Behavior and Group Management in Outdoor Adventure Education: Theory, Research and Practice

Outdoor adventure activities are becoming an increasingly popular part of physical education programs. The physical risks of these activities are often foremost in the minds of both instructors and participants, yet it is managing group behavior which can prove to be the most difficult. This is the first book for students and practitioners to address this essential aspect of outdoor adventure education (OAE).

Outlining key evidence-based training practices, this book explains how to interact with groups ranging from adolescents to military veterans within a variety of outdoor adventure education contexts. It provides practical advice on how to promote positive behavior, while also offering guidance on how to mitigate negative behavior and manage a variety of challenging behavioral issues. With ten chapters full of real world examples from rock climbing to wilderness trekking, it provides a comprehensive guide to understanding the complexities of behavioral group management (BGM) in theory and practice.

This book is vital reading for students training to be outdoor physical education instructors and for practitioners looking to enhance their group management skills.

Alan Ewert is a Professor in Outdoor Leadership at Indiana University, USA. He has also served in the position of Branch Chief of Recreation, Wilderness, and Urban Forestry Research for the USDA Forest Service. In that position, he was involved in helping initiate the development of a social science and human well-being program in the Forest Service. He has published numerous articles on the relationship between natural settings and human health in addition to a number of books on adventure education

Curt Davidson recently received his PhD from Indiana University, USA, and studies the intersections of cognitive health, outdoor adventure, and social support. He has taught several courses at Indiana University, including graduate level Behavior Management and Adventure Education Facilitation. In addition, he has held positions as an outdoor instructor with over 12 programs including Outward Bound and Summit Adventure. His expertise in facilitation has led him to conduct multiple workshops for a variety of programs