Abstract
Outdoor adventure education courses are used in higher education to develop transferable skills such as groupwork and problem-solving skills. There is a need for exploratory investigation into students’ perceptions of this experience. This study aimed to develop an innovative qualitative data collection method, and to use it to explore students’ perceived learning processes and developmental outcomes when taking part in an outdoor groupwork skills course. Participants (n = 40) were undergraduate engineering students who were taking part in the 3 day residential course as part of their degree course. Students’ experiences were captured whilst immersed in the course, using a semi-structured video diary room. Participants entered the diary room at different time points throughout the course and responded to openended questions. Following a thematic analysis, students were found to arrive on the course with mixed feelings towards groupwork and expected learning outcomes. Activities were enjoyable yet challenging, revealing students’ weaknesses and demanding a range of skills and coping methods. The outdoor environment added novelty, risk and natural consequences. Students reported developing a range of skills in groupwork, adaptability, persistence, planning, problem-solving, time-management, communication, leadership, cooperation, group reflection and team spirit, as well as benefits to physical activity, self-confidence, self-awareness, peer and staff relationships and internationalisation. These findings provide a base for future investigation into the long-term impact on student development and skill transfer. The semi-structured video diary room yielded rich data, contributing to the literature by offering a simple, yet effective, qualitative research method that can be implemented in a variety of contexts.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
In one activity, students were required to carry containers of water across an obstacle course without spilling.
References
Adams, L. (2012). Learning a new skill is easier said than done. Retrieved November 13, 2012, from http://www.gordontraining.com/free-workplace-articles/learning-a-new-skill-is-easier-said-than-done/.
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211.
Athiyaman, A. (2001). Graduates’ perception about business education: An exploratory research. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 25, 5–19. doi:10.1080/03098770020030461.
Bennett, R. (2002). Employers’ demands for personal transferable skills in graduates: A content analysis of 1,000 job advertisements and an associated empirical study. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 54, 457–476.
Branine, M. (2008). Graduate recruitment and selection in the UK: A study of the recent changes in methods and expectations. Career Development International, 13, 497–513.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77–101.
Breunig, M. C., Connell, T. S. O., & Young, A. (2010). The impact of outdoor pursuits on college students’ perceived sense of community. Journal of Leisure Research, 42, 551–572.
Broderick, A., & Pearce, G. (2001). Indoor adventure training: A dramaturgical approach to management development. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 14, 239–252.
Buchwald, D., Schantz-Larsen, B., & Delmar, C. (2009). Video diary data collection in research with children: An alternative method. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 8, 12–20.
Buller, P. F., & McEvoy, G. M. (1990). A model for developing student skills and assessing MBA program outcomes through outdoor training. Developments in Business Simulation & Experiential Exercises, 17, 25–28.
Buller, P. F., McEvoy, G. M., & Cragun, J. R. (1995). A model for developing student skills and assessing MBA program outcomes through outdoor training. Journal of Management Education, 19, 35–53.
CBI. (2009). Future fit: Preparing graduates for the world of work. London: Investor In People.
CBI. (2011). Working towards your future: Making the most of your time in higher education. London: Investor In People.
Cliff Productions Ltd. (2012). Video diary room. Retrieved July 20, 2012, from http://www.cliffproductions.co.uk/wp/airspace/.
D’Amato, L. G., & Krasny, M. E. (2011). Outdoor adventure education: Applying transformative learning theory to understanding instrumental learning and personal growth in environmental education. The Journal of Environmental Education, 42, 237–254.
Elkin, G. (1990). Executive challenge: Using the outdoors to develop the personal action skills of MBA students. In J. Bigelow (Ed.), Managerial skills: Explorations in practical knowledge. Newbury Park: Sage.
Ewert, A. W., & McAvoy, L. (2000). The effects of wilderness settings on organized groups: A state-of-knowledge paper. In USDA Forest Service Proceedings (pp. 13–26). Ogden, UT.
Ewert, A. W., & Yoshino, A. (2011). The influence of short-term adventure-based experiences on levels of resilience. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 11, 35–50. doi:10.1080/14729679.2010.532986.
Flower, J. (1999). In the mush. Physician Executive, 25, 64–66.
Gass, M. A., Garvey, D. E., & Sugerman, D. A. (2003). The long-term effects of a first-year student wilderness orientation program. Journal of Experiential Education, 26, 34–40.
Gillis, L. H., & Speelman, E. (2008). Are challenge (Ropes) courses an effective tool? A meta-analysis. Journal of Experiential Education, 31, 111–135.
Hastie, P., & Glotova, O. (2012). Analysing qualitative data. In K. Armour & D. Macdonald (Eds.), Research methods in physical education and youth sport (pp. 309–320). London: Routledge.
Hastie, P., & Hay, P. (2012). Qualitative approaches. In K. Armour & D. Macdonald (Eds.), Research methods in physical education and youth sport (pp. 79–105). London: Routledge.
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, 67, 43–87.
Howitt, D. (2010). Qualitative methods in psychology. Essex: Pearson Education.
Kass, D., & Grandzol, C. (2011). Learning to lead at 5267 feet an empirical study of outdoor management training. Journal of Leadership Education, 10, 41–62.
Mazany, P., Francis, S., & Sumich, P. (1997). Evaluating the effectiveness of an outdoor workshop for team building in an MBA programme. Management, 3, 97–115.
McKenzie, M. D. (2003). Beyond the outward bound process: Rethinking student learning. The Journal of Experiential Education, 26, 8–23.
Mezirow, J. (2000). Learning as transformation (pp. 3–33). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
NHS North West. (2010). Video diary room project: Promote the development of mechanisms which ensure that user and carer experience drives service improvements. UK: National Health Service.
Noyes, A. (2004). Video diary: A method for exploring learning dispositions. Cambridge Journal of Education, 34, 193–209. doi:10.1080/03057640410001700561.
O’Sullivan, E. (2002). The project and vision of transformative education: Integral transformative learning. In M. A. O’Sullivan, E. A. Morell, & O. Connor (Eds.), Expanding the boundaries of transformative learning (pp. 1–12). New York: Palgrave.
Patton, M. Q. (2003). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.). London: Sage.
Poole, N. (2007). Using “Big Brother”—Diary room to engage students in their HE experience. In AISHE Conference 2007.
Prichard, J. S., Bizo, L. A., & Stratford, R. J. (2006). The educational impact of team-skills training: Preparing students to work in groups. The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 119–140. doi:10.1348/000709904X24564.
Priest, S., & Gass, M. A. (2005). Effective leadership in adventure programming (2nd ed.). Champaign: Human Kinetics.
Punch, S. (2002). Research with children: The same or different from research with adults? Childhood, 9, 321–341. doi:10.1177/0907568202009003005.
Roberts, Y. (2009). Grit: The skills for success and how they are grown. London: The Yound Foundation.
Shivers-Blackwell, S. L. (2004). Reactions to outdoor team building initiatives in MBA education. Journal of Management Development, 23, 614–630.
Sibthorp, J. (2003). Learning transferable skills through adventure education: The role of an authentic process. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 3, 145–157.
Smith, J. A. (2009). Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods (2nd ed.). London: Sage.
Steiner, S., Arthur, A., & Beech, N. (2008). Embedding teamworking and teamskills into an engineering degree programme—various models. In Innovation, Good Practice and Research in Engineering Education (pp. 79–86). From http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/subjects/engineering/EE2008/p079-steiner.pdf
Stevens, M. J., & Campion, M. A. (1994). The knowledge, skill, and ability requirements for teamwork—Implications for human-resource management. Journal of Management, 20, 503–530.
Tanur, J. M. (1994). Questions about questions: Inquiries into the cognitive bases of surveys. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Wagner, R. J., Baldwin, T. T., & Roland, C. C. (1991). Outdoor training: Revolution or fad? Training and Development Journal, 45, 50–57.
Williams, S. D., Graham, T. S., & Baker, B. (2003). Evaluating outdoor experiential training for leadership and team building. Journal of Management Development, 22, 45–59.
Acknowledgments
This project received funding from the Higher Education Academy, University Birmingham Sport (UBS) and the College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham. Although the outdoor education centre is funded by UBS, the research was designed, conducted, analysed and written by independent staff; the other funding sources had no direct involvement in the research or preparation of this article. The authors would like to thank manager Norman Beech and his team at the Raymond Priestley Centre for their cooperation, along with Liam Deery and Tonia Horgan for their assistance with data collection.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cooley, S.J., Holland, M.J.G., Cumming, J. et al. Introducing the use of a semi-structured video diary room to investigate students’ learning experiences during an outdoor adventure education groupwork skills course. High Educ 67, 105–121 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-013-9645-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-013-9645-5