Theoretical Underpinnings

We use adventure, wilderness and outdoor learning experiences as a tool to promote reflection and encourage exploration. The underpinning theory of these experiences is that of EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING. Some principles of experiential learning include:

  • The learner is a participant rather than a spectator
  • Learners are engaged intellectually, emotionally, spiritually and physically.
  • Experiential learning occurs when carefully chosen experiences are supported by reflection, generalization and application.
  • Experiences are structured to require the learner to take initiative, make decisions, and be accountable for the results.
  • The design of the learning experience includes the possibility to learn from natural consequences, mistakes and successes.
  • Throughout the experiential learning process, the learner is actively engaged in posing questions, investigating, experimenting, being curious, solving problems, assuming responsibility, being creative and constructing meaning.
  • The facilitator and the learner may experience success, failure, adventure, risk-taking, and uncertainty, since the outcomes of experience cannot be totally predicted.
  • Relationships are developed and nurtured: learner to self, learner to others, and learner to the world at large.
  • Opportunities are nurtured for learners and educators to explore and examine their own values.
  • The facilitator recognizes and encourages spontaneous opportunities for learning.
  • Facilitators strive to be aware of their biases, judgments, and how they influence the learner.
  • The experience must have present as well as future relevance
  • The results of the learning are personal and form the basis for future experience and learning
Some Thoughts from the 2002 South Pacific Wilderness Adventure Therapy Forum
Challenge by Choice

Adventure activities and tasks should ideally be structured to combine a certain decision making pressure with a variety of options for clients to challenge themselves on different levels of difficulty and depth.

'Challenge by Choice' may be useful to draw clients into a process of reflection about their choices in life. Freedom is an ethical principle underlying facilitation

The Flow Experience

Moments of intense life are moments of intense learning. The experience in such moments when characterized by a level of involvement and challenge beyond boredom and anxiety, is referred to as FLOW EXPERIENCE. It goes along with feelings of competence and control, a concentration of the task at hand and a merging of action and awareness

Adventurous outdoor activities lend themselves to the experience of flow, provided that they go along with an appropriate balance of risk and difficulty.

Processing at the Edge

 Chances for learning are often highest in the moments of maximum tension, as the emotional involvement is highest here as well. Such moments usually occur in the middle of the action, and not after completion of a task or activity. It makes sense therefore to interrupt adventure activities in such moments with questions, or comments to anchor and punctuate such an experience.
Framing the Experience
 Learning can be significantly enhanced by framing adventure activities according to clients goals. A powerful way to accomplish this is by drawing metaphorical connections between activities and aspects of the clients reality.
Learning
 Learning becomes a slow and heavy business, when devoid of pleasure, joy and delight. It should be considered, therefore, as serious business for facilitators to create an atmosphere in which clients do enjoy themselves and have fun!