The purpose of this study was to survey the efficacy of integrated classes that include outdoor education, newly introduced into the high school curriculum.
The study involves the 275 students who entered“C High School”in 2001, concerning the educationalprograms, included the so-called Project Adventure (PA) and Project Learning Tree (PLT), were introduced intoschool event, in cooperation with outside instructors, over the past 2 years.The survey results were processedstatistically by simple total analysis, unitary variance analysis, and cross analysis.
The following summaries demonstrate the efficacy of outdoor educational programs.
1. Outdoor educational programs are more effective than annual various school events, which are treated asparameters, by lessening tensions and improving relations among the students.
2. According to the class surveys of the past two years, outdoor educational programs help improve relationsand mutual trust among the students.
3. The 2609 free description answers on each program are classified according to category by using the KJ brainstorm method of 7 students for 36 hours.The student'remarks on outdoor educational programs are classifiedinto 7 categories that consist of“nature”, “environment”, . “exchange”, “program”, “instructor”, “participation'sposture”, and“attitude toward group”, and what's more, these categories are classified into 117 items.
4. The above remarks classified into 7 categories make it clear that the effect of each activity has its owncharacteristic. PA and outdoor pursuits, which are adventure programs, greatly promote student relationships.Night programs bring them experiences that they unavailable in their ordinary daily life. PLT and sharing natureprograms, which is a natural environment program, enables them to develop affinities to nature, by teaching them what nature is, and stimulating their sensibility for nature.