Outdoor Science Camp or Adventure Camp?
What is the definition of Outdoor Education?
It is not easy to subdivide 'outdoor education' into convenient categories especially when the subjects cut across so many traditional disciplines.
Are the participants experiencing training, development or therapy? Or are they simply experiencing 'the outdoors'? Is the outdoor school in the wilderness, in the city or even indoors? Does outdoor education have a central place in the curriculum or is it an alternative means of educating children and young people who are disadvantaged, disabled, disaffected, exceptionally gifted or lacking sunlight?
To say that outdoor school education has changed a lot in the last twenty years that is an understatement. The programs that have become the center of what we teach are more and more adventure related and less science. The schools and student body have changed as much as our content and emphasis.
Outdoor Ed has shifted from science skills to climbing, outdoor programs to outdoor activities. It is to the point that it's hard to tell where outdoor ed ends and outdoor summercamp begins. What is needed is an education adventure, a way to get science into adventure courses. When we take kids out to outdoor camp are they getting the best we have to offer? Let's make adventures in the wilderness count not only in the photos but the areas of academic pursuits.
This index is a rough pathway to help you navigate the wilderness of outdoor education schools. Descriptions of schools are divided by main focus and sub-divided by state or country.