Adventure education
What: Adventure education is a method that aims to produce experiences that support personal growth through adventure. Through challenging themselves, learners acquire skills that help them act as members of their community.
An important aspect of adventure education is supporting participants’ involvement in defining goals and activities as well as taking responsibility for their own and joint activities.
Group members play an important role as peers or supporters of learning, providing opportunities to reflect on one’s self-knowledge and discover one’s own insights and solutions. Adventure education emphasises processes, reflection, dialogue and focus on participants’ resources.
Where: Adventure education is often carried out by hiking, kayaking or climbing in an actual natural environment, but it may also consist of a walk in a dark forest in November or indoor activities.
How to: Adventure education differs from free adventure in that it is always instructed, goal-oriented and safe. Professional adventure education is designed so that it is suitably challenging for the participants. They leave their comfort zone, but do not go too far.
The activities always have a goal. Adventure education is holistic and pays attention to people’s physical, mental and social safety. The experiences are discussed and reflected on afterwards.
Why: Adventure education has been shown to develop physical, mental and social self-knowledge, as well as to enhance cooperation skills, initiative, responsibility, identity-building and courage.
(Source: snk.fi)
More information: https://www.snk.fi/en/adventure-education/ https://www.snk.fi/seikkailukasvatus/menetelma/