Some of the present approaches for studying adventure education are based on grounded theory, folk pedagogies, and existing social science theory. These approaches share some problems, including: (a) an overemphasis on outcomes without specifying processes, (b) a misunderstanding of how different types of evaluation contribute to theory, and (c) under-theorized evaluation and program models. As an alternative, program theory evaluation, which focuses on a "theory-program-outcome" model, in which all three components are specified simultaneously, can help avoid these mistakes while contributing a more sophisticated understanding of how programs have effects. (Contains 3 figures.)