A qualitative study of the perceived significant life impacts of a university summer outdoor education course

ABSTRACT

In the current study, the researchers qualitatively explored the life significance of a university summer outdoor education (OE) course. The data included 15 in-depth interviews with alumni who had participated in one of the university’s summer OE courses over 20 years ago. The researchers interpretively analyzed the interview transcripts and discovered the following significant life impacts: development of interpersonal skills; self-discovery; environmental behaviour change; leisure style change; transfer to others; and increased outdoor knowledge/skills. This study holds practical promise for informing universities and colleges of the long-term implications of OE courses.

KEYWORDS:

• Outdoor education
• significant life experience
• impacts
• university courses

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jennifer Wigglesworth

Jennifer Wigglesworth is a faculty member in the Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management program at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, Canada. Her research examines social and environmental justice in outdoor sports and leisure, with a focus on the power of place names in outdoor landscapes. She qualitatively explores women’s rock climbing through feminist, anti-racist, and decolonial perspectives. In this way, rock climbing serves as an entry point for her to ask larger questions about equity, diversity, inclusion, and sustainability in outdoor cultures.

Paul Heintzman

Paul Heintzman is professor of leisure studies and affiliated professor in the MSc in Environmental Sustainability program at the University of Ottawa, Canada. He worked as a recreation practitioner across Canada before receiving his PhD in recreation and leisure studies from the University of Waterloo. His research and teaching interests include leisure and spirituality, parks, outdoor recreation and education, and the philosophy and ethics of leisure.  He is author of the book Leisure and Spirituality. In 2003, he received the Society of Park and Recreation Educators (SPRE) Teaching Innovation Award. Currently he is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Leisure Research.