Journal of Experiential Education

Sometimes environmental philosophers write only for other environmental philosophers, and their insights on the nature–human relationship do not reach environmental educators and adventure programmers. This article investigates one aspect of environmental philosophy and the differences between anthropocentric and ecocentric thinking, and applies it to the outdoor recreation and environmental education fields. Even some philosophers themselves believe that the anthropocentric/ecocentric debate is a theoretical discussion with few practical implications, but there are several reasons that outdoor recreation professionals and environmental educators might consider anthropocentric and ecocentric distinctions in their work. They include an appreciation of motivations behind environmental action and the practical value of discussing philosophical differences.

This article introduces ways in which movement can enhance one’s understanding of how to learn using Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) concepts of the Learning Cycle, Learning Styles, and Learning Flexibility. The theoretical correspondence between the dialectic dimensions of the Learning Cycle and the dimensions of the Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) framework create a hypothesized integrated typology of learning and movement styles that expand the description of Learning Style to include the movement affinities. These suggested relationships are facilitated by the existing theories and grounded by movement observations and interviews of more than 200 adult learners. From the theoretical relationships and observations, the authors propose descriptions of the movement affinities for each of the nine styles in the Kolb Learning Styles Inventory 4.0 (KLSI 4.0) and suggest that increasing one’s movement flexibility, or the ability to move using a full range Effort and motion through space, provides a catalyst for learning and promotes Learning Flexibility. These hypothesized relationships will form the basis for future empirical research.

Adopted children are disproportionately represented in residential treatment programs in the United States. Adopted children in the United States constitute only 2% to 3% of the U.S population. Nevertheless, they comprise approximately 16.5% of the population in residential care. This descriptive study evaluated a sample of 473 psychological evaluations of adolescents in wilderness and residential treatment centers. Results indicated that, compared with nonadopted youth, adopted youth had greater histories of recent trauma, higher rates of suicidal tendency and biological parents’ mental illness, and poorer academic achievement. However, there were no significant differences between adopted and nonadopted youths in terms of defiant behaviors, IQ, substance use/abuse, reasons for referral, impulsivity, anxiety, or depression. Study results suggest that wilderness and residential programs may need to target programmatic elements specifically to meet the special needs of adopted adolescents who comprise a significant percentage of their client population.

Service learning remains a topic of interest in higher education. It has become more prevalent in teacher preparation programs with the intent of providing the opportunity for pre-service teachers to become engaged with individuals who have different life experiences than their own. Lessons can be learned through a review of the literature and the examination of existing models of service learning, including an honest discussion of the advantages and potential barriers for all stakeholders.

The author presents keys to designing a class that successfully melds service learning and student leadership development. These prescriptions are based on the lessons learned over 8 years of teaching a class titled “Community Leadership.” This class emphasizes experiential learning and revolves around service learning projects. The article begins by describing the theoretical foundations that informed the decision making during the ongoing development of this class. Next, the planning process that occurred prior to the initial offering of the course is discussed. Feedback from researching other leadership programs, conversations with local community leaders at the outset, and feedback elicited from project liaisons and student participants in subsequent years highlighted the biggest challenges associated with facilitating student leadership development in a service learning context, informed ongoing course adjustments, and shaped the evolution of the class. The connections between the multi-source feedback, class refinements, and suggested keys to success are reviewed.

For 30 years, management educators have supported competency-based management education (CBME). When applying CBME, educators stimulate students’ lateral development, known as the acquisition of subject-specific knowledge and competencies that deepen their current perceptions and task performance. We contend CBME is necessary but not sufficient to develop future leaders in an increasingly complex world. Concurrently, educators must design curricula to stimulate students’ vertical development, described as “how we learn to see the world through new eyes, how we change our interpretations of experience and how we transform our views of reality.” This study examines the impact of an 8-month internship course on students’ lateral and vertical development. The findings support our contention that experiential learning (EL) curricula developed with both lateral and vertical development components are powerful aids in preparing students to address complex work-related challenges.