Wilderness Risk Management (original) (raw)
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Pathways the Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 2007
A study of outdoor adventure risk management education was conducted in the fall of 2003 following the devastating avalanche season of winter 2002-2003, which took close to 50 lives in North America. The study was guided by the desire to better understand effective risk management training of outdoor adventure leaders in postsecondary institutions. Interviews with six industry-recognized outdoor adventure experts were conducted, yielding guidelines for postsecondary curriculum design. Although specifically addressing risk management curriculum, the resulting Principles of Curriculum Design are deemed applicable to other facets of outdoor adventure education. It was not the intent of this study to identify or articulate specific curricular content, but rather to highlight the means by which postsecondary programs can most effectively prepare future outdoor adventure leaders to assess and manage risk professionals. This research note provides a brief synopsis of the study and its findings, while full results have been published in the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning .
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Adventure, risk and challenge are often used to develop participants personal and leadership qualities during an outdoor education program. The exposure of participants to adventure, risk and challenge may also put them into contact with hazards that may cause negative program outcomes or result in participant or leader injury. Stress, injury and serious harm are all outcomes of an outdoor education program that has not been planned and conducted safely. Program hazards may be a result of an oversight in the program planning process or a failure to identify appropriate strategies to reduce the likelihood of, or manage incidents during the conduct of the outdoor education program. To minimise program hazards and risk of injury, outdoor educators need to be able to identify, reduce and control hazards. In most instances a practical step-by-step process for identifying potential program hazards and for documenting appropriate risk reduction and risk management strategies will assist ou...
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The role of risk perception in a one-day wilderness whitewater rafting trip
Proceedings of the 2005 Northeastern …, 2005
The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of motivations to participate in a wilderness whitewater rafting trip. Particularly this study examined the importance of perceived risk as a motivator for participation and the change in risk perceptions between different sections of river and from pre to post trip assessments. The study was conducted with a sample of individuals participating in a rafting trip through Section III (n=98) and Section IV (n=104) of the Chattooga River, a Wild and Scenic River on the Georgia-South Carolina border. Descriptive statistics revealed that "interacting with family and friends" and "enjoyment of nature/pleasure" were the most important motivations for participation in a rafting trip. T-test analyses showed that perceptions of the amount of risk involved in the rafting trip decreased significantly from pre to post measurements in both river sections (p<.05). Furthermore, perceptions of the amount of risk involved in the rafting trip was significantly higher for Section IV participants than for Section III participants (p<.05). Lastly Section IV participants were significantly more motivated by "allure of danger/risk/challenge" than their Section III counterparts (p<.05). The two groups did not differ with respect to the motivational factors of "interacting with family and friends" and "wilderness experience" (p>.05). Theoretical and managerial implications of these results are discussed.
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Outdoor and Risk Educational Practices
This paper examines the definition of outdoor adventure education, which is education occurring in the outdoors. It focuses on the curriculum, programs, and leadership issues as they effect change in knowledge, attitude, behavior, and skills. Parameters in the field are defined, such as the ethics of care, program design, and goals and objectives of a program. Additionally, evaluation areas, gaps in research and future research are addressed. Outdoor adventure education is a growing field that will continue to grow and develop in the future. Suggestions for practices in the field are identified specifically as they relate to what has worked in the past and what the future may hold. More people are participating in outdoor education each year and these numbers will continue to grow over time making quality outdoor adventure education increasingly important.