arrived. Recommendations for the development of an OOP at Kansas State University are made utilizing survey results and interviews with successful OOP program directors at several universities.

Title: Methodological process of teaching orienteering during course of touristic and outdoor sports on UK FTVS Target: The target of this thesis was inovation of methodical manual for teaching orienteering during course of touristic and outdoor sports on UK FTVS. The pilot project was also verified in practice on several courses. Methods: Expert survey of pilot version, which has been tested on nearly 280 students. Questionary survey for teachers and external co-workers from department of outdoor sports. Interview and literature review in the compilation of methodical manual. Results: Inovated methodical manual for teaching orienteering during course of touristic and outdoor sports. Teaching was changed especially in the begining of teaching orientation, where practical excercises were included to learn basic skills such as map orientation, keeping direction of the approach, selection of approach and distance estimation. A great benefit is a use of an electronic system SPORTident, which not only enriches the practice, but also provides high-quality data for back analysis of a training or a race. Key words: outdoor orientation, General educational program, SPORTident, OCAD

A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to understand the transition and integration experiences of first-year freshmen who participated in an outdoor orientation program at 2 higher education institutions in the Southeastern United States. Student attrition from the first year to the second year and increased time to degree completion are challenges for a number of higher education institutions in the United States (Hamilton & Hamilton, 2006; Pascarella, Terenzini, & Wolfle, 1986; Tinto, 2006). First-year to second-year attrition and lack of persistence to degree completion may be due to an unsuccessful transition to college, the inability to integrate into the campus community, or a lack of student involvement (Braxton & McClendon, 2001; Tinto, 2006). The research setting included 2 public higher education institutions that offer outdoor orientation programs for incoming first-year freshmen. The sample was purposefully selected, using 4 criterion: (1) first-year students who had participated in a university sponsored outdoor based program prior to their first year of college, (2) students who had successfully completed their first semester of college and remained enrolled as a student during the data collection term of the research, (3) students meeting the definition of traditional age (18-21 years old) college freshmen, and (4) students willing to participate in data collection. Traditional age first-year students who participated in outdoor orientation programs at 2 institutions during the summer 2015, and who were enrolled in the spring 2016, were eligible research participants. The sample chosen provided information-rich, illuminative detail on the phenomenon of first-year student transition and integration to college. Data collection included the creation of 3 concept maps followed by a semistructured in-depth interview. The highest number of mentioned areas on the research participant concept maps included friends, family, and organizations/clubs. A comprehensive support system, the right environment, and engagement in fun campus activities were found to be cornerstones of successful transition and integration to college. The study provides higher education leaders with insight on the lived experiences of first-year student transition and integration as well as evidence related to the impact of first-year experience programs that may guide and enhance institutional efforts.

The objective of this master's thesis was to get acquainted with an autonomous outdoor robot competition - The Robotour and further to study the capabilities and information about a robot designed on the DITS FIT Brno VUT. Next part of the project was to study various planning and localization algorithms and to make a proposal of a functional solution, allowing the robot to participate in the competition. To be specific, the goal of this work was to use the acquired knowledge for implementation of an antonomous software so the robot can start in the year 2010 race. The solution also included several related mechanical modifications. The final solution fulfills all the competiton rules and is capable of taking part in this year's plant.