This paper describes a field trip by senior undergraduate anthropology students to a local winery, where they participated in a wine-tasting class with winery staff. In response to explicit hints from a wine-tasting facilitator, and more subtle cues from the cultural capital embedded in their surroundings and the winery staff, the students…

Higher education often supports new student transition through various orientation programs. Recently a greater focus on student spiritual growth has emerged as an important aspect. The wilderness orientation program in this study is unique because of its length (12-14 days) and its focus on students' spiritual development. The purpose of this…

This paper outlines a pilot study of the post-program psychological adjustment outcomes of adult staff facilitating an Australian-based wilderness adventure program for youth at risk. The descriptive and correlational survey study (N = 62) examined the psychological adjustment processes staff underwent following program completion, and the factors…

When groups form, they develop their own culture from the shared meaning created from their interactions. Humor is part of every social group, and when repeatedly referenced, it forms a joking culture. The joking culture of small groups influences group processes by smoothing group interaction, forming a collective identity, separating the group…

Research of wilderness programs indicates a clear need for additional investigation of specific program components and their influence on participant outcomes. This study examines one component of the Outward Bound wilderness program--the Final Expedition. The Final Expedition is a student-led wilderness expedition and is also referred to as an…

This study explores differences between Outward Bound (OB) and National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) participant perspectives on programmatic factors and their relation to outcomes. Although OB and NOLS are assumed to be similar in many ways, as each program offers wilderness expeditions for students in backcountry environments, the mission…

This article describes two studies examining the effects of an experiential and adventure-based program (Outward Bound) on returning military veterans. The assumption underlying these studies is the belief that adventure-based programs can serve as a beneficial mediator in the reintegration of returning military veterans into society. The two…

Outward Bound's 48 years of programming in the United States has led to a rich history of experiential education research. The exhibition of current Outward Bound research at the Symposium on Experiential Education (SEER) is exciting, as it represents a resurgence of academic investment in one of the oldest experiential education organizations in…

Adventure education organizations use co-instruction as the dominant mode of staffing programs, largely for issues related to risk mitigation. Although the American adventure education field has paired co-instructors to run multiday wilderness courses as the default arrangement almost since its inception, theory, research, and subsequent training…

Participants' performances of outdoor skills and leadership are interpreted for environmental learning using Ingold's (2000) notion of an "education of attention": the fine-tuning of their perception. The actual tasks and activities of adventure travel have until recently gone largely unquestioned; but the relationship between skills and…

Researchers have focused primarily on the processes and outcomes associated with adolescent identity development. Less is known about the interpersonal and contextual elements that facilitate the identity formation process. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to qualitatively investigate a structured recreation context that had been…

A critical element in lifelong learning is the self-regulation of motivation to learn. Learners without motivation to learn lack the drive to actively engage with ideas and content, even if they have the ability to learn. Motivation for sustained engagement can be considered a combination of goal-relevant motivation and experience-defined…

Using means-end theory, this study evaluates how being part of a group influences outcomes of National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) participants. This study examines outcomes from NOLS courses during the summer of 2006 in the Wind River Mountain Range of Wyoming. Immediately following 2006 course completion, a convenience sample of 345…

During the past 50 years, wilderness and adventure programs have been utilized as a therapeutic intervention for adolescents involved in America's juvenile justice systems. The program that is the focus of this research project is the Wilderness Endeavors Program, a correctional wilderness and adventure program for youthful offenders in the state…

In these remarks, the author shares some comments that not only encapsulate the individual research presentations but also help provide some context with regard to the theme for the session titled "Into the Black Box: Linking Process and Outcomes in Experiential Education," and what these papers collectively contribute to experiential education…