Ecology and Task Structures in Adventure Education

Abstract

Many of the characteristics of effective physical education lessons have been discovered by sport pedagogy researchers by employing what has become known as the ecological or task structures perspective. The purpose of this study was to describe the task structures and ecology that existed in two consecutive 7-day summer adventure camps run by an agency outside the school setting. Participants included two novice adventure educators (AEs) and 31 elementary and middle school-aged children. Data were collected using a number of qualitative techniques and were analyzed using standard interpretive methods. Five task structure systems were identified. The instructional and managerial systems were similar to those previously found in classrooms and school physical education except that parental chaperones were used to enforce the management system. The social system was similar to those previously observed within sport education and adventure education units within school-based physical education in that it mainly served to support the instructional and managerial systems rather than compete with them as in more traditional models of teaching. The exploratory and atmospheric systems had not previously been identified, were extensions of the instructional and social systems, and appeared somewhat unique to adventure education. Implications for training AEs are discussed.

Task Design and Skill Level Perceptions of Middle School Students Toward Competition in Dance-Related Active Gaming

“…As physical activity can decline after middle school (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012), adding activities that students find interesting can be incorporated in future activity pursuits in adolescence and even adulthood (Haywood, 1991;Thin, Hansen, & McEachen, 2011). Unclear or improper task design can cause students to go off task or deviate from the task (Zmudy, Curtner-Smith, & Steffen, 2009). Although students overwhelming liked the AG tasks, in both task system situations, students frequently reported they disliked particular aspects of task, including specific game features and waiting for their turn to be in control of the equipment.…”

Negotiation patterns of a preservice physical education teacher and his students during sport education

“…The instructional task system consists of a series of tasks that students perform in order to learn (e.g. drills and conditioned games) (Jones, 1992;Sinelnikov and Hastie, 2012;Zmudy et al, 2009). A teacher's framework of rules, routines and expectations comprises the managerial task system (Doyle, 1986;Evertson and Emmer, 1982;Jones, 1992).…”

“…tests of skill and cognitive understanding) and informal (i.e. teacher feedback and the degree to which teachers are assertive) assessment and evaluation (Doyle, 1986; Griffin et al, 1998; Hastie and Pickwell, 1996; Hastie and Siedentop, 1999; Supaporn et al, 2003; Zmudy et al, 2009). Specifically, tasks can be completed as the teacher initially intends when they are first presented or negotiations can take place between teachers and students and tasks can be changed completely or modified so that they are more difficult or easier (Hastie and Siedentop, 1999; Wahl-Alexander and Curtner-Smith, 2014, 2015, 2018; Zmudy et al, 2009).…”

“…Furthermore, ineffective teachers and those at the beginning of their careers are often observed initiating negative negotiations with students themselves, their objective being to retain control of their classrooms and gymnasia (Doyle and Carter, 1984; Hastie and Siedentop, 1999; Jones, 1992; Wahl-Alexander and Curtner-Smith, 2015). Such negotiations are made from a position of weakness (O’Donovan and Kirk, 2007; Tsangaridou and O’Sullivan, 2003; Wahl-Alexander and Curtner-Smith, 2015) and can involve the teacher offering to modify, change or exclude tasks, to decrease time spent in drills and practices and increase time spent in game play, to decrease lesson time and to provide students with greater opportunity for socializing in exchange for non-disruptive behaviour and a minimal level of effort (Allen, 1986; Doyle and Carter, 1984; Hastie and Siedentop, 1999; Jones, 1992; Wahl-Alexander and Curtner-Smith, 2015, 2018; Wahl-Alexander et al, 2018; Zmudy et al, 2009). If teachers continue to acquiesce to student negative negotiations and initiate negative negotiations of their own, their instructional units can spiral downwards and collapse completely (Doyle, 1979; Wahl-Alexander and Curtner-Smith, 2015, 2018).…”

Quasi-experimental Study of the Effect of an Adventure Education Programme on Classroom Satisfaction, Physical Self-Concept and Social Goals in Physical Education

“…These programmes are totally new in Spain, and parts of Europe but have a long tradition, especially in the USA (Zmudy, Curtner-Smith, & Steffen, 2009a). For this reason, the present research is an interesting contribution for the scientific community, since it enables the results obtained in various countries to be compared.…”