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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2018/2019

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Moray House School of Education : Education

Postgraduate Course: Personal and Social Development and Outdoor Education: Critical Perspectives (EDUA11116)

Course Outline
SchoolMoray House School of Education CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThe purpose of this course is to provide outdoor educators with a sound understanding of the nature of personal and social development. The course will explore a variety of notions of personal development with a view to increasing control of one's own destiny and various horizons of significance. The course will examine the role of the educator with specific focus on facilitating supportive constructive learning environments and interpersonal skills.
Course description The earlier parts of the course will concentrate on students' own experiences of personal and social development, much of which will model practices and a variety of approaches. A broad perspective exploring values and morality and ethical considerations of intentionally educating in this contentious area will follow before narrowing to examine some current claims and practices. Students will have an opportunity to work with others to integrate their understanding at a theoretical level to an applied context. Some specific topics covered in theory and practice are:
1. Different styles (or ¿generations¿) of facilitation
2. Evidencing personal and social growth with scientific methods - how and to what degree is this possible?
3. Outdoor learning, the four capacities (Curriculum for Excellence) and key competencies (OECD)
4. Promoting growth through narratives and narrative therapy
5. Models of group processes
6. How can we support the transfer of learning in outdoor education programmes?
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2018/19, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Course Start Date 14/01/2019
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 5, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 17, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 5, External Visit Hours 3, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 165 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) NB: The assessment of this course is currently under revision and is aiming to offer a more dynamic and practice-oriented project

The assessment will be a written assignment of c4000 words. You should critically examine the assumptions made by those in charge (e.g. the organisation/ programme designers/ instructors), discuss the appropriateness of the teaching strategies employed in terms of personal and social development theory and consider the implications for practice and future research. The aim of this paper is for you to demonstrate a sound critical understanding of the theories and issues covered within the course and to contextualise this knowledge within your own personal (teaching or student) experience. 
Feedback There will be one group feedback, feedforward session towards the end of the course. At this point the students will be given group feedback that relates directly to the written assignment.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Understand a range of theories relating to personal and social development and relate them to experiential approaches, previous experiences and their own personal and social development
  2. Be able to analyse the appropriateness of case studies from their own or presented material in terms of their suitability for the development of personal and social skills;
  3. Identify the influences which shape and develop values and morality and understand a number of approaches to facilitating growth in these areas.
  4. Gain experience and understanding of the practices, purposes and assumptions regarding reviewing
  5. Analyse critically the theoretical principles, processes and conditions underpinning inter- and intra- personal skills as they relate to personal and social development
Reading List
Allison, P. & Von Wald, K. (2010) Exploring values in the wilderness: Personal and social development on educational expeditions. Pastoral Care in Education, 28(3), 219-232.

Brookes, A. (2003a) A critique of neo-Hahnian outdoor education theory. Part one: challenges to the concept of ¿character building¿. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 3(1), 49-62.

Brookes, A. (2003b) A critique of neo-Hahnian outdoor education theory. Part two: ¿the fundamental attribution error¿ in contemporary outdoor education discourse. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 3(2), 119-132.



Christie, B., Higgins, P. & McLaughlin, P. (2013) ¿Did you enjoy your holiday? Can residential outdoor learning benefit mainstream schooling? Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning,

Loynes, C. (2002) The generative paradigm. The Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. 2(2), 113-125.

McCulloch, K., McLaughlin, P., Allison, P., Edwards, V. and Tett, L., (2010) ¿More than mere adventure: sail training as education¿. Oxford Review of Education, Vol. 36(6).

Priest, S. & Gass, S. (1999). Six generations of facilitation skills. In J. Miles & Priest, S. (Eds), Adventure Programming (pp. 215-218). State College, PA: Venture.

Stonehouse, P. (2010) Virtue Ethics and Expeditions. Chapter 2 in Beames, S. (ed) Understanding Educational Expeditions Rotterdam: Sense.

Westphal, R. (2010) Water and character - Reflections of an ¿outgrown¿ practitioner. In P. Becker & J. Schirp (Eds.), Conference proceedings ¿Water - Space for Experiences: Youth and Outdoor Education in Europe¿. In partnership with the European Institute for Outdoor Adventure Education and Experiential Learning (EOE) and bsj Marburg/Germany 23th- 26th September 2009 Zerum, Ueckermünde, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.

Willis, A. (2011) - Re-storying wilderness and adventure therapies: healing places and selves in an era of environmental crises, Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 11(2), 91-108.


Full Reading List

Allison, P. & Von Wald, K. (2010) Exploring values in the wilderness: Personal and social development on educational expeditions. Pastoral Care in Education, 28(3), 219-232.

Beames, S. (Ed) (2010) Understanding educational expeditions, Rotterdam: Sense.

Beames, S. (2006) Losing my religion: The quest for applicable theory in outdoor education. Pathways: The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education. 19(1), 4-11.

Brookes, A. (2003a) A critique of neo-Hahnian outdoor education theory. Part one: challenges to the concept of ¿character building¿. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 3(1), 49-62.

Brookes, A. (2003b) A critique of neo-Hahnian outdoor education theory. Part two: ¿the fundamental attribution error¿ in contemporary outdoor education discourse. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 3(2), 119-132.

Brown, M. (2008) Comfort zone: model or metaphor? Australian Journal of Outdoor Education Jan 2008. Available online at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6931/is_1_12/ai_n28546872/

Brown, M. (2010) Transfer outdoor education's Achilles heel? Changing participation as a viable option. Australian Journal of Outdoor Education. 14(1), 13-22.

Christie, B., Higgins, P. & McLaughlin, P. (2013) ¿Did you enjoy your holiday?¿ Can residential outdoor learning benefit mainstream schooling? Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning,

Gill, T. (2010) Nothing Ventured: Balancing Risks and Benefits in the Outdoors. English Outdoor Council

Hattie, J., Marsh, H. W., Neill, J. T., Richards, G. E. (1997) Adventure Education and Outward Bound: Out-of-Class Experiences That Make a Lasting Difference. Review of Educational Research, Vol. 67, No. 1 (Spring, 1997), pp. 43-87

Leberman, S. & Martin, A. (2003) Does pushing comfort zones produce peak learning experiences? Australian Journal of Outdoor Education 7(1). http://www.freepatentsonline.com/article/Australian-Journal-Outdoor-Education/148768176.html

Loynes, C. (2002) The generative paradigm. The Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. 2(2), 113-125.

Loynes, C. (2005) The Maturation of the Field, Pathways, 2005.

Loynes, C (2007) Social Reform, Militarism and other historical influences on the practice of Outdoor Education in youth work; in Becker, P. Braun, K.H. and Schirp, J. Erlebnisse und die Padagokik. Abenteuer.

Margo, J. & Sodha, S. (2007) Get happy: children and young people¿s emotional wellbeing. National Children¿s Charity: London

McCulloch, K., McLaughlin, P., Allison, P., Edwards, V. and Tett, L., (2010) ¿More than mere adventure: sail training as education¿. Oxford Review of Education, Vol. 36(6).

Nicol, R. (2002a). Outdoor education: Research topic or universal value? Part one. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. 2(1), 29-41.

Nicol, R. (2002b) Outdoor education: Research topic or universal value? Part two. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. 2(2), 85-99.

Nundy, S. (1999) The Fieldwork Effect: The Role and Impact of Fieldwork in the Upper Primary School. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education 8, (2)

Priest, S. & Gass, S. (1999). Six generations of facilitation skills. In J. Miles & Priest, S. (Eds), Adventure Programming (pp. 215-218). State College, PA: Venture.

Ritzer, G. (2004) The McDonalidization of Society. London: Sage.

Ringer, M. (1999) Two vital aspects in the facilitation of groups: connections and containment, Australian Journal of Outdoor Education 4(1).

Rose, J. and Paisley, K. (2012) White privilege in experiential education: A critical reflection. Leisure Sciences: An Interdisciplinary Journal. 34(2) 136-154.

Stonehouse, P. (2010) Virtue Ethics and Expeditions. Chapter 2 in Beames, S. (ed) Understanding Educational Expeditions Rotterdam: Sense.

Stonehouse, P., Allison, P. & Carr, D. (2009) Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates: Ancient Greek perspectives on experiential learning. In T. Smith & C. Knapp (Eds.) Beyond Dewey and Hahn: Standing on the shoulders of influential experiential Educators (pp.29-41). Wisconsin: Raccoon Institute Publications.

Umbers, Andrew - The green bubble: Narrative, time away in the bush & restoring personal agency after hard times, The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, (2), pp. 23-32. (This is freely available on the Evolve programme's webpage: http://www.evolve.org.au/pages/Papers-%26-Publications.html)

Westphal, R. (2010) Water and character - Reflections of an ¿outgrown¿ practitioner. In P. Becker & J. Schirp (Eds.), Conference proceedings ¿Water - Space for Experiences: Youth and Outdoor Education in Europe¿. In partnership with the European Institute for Outdoor Adventure Education and Experiential Learning (EOE) and bsj Marburg/Germany 23th- 26th September 2009 Zerum, Ueckermünde, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.

Willis, A. (2011) - Re-storying wilderness and adventure therapies: healing places and selves in an era of environmental crises, Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 11(2), 91-108.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
Additional Class Delivery Information The course is delivered in a block of 5 consecutive days with a mixture of lecture presentations, seminar style discussions, and workshops.
Keywordspersonal and social development,critical perspectives,outdoor education
Contacts
Course organiserMs Jule Hildmann
Tel: (0131 6)51 6031
Email: Jule.Hildmann@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Susan Scott
Tel: (0131 6)51 6573
Email: Susan.Scott@ed.ac.uk
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