How does outdoor education develop character and spirituality in an all-boys school?

Abstract

This dissertation will investigate the role outdoor education plays to develop character and spirituality in an all-boys school. Many independent all-boys’ schools in Australia use outdoor education as a mechanism to develop character as part of a holistic curriculum. Outdoor education is far from a series of disjointed activities completed in an outdoor environment, it has the opportunity to integrate and develop character and spirituality in adolescents. This study asks, how does outdoor education develop character and spirituality in an all-boys school? Adopting the neo-Aristotelian theoretical framework of character education, developed by the Jubilee Centre, the dissertation investigates the application of character and spirituality in an outdoor education program at an all-boys school (n=1100) in Adelaide, established in 1867.This dissertation highlights and critiques the frameworks for character, spirituality and outdoor education from the literature, analyses how character and spirituality may be integrated within an outdoor education program and evaluates the opportunities to integrate character and spirituality in an all-boys school. A systematic literature review and document analysis was undertaken. Documents analysed included the Research School’s outdoor educational programs from years 3 to 9. The results of the analysis highlight how outdoor educational experiences are out of balance within the development of different character virtues, as they are dominated by the performance virtues, whilst overlooking the intellectual, moral and civic virtues. Following the analysis, the dissertation provides for three recommendations. Firstly, a comprehensive audit of all the activities in the outdoor education programs, to identify the character and spirituality developments. Secondly, further debate with senior leadership regarding the more comprehensive integration between school values, culture and outdoor education. Finally, an ongoing recommendation of staff development and learning to ensure the alignment of these theories within teaching practices.