The following Masters' thesis can now be downloaded from:
http://www.unh.edu/outdoor-education/publications.html#theses
If you would like your honors thesis, Masters thesis or
PhD thesis posted on the WWW or a link made to your thesis, email me and
I'll delightedly help with your contribution to collective
knowledge.
Gaining a Better
Understanding of How Outward Bound Western Canada
Course Outcomes are Achieved: A Research Study
Marcia D. McKenzie
Brock Univeristy
Masters Thesis
Abstract
This study
examined how Outward Bound Western Canada (OBWC) course outcomes are
achieved by exploring the relationships among course components,
students’ characteristics, and course outcomes. OBWC is a
wilderness-based adventure education organization that helps students
achieve outcomes such as increased self-awareness, self-confidence,
motivation, interpersonal skills, concern for others, and concern for the
environment. This study explored the ways in which the various
components of courses and the characteristics of students contribute to
determining the outcomes students experience as a result of their
courses. The purpose of the study was to gain a better
understanding of how OBWC course outcomes are achieved in order to
strengthen adventure education theory, enhance practice at OBWC and other
adventure education organizations, and provide a foundation for further
research on this topic.
As an
interpretive case study, this study sought to describe how OBWC course
outcomes are achieved and to provide interpretations of the research
findings. Data was gathered from OBWC students and instructors
using the quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques of
questionnaire, interview, and observation. Data collected from 98
participants ensured a considerable breadth to the study, while
interviews with a number of participants also enabled the collection of
in-depth data. Analysis and triangulation of the data from the
various sources allowed discernment of the research findings.
A comprehensive and detailed picture of how course outcomes are achieved
emerged from the findings. Twenty-nine course components were found
to influence
course outcomes, including various aspects of course activities, the
physical environment, instructors, and the group. The findings
indicated that certain course components were most influential in
determining increases to students’ self-awareness, self-confidence,
self-reliance, self-esteem, self-concept, motivation,
self-responsibility, interpersonal skills, concern for others, and
concern for the environment. A number of course components were
found to indirectly contribute to positive course outcomes by helping
maximize the effectiveness of other components, by increasing students’
motivation while on course, or by facilitating the processing and
transference of new information. The findings also suggested that
several course components either directly or indirectly affected course
outcomes in negative ways. In addition, the gender, age,
population, and expectations of students were found to play a role in
determining the course outcomes they experienced and in determining which
course components caused those outcomes.
Interpretation of the findings resulted in the generation of
research-based theory. The main theoretical argument derived from
the results of the study was that course outcomes are influenced by a
combination of course components and characteristics of students.
More specifically, the theory generated by the study indicated that five
groupings of factors contribute to course outcomes, including course
activities, the physical environment, instructors, the group, and
students’ characteristics. The study was considered in relation to
existing adventure education literature and larger theoretical
issues. The generated theory and research findings were then used
to develop suggestions for improving practice at OBWC and other adventure
education organizations, as well as for enhancing future research
studies.
"As a net is made up of a series of ties, so everything in
this world is connected by a series of
ties. If anyone thinks
that the mesh of a net is an independent,
isolated thing, he is
mistaken. It is called a net because it is
made up of a series
of interconnected meshes, and each mesh has its
place and
responsibility in relation to other
meshes."
-- Buddha
--------------------------------------------
James T. Neill
Department of Kinesiology
University of New Hampshire
New Hampshire Hall
124 Main Street
Durham, NH 03824
USA
voice: 603 862 3047
fax: 603 862 0154
email: [log in to unmask]
Professional Home Page:
http://www.unh.edu/outdoor-education/JamesNeill.htm
UNH Outdoor Education Program:
http://www.unh.edu/outdoor-education/index.html
UNH Outdoor Education Research & Evaluation Center:
http://www.unh.edu/outdoor-education/research.html
