Instrumentation

Facilitators believe that participating in adventure programmes combined with the individual’s experiences can enhance personal growth. Facilitators often see these developments through direct encounters with the individuals they are working with. Teachers and parents regularly comment on improvements or developments a child has made following participation in an adventure programme. When I worked at Bryntysilio Outdoor Education Centre I personally witnessed participants develop and flourish during their adventure programme experience. I personally believe in the value and benefit of such programmes.

The anecdotal evidence for the positive outcomes that adventure programmes achieve was once enough for individuals to believe and participate in such programmes. However there is an increasing need to gain professional credibility for the adventure industry by providing evidence of the outcomes, how they are reached and if they occur at all. Today’s society is becoming increasingly concerned with achievement and objective measures of performance. Therefore it is essential for research to be carried out so that parents, schools, local authorities and adventure programme critics can be satisfied that adventure programmes deliver results.

Research on the claimed benefits of participation in adventure programmes has been misleading. Further research is needed to clarify the findings however research cannot continue unless issues with the method are addressed. Many weaknesses in current research are associated with the methods used to measure the ‘soft skill’ outcomes (Neil – in preparation). Below are some research papers that agree and disagree on the benefits of adventure programmes:

1)      Hattie, Marsh, Neil and Richards (1997) found significant evidence for the development of many ‘soft skills’ including; leadership, independence and emotional stability through adventure programmes.

2)      Cason and Gillis (1994) found improved self-concept for adolescents participating in adventure programmes.

3)      However Kaly and Heesacker (2003) did not find evidence for the benefit of adventure programmes.

To address the issue of methodology and the measurement tool used to determine the ‘soft skill’ outcomes Neil’s (in preparation) Life Effectiveness Questionnaire (LEQ) aimed to develop previous tools such as the Coopersmith (1984) Self-Esteem Inventory and the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (Fitts, 1965) by incorporating a large number of life effectiveness elements that are often targeted by adventure programmes, whilst maintaining a relatively easy administration process.

Neil’s (in preparation) LEQ is an improvement on previous measures however he has highlighted that there are issues with the length of the programme, group size and the instructor’s experience. Previous research has used pre and immediately post measures for an adventure programme (Hazelworth and Wilson, 1990). However personal growth and benefits of a programme may not be seen or experienced by an individual for a considerable length of time post programme. Some changes experienced may be subtle that measurement questionnaires and scales are too insensitive to record and detect changes. The participants’ personal growth may not even be noticed by the participant and therefore how can they be expected to report them.

Although there is a need to provide evidence for the benefit of adventure programmes it is clear that there are still methodological approach and measurement tool issues to be addressed. Until these issues are resolved there will be continued inconsistency in the research findings backing up the professional credibility of adventure programmes.

In the meantime we should not devalue the anecdotal evidence available and hope that schools, organisations and individuals signing up for adventure programmes accept this evidence and experience for themselves the positive outcomes of adventure programmes.

References

Cason, D. and Gillis, L. (1994) A meta-analysis of outdoor adventure programming with adolescents.Journal of Experiential Education.17, 40-47.

Coopersmith (1984) cited in Neill, J. T., Marsh, H. W., & Richards, G. E. (in preparation) The Life EffectivenessQuestionnaire: Development and psychometrics. Sydney: University of WesternSydney.

Fitts (1965) cited in Neill, J. T., Marsh, H. W., & Richards, G. E. (in preparation) The Life EffectivenessQuestionnaire: Development and psychometrics. Sydney: University of WesternSydney.

Hattie, J., Marsh, H., Neil, J., and Richards, G. (1997) Adventure Education and Outward Bound: Out-of-class experiences that make a lasting difference. Review of Educational Research.67, 43-87.

Hazelworth, M. and Wilson, B. (1990) The effects of an outdoor adventure camp experience on self-concept. Journal of Environmental Education.21, 33-37.

Kaly, P, W. &Heesacker, M. (2003) Effects of a ship-based adventure program on adolescent self-esteem and ego-identity development.Journal of Experiential Education.26, 97-104.

Neill, J. T., Marsh, H. W., & Richards, G. E. (in preparation) The Life EffectivenessQuestionnaire: Development and psychometrics. Sydney: University of Western Sydney.