Mary Breunig

Turning Experiential Education and Critical Pedagogy Theory into Praxis

The educational theories of experiential education and critical pedagogy intersect in a number of ways. One of the intended aims of both of these pedagogies is that the purpose of education should be to develop a more socially just world (Itin, 1999; Kincheloe, 2004). One of the key issues still facing experiential education theory and critical pedagogy is its implementation within the post-secondary classroom. There is a lack of congruence between the pedagogical theories that are espoused and the actual classroom practices that are employed. The purpose of this article is to explore some of the ways for experiential educators and critical pedagogues to begin engaging in a more purposeful classroom praxis that acts on the theoretical underpinnings of these pedagogies as one means to work toward their shared vision of a more socially just world.

Social Justice in Outdoor Experiential Education: A State of Knowledge Review

Outdoor experiential education has often been critiqued for its White, male, middle/upper-class, able-bodied history, thereby causing professionals and programs to consider issues of social justice. This state of knowledge paper will review the literature on social and environmental justice, identify gaps in current social justice literature and practice, and offer recommendations for creating a new history.

Sustaining environmental pedagogy in times of educational conservatism: a case study of integrated curriculum programs

Although the global call for environmental education is persistent, on a local or regional level, this call can be confronted by educational policies that drive environmental education out of the curriculum. This paper reports on a qualitative case study of the factors contributing to the sustainability of three teacher‐driven integrated curriculum programs (ICPs). Four key factors were identified: financial self‐sufficiency and physical isolation (program separation); and visibility of teachers in the school and support from a broad network of allies (political connection). This paper suggests that ICPs can be further supported by fostering pedagogical kinships and expanding counter‐praxis discourse. The paper also highlights the importance of ‘ground‐up’ programs in sustaining environmental education in periods of educational conservatism.

The impact of integrated environmental studies programs: are students motivated to act pro-environmentally?

In Canada, there exists a noteworthy educational initiative referred to as Environmental Studies Programs (ESPs). These secondary school programs are interdisciplinary, helping to link subject matter and encouraging student responsibility. The results of two case studies of Ontario ESPs that analyze the impact of ESP participation on students’ attitudes to, and relationships with, the environment and the extent to which program participation informs domestic pro-environmental behaviors and/or emancipatory social and environmental actions are presented. The results from the focus group sessions indicate that students believe that they can effect environmental change but that they struggle with ways to meaningfully enact that change in light of ‘real world’ constraints.

Psychological Sense of Community and Group Cohesion on Wilderness Trips.

Aprimary purpose of many wilderness trip programs is the development of positive interpersonal relationships and group experiences that lead to enhanced sense of community among group members (Mitten, 1999). Although there is anecdotal evidence to support the development of sense of community on wilderness trips, there is little empirical evidence to support this conclusion. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine the factors that contribute to or detract from wilderness trip participants’ perceived sense of community.

Experientially Learning and Teaching in a Student-Directed Classroom:

There exists a relatively coherent body of research relevant to problem-based and transformational learning but too few studies that have empirically explored the many anecdotal claims of the attributes of experiential, student-directed pedagogy. The purpose of this present study was to explore students’ and professor experiences with/in a student-directed experiential education elective course. What successes and challenges do students and the professor experience and how? What surprises, new learnings, and pedagogical risks ensue? The primary results include (a) Student Responsibility and Accountability, (b) Structure, (3) Role of the Professor, (4) Experiences With Self-Study Participation, and 5) Informing and Transforming Practice. These results and the review of literature add to the body of knowledge relevant to “doing” student-directed experiential education and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in the postsecondary classroom.

Students' experiences with/in integrated Environmental Studies Programs in Ontario

In Canada there exists a noteworthy educational initiative referred to as Environmental Studies Programs (ESPs). These secondary school programs are interdisciplinary, helping to link subject matter and encouraging student responsibility. The results of three case studies of Ontario ESPs indicate that program participation has ‘real world’ applications and creates a safe space for genuine dialogue and critical reflection, and that students experienced changes in environmental attitudes and behaviors as a result of program participation. These findings offer further documentation of the benefits of integrated ESPs, including increased student engagement, learning experiences that are practical and relevant to students’ lives, experiential learning that is memorable and opportunities for development of social and interpersonal skills.

John Dewey: Purposeful Play as Leisure

In this chapter, John Dewey’s views on labour and leisure are introduced with/in the backdrop of Key West, Florida, where Dewey himself spent much of his leisure time. Dewey’s use of the terms “activity” and “experience” as components of present day experiential education theory are examined. The concepts of “play” and “unification” are explored as aspects of Dewey’s broader educational philosophy. The chapter culminates with consideration of how Key West influenced Dewey’s ideas about place and leisure.

Sustaining schoolyard pedagogy through community academic partnerships

ABSTRACT There is a large body of research indicating the benefits of exposure to nature and schoolground greening for children’s development, learning, and social skills. This paper presents the results of a schoolyard greening project and study, which builds community academic partnerships (CAP) with schools and the regional university. The purpose of the project is to: (1) co-design and install outdoor classrooms; (2) co-develop schoolyard curriculum that aligns with Ministry of Education expectations; and (3) ‘green’ public access schoolyards in an effort to promote sustainability, connection to nature, and community connections. Transformative phenomenology was the qualitative methodology employed, assisting the scholar-practitioner with bringing phenomenology to practice. A socioecological framework was applied to the study to explore the study participants’ (N = 35) lived experience, place, experiential pedagogy, and agency and participation and the study results are thematically grouped around these key foci.

A Qualitative Exploration of Sense of Community through Reflective Journals during Wilderness Outdoor Education Curricula

There has been repeated encouragement in the literature for researchers to examine the various mechanisms that make up group experiences in outdoor education contexts. As a result, positive sense of community is often one of the implicit or explicit goals of programs and organizations that utilize outdoor settings to deliver educational and/or therapeutic programs. The purpose of this study was to understand how participants understand and experience sense of community formation during participation on outdoor education curricula (OEC) programs. Qualitative data, in the form of 124 participant trip journals, were analyzed and revealed two core themes illuminating sense of community structure and process. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.