Dear all,
I must continue the quote from Evans and Davis I made earlier in a different
thread in response to this emerging 'academic' (do we mean intellectual) ,
practitioner or 'professional' discussion.
I'd like to suggest that theory or intellectual thought isn't 'dry' or
inappropriate to practice. There are the 'poetics' of intellectual thought
which have implications for the way we think and so conduct ourselves in our
various practices, I think.
John's and others personal reflections are stimulating and for me provide a
deeper understanding of ideas and experiences that maybe give a 'heart' to
our work.
Although Evans and Davies are talking about physical education, I think
their comments are applicable to our work in the outdoors with people.
... P31 (cont.)
'If teaching physical education (read outdoor education, development etc.)
is to be seen as a profession then it will be because it is based on a set
of research expertise and theoretical bodies of knowledge. We erode these
elements of our practice at out peril. The message is clear, in PE (read OE
etc) we should make research and teaching more, not less, complex, and
'theory', ideas and innovations, not our enemies but friends.'
So for me, perhaps the 'profession' 'us' maybe want to broaden its/our
ideas of what constitutes 'valid' theory/theories (intellectual thought(s))
and consider the poetics of theory and the 'singing' of practice. I do think
we need to draw much more upon intellectual thought that has informed other
areas of social life and/or education and also listen to our own 'stories'.
One currently emerging research approach is 'narrative' and even 'factition'
(stories that evoke the experiences if not always representing 'true'
reality), I know of a number of PhD theses that have /are taking this
approach. These types may or may not be 'theorised' and perhaps they may not
address issues around social change or environmental justice but they are
certainly 'a good read' and perhaps more accessible than other PhDs.
Thanks for all these thoughts. There has been much food for thought for me.
Hope I haven't upset the thread/theme.
barbara
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wil Rickards" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2001 9:49 PM
Subject: Re: From the outside in and the inside out
> Pete
>
> My ten cents worth.
>
> I believe that the metaphoric discussion that took place recently is
> important if you are to find your answers. For this is probably what
> is meaningful to a number of people in the field. All too often the
> "pragmatism" of academia does not match what is happening out in; dare I
> call it, the real world.
>
> You are so right, perhaps we do need to find an identity for our
> profession, perhaps we need to find relevant qualifications (should they
> be vocational or academic?) But at the same time every person that we
> work with is different, in the same way that every practitioner is. As
> someone who has struggled with ethnography, my biggest problem is to
> find research that is actually needed by others, rather than something I
> want to do for me. Is this not one of the academic paradoxes (right
> word? I am not sure)?
>
> My issue with what you wrote is that to find the best way of creating a
> professional package / qualification / whatever, then first we need to
> know what is done out there and what is needed. If people need to write
> poems lets teach them to do it better. If people need to find metaphors
> then this is probably important in any qualification that is created.
>
> To move on to your question - as someone grounded in UK governing body
> awards and university who has come out to the US to teach and study,
> then all I can say is that I really value my background. I appreciate
> that areas have been separated rather than amalgamated into one course.
> We all take our time to learn and I think it is important that where
> issues of other people's safety are concerned, then perhaps it is better
> to do this in a more practical environment rather than an academic one.
> That is not to say that a number of academic institutions do not do a
> very good job - I earn my wage that way - but I certainly feel that if I
> have a developed a realistic and useable safety consciousness then it is
> from doing it rather than reading about it and NGB awards were sometimes
> the impetus to make that happen. Processing on the other hand sits well
> in a pragmatic academic setting, where students are encouraged to both
> read the works of significant contributors to the field and then play
> with them and adapt them to their needs both through writing and
> practice.
>
> So yes lets thrash out the needs of our industry, but let us also
> remember that our industry is made up of individuals with needs and by
> listening to these then perhaps we can create something very special.
>
> I really hope that I have not burned any bridges, that certainly is not
> my intention.
>
> Thank you for reading.
>
>
> Wil Rickards
> 201 W 4th St. #3
> Leadville
> CO
> 80461
>
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
> home: 719-486-0418
> cell: 970-231-6779
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: To enable debate and discussion around research issues in outdoor
> and adventure education [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Peter Bunyan
> Sent: Friday, December 07, 2001 1:18 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: From the outside in and the inside out
>
>
> For the last couple of weeks I have not been able to contribute to the
> list due to a jiscmail problem but have received and read the
> contributions of others. It seems that as a group of people we are
> concerned with accreditation, poems, treading water, and being plugged
> into the wall, I wonder how other professions would judge us based on
> the discourse that is going on amongst members of an academic discussion
> group.
>
> I do think it is very important that we attend to the identity of our
> profession and one of the important issues here is that we are able to
> communicate with each other and with other professions in a consistent
> and meaningful way. Accreditation of members is an important step in
> doing this, I believe we still have not clarified what this means and
> what function it will have. It is a stamp of approval that somebody is
> able to safely act as a competent 'instructor' and/or (depending on
> levels) they can are a competent (whatever that means) 'facilitator'.
> What are we actually talking about, a City and Guilds or a master
> practitioner or both.
>
> Should we not at this time be returning to fundamental discussions at an
> academic pragmatic level, laying down the foundations for our future.
> Metaphoric discussion has its place, but it is not of primary importance
> at the moment and it will not be high on the agenda for me until we have
> SERIOUSLY built a bridge between the academic and professional
> community. Pete Allison will remember a conversation with me that
> centred on replacing the Burma rope bridge that exists at present with a
> Clifton Suspension Bridge.
>
> Write poems by all means but after we have attended to the real issues.
>
> Pete.
>
> Peter Bunyan
> Adventure Education Component Leader
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> 01243 816317
>
> P Bunyan
> University College Chichester
> College Lane
> Chichester
>
> PO 19 4PE
>
>
> !
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