Outdoor Education Group
Encyclopedia
The Outdoor Education Group is a non-profit, independent educational organisation which is one of the largest providers of outdoor education
programs for school students in Australia
.
The Outdoor Education Group, founded in 1994, provides journey-based
adventure programs ranging from 2 to 33 days mainly to private schools in Victoria
and New South Wales
.
The main goals of the Outdoor Education Group are to enhance personal development
, community
, and appreciation of the natural world
in young people
by partnering with existing educational institutions. Depending on partnering school's specific missions, the Outdoor Education Group also seeks to develop students' academic, spiritual
, artistic, and sporting
domains.
Outdoor education
Outdoor education usually refers to organized learning that takes place in the outdoors. Outdoor education programs sometimes involve residential or journey-based experiences in which students participate in a variety of adventurous challenges in the form of outdoor activities such as hiking,...
programs for school students in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The Outdoor Education Group, founded in 1994, provides journey-based
Quest
In mythology and literature, a quest, a journey towards a goal, serves as a plot device and as a symbol. Quests appear in the folklore of every nation and also figure prominently in non-national cultures. In literature, the objects of quests require great exertion on the part of the hero, and...
adventure programs ranging from 2 to 33 days mainly to private schools in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
The main goals of the Outdoor Education Group are to enhance personal development
Personal development
Personal development includes activities that improve awareness and identity, develop talents and potential, build human capital and facilitates employability, enhance quality of life and contribute to the realization of dreams and aspirations...
, community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
, and appreciation of the natural world
Natural World
Natural World is the longest-running nature documentary series on British television. 2008 marked the series' 25th anniversary under its present title, though its origins can be traced back to its predecessor The World About Us which began over 40 years ago...
in young people
Youth
Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
by partnering with existing educational institutions. Depending on partnering school's specific missions, the Outdoor Education Group also seeks to develop students' academic, spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
, artistic, and sporting
Sporting
Sporting may refer to:*Sport, recreational games and play.It may also refer to a sporting club:*Sporting Clube de Portugal, a sports club from Lisbon, Portugal.*Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut, a sports club from Beirut, Lebanon.*A.O...
domains.
Philosophy
OEG program philosophy is guided by a belief that the following aspects ensure effective outdoor education http://www.oeg.net.au/Aboutus/philosophy.html:- A semi wilderness environment.
- Isolation from as many/all forms of technology and human impact/development.
- The presence of a course facilitator, and a structured curriculum.
- Small groups of learners (eg l6-18 or less)
- Continual contact with the learning medium.
- Appropriate level and forms of challenge (physical, emotional, spiritual)
- Transfer of learning to and from the course.