Writing's place in outdoor experiential education: A study of how outdoor educators use and value writing in experiential education settings.

摘要

Outdoor educators use writing for different purposes and programs, but, according to published literature, there are no uniform theories or practices for using writing in outdoor experiential education (OEE).; This study uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis procedures to examine writing practices in outdoor experiential education in order to determine the value of writing for OEE and the value for composition in studying writing in OEE. There were 220 people who participated in the online survey, and 50 OEE educators participated in follow-up interviews.; Results indicated that professors of OEE use writing most frequently, followed by OEE ropes course and teambuilding facilitators. Journaling is the most common type of writing used in OEE, followed by freewriting and groupwriting activities. Participants indicated that they use writing primarily for personal reflection and processing activities. Participants who specified that they do not use writing in OEE explained that either they have never thought of it, or they do not have the time. According to participants in this study, writing does have a place in OEE. This place varies according to attitudes and beliefs about writing and desired program outcomes.; Findings suggest OEE educators are interested in understanding how to incorporate writing into their programs and that there is a need to clarify which writing activities work best for specific program outcomes.; This study indicates writing is a lived experience that takes place in time and across time. The writing process, the writer, and the written product are simultaneously impacted by immediate and past human experience. Reflective writing and thinking are influenced by the clear relationship between when a person writes about an experience and when that experience happens. Therefore, time, experience, and reflection are important elements to the writing process, storytelling, and making meaning. Additionally, this study indicates that writing produced in a natural setting is impacted by that setting and experience. Therefore, places for writing and natural experience are important to ecocomposition and environmental education. This study asks WAC to connect writing and outdoor courses as well as to connect itself to OEE programs beyond the university.