Wilderness-Based Professional Development for Educators: Exploring Outcomes and Influential Programmatic Elements

Abstract

The personal and professional outcomes of experiential wilderness-based professional development programs for K-12 educators have not been adequately evaluated. This study used openended survey questions to identify a range of personal (i.e., self-awareness, new perspectives, self-confidence) and professional (i.e., changes in classroom practices, appreciation for educational practices, improved classroom culture) outcomes. Educators also identified the programmatic elements that were most influential to both personal and professional outcomes. Links between specific programming elements and each unique outcome are also discussed. Results from this study may be used to design experiential continuing professional development approaches for educators.

Experiential Wilderness-Based Professional Development: Beliefs and Confidence of Participant Educators

“…The NCOBEI program utilizes the wilderness setting as the primary programming element to facilitate educators’ initial learning experience. Just as wilderness settings in non-PD programs have been associated with a range of participant outcomes (Holland et al, 2018; Thomsen et al, 2018), a recent study (Holland et al, 2020) found the wilderness setting to exert the greatest influence on both personal and professional development outcomes in EWBPD programs for educators.…”

“…Minor programmatic changes may have been implemented each year of the training exposing educators to different training elements. However, based on previous research investigating specific influential elements of EWBPD programs that educators associate with outcomes received (Holland et al, 2020), all educators in our sample were exposed to the most frequently indicated influential programming elements (an immersive wilderness experience, participating with colleagues, continued forms of follow-up).…”

“…Experiential wilderness-based PD (EWBPD) programs expose educators to situations in an attempt to build knowledge of experiential learning, develop collaborative problem-solving skills, and foster personal and PD (NCOB Education Programs, 2017). However, research is needed to investigate the potential influence of EWBPD programs on educators’ personal and professional outcomes (Holland et al, 2020; O'Sullivan et al, 2008).…”

“…These components were re-experiencing the student experience, developing learning communities through shared experiences and terminology, the repeated use of strategies reinforcing how experiential learning can be transferred between subjects, and structuring time to allow for reflective practices (Klein & Riordan, 2011). Another study found the unique environmental elements (extended exposure to the wilderness environment, challenging terrain, exposure to natural elements), social elements (leadership responsibilities, participating in wilderness cohorts, and participating with fellow educators from their schools), and programming elements (emphasis on physical-fitness, adventure-recreation activities, and adapted forms of continued follow-up) of EWBPD influential to a range of both personal and PD outcomes (Holland et al, 2020 ) . While these studies demonstrate the potential positive impacts of EWBPD programs for educators, further research is needed to investigate the influence of these PD programs on building knowledge, confidence, and implementation of experiential teaching practices.…”