Rethinking outdoor leadership: An Investigation of Affective Abilities in Australian Higher Education curriculum

ABSTRACT

The performance and embodiment of inter and intra-personal skills, or as we have conceptualised in this paper as Affective Abilities (AA), is often considered central to the fulfilment of outdoor leader roles. This article examines Australian outdoor recreation and education higher education curricula to identify what AA training opportunities are provided and prioritised. We performed a content analysis on 47 university subjects/units and all vocational outdoor leadership materials. Our findings suggest that the AA described in curricula can be grouped into five common themes; leadership, facilitation, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and judgement. Reflection was an additional theme within university curricula. We observed that AA are included in curricula but are not always made explicit. Consequently, students may not be aware of what AA they are developing or how to draw on these once in the field. This paper seeks to better understand the AA instructional landscape to aid the development of training programs.

KEYWORDS:

• Affective Abilities
• soft skills
• student development
• outdoor leadership
• higher education

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Ron McCarville for his energy and time in discussing and editing this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Department of Health and Human Services, Victorian State Government, Australia and the Australian Camps Association.

Notes on contributors

Mandi Baker

Mandi Baker is a researcher and lecturer with a special interest in organised outdoor experiences, youth, community development, employment and management practices, recreation and leisure. Mandi has many years of experience working in camps, charity and outdoor education organisations in Canada and Australia. Her work explores everyday work experiences through sociological concepts to offer fresh insights and innovative solutions to employability, leadership and education.

Wendy O’Brien

Wendy O’Brien is an adjunct lecturer and interdisciplinary sociologist who has published across a range of topic areas. Her research interests include mental health, women’s well-being, active embodiment, volunteers in sport and communities of practice in higher education. She has presented papers at international conferences and published research papers and book chapters in these areas.