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This study examined the relationship between dietary intake and changes in participants’ (N = 39) body composition during National Outdoor Leadership School courses. Body composition, height, and weight were measured pre- and posttrip. Participants completed food logs to record daily dietary intake. Changes in anthropometric measurements were analyzed using a paired samples t test. Correlation analyses were conducted to examine relationships between dietary intake parameters and anthropometric changes. Males lost an average of 3.4 (SD = 3.7) kg of weight and females lost 0.10 (SD = 1.6) kg. Males lost an average of 3.7 (SD = 2.7) kg of body fat and females lost an average of 1.5 (SD = 1.9) kg. In contrast, females showed greater gains in lean mass (1.5 ± 1.1 kg) than males (0.32 ± 2.3 kg) did. Average caloric intake for the total sample was 2,865.7 kcal/day (SD = 691.2). Overall, findings indicate that retention of lean body mass may have been due to both adequate carbohydrate and protein intake. Subscribe to JOREL

Outdoor adventure education (OAE) provides a unique and dynamic context for small groups. Whether a group functions efficiently, both socially and technically, can be tied to the structure of the small group. Considering the development of relationships and community are some of the main drivers of student participation on OAE courses (Sammet, 2010; Sharpe, 2005), an outcome that is important to the well functioning of small groups is cohesion (Forsyth, 2010).

“Learning can be valuable.” “Learning can be fun.” For most people, these two statements are easily accepted. And combing these two descriptors, “Learning can be both valuable and fun,” is not controversial. Yet, it is also apparent that learning is not always both valuable and fun. We have all willed ourselves to study, memorize, and apply educational content that might charitably be considered irrelevant. We have also learned skills and content that have little to no practical value, yet were fun and interesting to discover. Fortunately, in the best situations, we experience learning that is both valuable or relevant and fun or enjoyable. This combinatory learning experience affords a number of benefits and learning in this state can be energized and sustained by either willpower or intrinsic interest. That is, the energy that is necessary for learning can be fueled by willful effort, by intrinsic interest, or by both simultaneously.

In this study of 227 students enrolled on 30-day backpacking courses, we examined how certain demographic factors relate to status within the task (goal-related) and social (interpersonal) domains of group functioning. Of particular interest were socioeconomic status (SES) and gender. Using a mixed methods approach, we found that female students had less status in task-based and social contexts, even when controlling for previous experience. Students with low SES had lower status than did their peers in the task-based contexts, but this difference disappeared when also considering previous multinight backpacking experience. As we expected, sources of status differed based on the situational context, with competence driving status for task-based contexts and interpersonal relationships taking precedence in social situations. The findings have important implications for practice in outdoor adventure education, as student demographics change and programs seek greater diversity in a field in which students are traditionally White and male.

Effective outdoor educators need to understand the developmental characteristics of students to best tailor programs to capitalize upon their capabilities. To the extent that learning is a primary objective of outdoor education programs, understanding our students' intellectual processes, specifically, can enhance our effectiveness in achieving this goal. This article presents several frameworks for understanding the developmental knowledge construction of adolescent, college-aged, and young adult students that were developed in traditional education settings. The purpose of this study was to determine the relevance of these models in an adventure education setting. Qualitative data were collected from students of the National Outdoor Leadership School. Results indicate that, despite differences between traditional and adventure learning environments and the types of problems students encounter in those settings, established framework of developmental knowledge construction are observable in the outdoor education classroom. Implications for teaching to developmentally different populations of students are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to begin to identify what students learn from semester-length wilderness-based courses that they may not learn from shorter courses. Students on semester-length courses from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) were asked to respond to the open ended question: “What did you learn on your semester course that you could not have learned if your course had only been 30 days long?” The responses of 468 students were analyzed individually via constant comparison. Eight themes were generated from the responses and the most prominent theme, “expedition behavior,” was further analyzed via constant comparison and divided into five subthemes. These findings are related to the concept of overlearning and provide insight into the concept of expedition behavior. Due to the limited understanding of learning on wilderness-based semester-length courses, this research provides a starting point to begin to recognize what students learn on these courses.

Course length is a logical factor affecting learning in experiential education. With respect to wilderness-based programs, research does suggest a difference in outcomes as the duration of courses increase (Hattie, Marsh, Neil, & Richards, 1997; Cason and Gillis, 1994). However, little, if any, research has focused on full semester-length wilderness-based courses, perhaps due to a lack of opportunity: Hattie et al.'s (1997) meta-analysis of 96 studies found that 72% of courses were between 20 and 26 days in length. In contrast, semester courses at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), specifically, range from 66 to 93 days. Some research has considered other types of experiential semesters, such as a “semester at sea” or an “alternative” type of semester (e.g. Dukes, 2006; Johnson & Alexander, 2009), but these are not wilderness-based courses. To the extent that increased course length, as an indicator of increased exposure to learning opportunities, should enhance learning outcomes, research is needed to understand the differential impact of semester courses. The purpose of this study, then, is to begin to identify what students learn from semester-length wilderness-based courses that they may not learn from shorter courses.

Proper energy balance and nutrition are paramount to the success and enjoyment of all participants on backcountry expeditions (Howley Ryan, 2008). Planning a diet that meets both the nutrient and caloric demands while also overcoming the packing, preservation, and cooking obstacles unique to the backcountry can be challenging. Current recommendations for such diets include estimates for the proper amounts of carbohydrates, protein, fats, and micronutrients (FAO/WHO/UNU 1985, Howley Ryan 2008). However, there are few direct measurements of the energetic needs of backcountry enthusiasts and athletes while in the wilderness (Rejc et al. 2010).

In addition to the outcomes of adventure education, it is important to understand the process of how students learn in these settings (Ewert & McAvoy, 2000; Hattie, Marsh, Neill, & Richards, 1997; Henderson & Fox, 1994; Klint, 1999). Adventure education research has not thoroughly addressed the processes of student learning. There is little support for claims of specific mechanisms that might work differently in determining a targeted learning outcome. This study is a replication and extension of the work done by Paisley, Furman, Sibthorp, and Gookin (2008), except with a larger sample size and a different qualitative coding scheme. A large sample of adventure education students was surveyed to find out which of the organization's six standard outcomes the students learned most about, and then what techniques, circumstances, or pedagogies were most important to learning that particular outcome. These data were linked with pertinent course information to provide relationship information about how students learn differently given these varying factors.

Historically, adventure-based research and models have inadequately described the role of the instructor in the process of student learning of transferable outcomes. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the influence of instructors from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) on learning transferable outcomes from participation in adventure education. Qualitative data indicated students perceive instructors to influence learning through two major categories (a) instructor traits and (b) instructor behaviors. Data analysis yielded 11 subthemes describing the influence of the instructor. Salient instructor traits included being patient, knowledgeable, empathetic, inspiring, and fun/entertaining. Influential instructor behaviors included role modeling, providing feedback, providing formal curriculum, creating a supportive learning environment, managing risk, direct instruction/coaching, and using a “pet” quote or phrase. Variables identified in the present study are compared to existing models of student learning in adventure education. Implications and considerations for instructor practice, hiring practices, and staff development are discussed.