Education Beyond Traditional Classroom Walls:
Voices from the Valley

Twila Wilson, Nancy Morrell and Nick Forsberg

The principals of two urban elementary schools collaborated with a university researcher in studying the effects of residential outdoor education experiences on students, teachers, student teachers and the curriculum. Their research project took the form of an ethnographic study of a three-day winter residential experience in the Qu'Appelle Valley undertaken by Grade 7 and 8 students from the two schools.

Underlying the project was the assumption that going beyond the traditional classroom walls is critically important for all involved in education. Today's teachers are expected to integrate curricula and challenge their students to experience the interrelationships that exist in learning. Out-of-door learning opportunities encourage this integration and provide the increasingly important experience of interrelationships.

This collaborative research project also bridged inservice and preservice teacher education. Part of the residential outdoor education experience was the involvement of second-year education students from the Faculty of Education at the University of Regina, who were currently enrolled in a winter Outdoor Education course. These preservice teachers acted as Outdoor Education "experts" and, in conjunction with the course instructor, worked collaboratively with the school teachers and students in the design, implementation and evaluation of the three-day experience.

The study was an attempt to understand the lived experiences of students, teachers, and education students involved in winter residential experiences. Consequently, the research was exploratory and inductive, emphasizing process as opposed to ends and had no predetermined hypotheses. The framework for the study emerged from the qualitative paradigm. More specifically, qualitative case study was the research methodology employed for this project.

Data were collected using a combination of techniques that included: Pre-Trip and Post-Trip Questionnaires, Journals, Semi-structured Interviews, and Document Analysis. Through these methods, a wealth of data were provided to unearth and interpret the meaning of lived experiences.

Through an intensive analysis of the data, themes emerged in relationship to each of the three groups participating in the winter residential experience. These themes acted as cornerstones in describing the lived experiences. The researchers began to story and re-story an interpretive synthesis for each of the three groups. The interpretive synthesis for each group has been shared in what the study refers to as the curriculum-as-lived. In effect, the individual stories for each group narrate how winter residential outdoor education is experienced by students, teachers, and student teachers, and their storied voices speak to the curriculum-as-planned. In capturing the essence of the lived experience of students, teachers and student teachers participating in the three-day experience, the vignettes given below inform both the theory and practice of outdoor education.

1. Students' Lived Experience

• The winter residential experience provided students with the opportunity to not only learn about cooperation but, more important, to practice cooperation. From the group experience of Pre-Trip preparation to functioning effectively as a group during various activities associated with the three-day trip, students were able to see the results and benefits of working together. It was recognized that the transference of these skills and attitudes back to their everyday life would be a challenge for the students, but it was one that students believed could eventually happen.
• The winter residential experience also provided students with a chance to "get to know others who are not already good friends" as well as "seeing other 'sides' of people." The opportunity to view teachers and parents as "friends on a different level" was a highlight of the trip.
• The experience encouraged students to take risks that in the end illuminated the "hidden abilities" of individuals as well as their "potential" in various areas. Students believed this revelation was very worthwhile.
• On another level, students found that taking on responsibilities for planning and implementing the winter residential experience, as well as following up on the trip in the classroom, was important to them. It demonstrated "ownership" and "work ethic", as well as providing a visible area in which teachers could see students assuming responsibility.

2. Teachers' Lived Experience

• Like the students, teachers also highlighted cooperation, social growth and the work ethic as characteristics that were evident through the winter residential experience. The teachers saw students who were often followers in the classroom emerge as leaders in this unique environment.
• The areas of organization and workload were other aspects of the experience that spoke loudly for teachers. Planning, implementing and providing a follow-up to these unique out-of-door experiences was "a tremendous amount of work but definitely worth it." There was also a "feeling of accomplishment" when it was all completed. However, the teachers recognized that individuals who do not possess a great deal of energy or expertise, and do not have the support of the outdoor education "experts" (student teachers), might be reluctant to take students out on ventures of this nature.

3. Student Teachers' Lived Experience

• For student teachers, winter residential experiences nurture the process of metamorphosis into a teacher. They saw their role now as "being" a teacher, and they came to understand teaching as being normative, founded on an ethic of caring.
• Furthermore, student teachers struggled with the distinction between personal and professional development. For these student teachers, development of both kinds was interrelated and more of a "grey area."
• Their unique experiences on the trip provided the student teachers with an opportunity to learn about "student culture" and gave them insights into really coming to "know kids."
• Residential Outdoor Education provided student teachers with the chance to teach curriculum content in an interdisciplinary fashion and helped them identify connections within the curriculum.
• Finally, the winter residential experience provided student teachers with the opportunity to problematise the theory into practice approach so commonly found in teacher education. These students had lived theory through practice and so through practice came to understand theory.

Above: Participants at the 1996 Learning from Practice Seminar learn about residential outdoor education.