Subject description

Outdoor Education is a 20-credit subject at Stage 2.

Through experiential learning and the study of three focus areas — conservation and sustainability; human connections with nature; and personal and social growth and development — students develop skills, knowledge, and understanding of safe and sustainable outdoor experiences in the key areas of preparation and planning, managing risk, leadership and decision-making, and self-reliance skills.

Through the study of, for example, Indigenous, Western, scientific, economic, recreational, and aesthetic perspectives of natural areas, students develop an understanding of the relationships between human actions and decisions, and ecosystems. They critically analyse these relationships to develop positive strategies to contribute to conservation and sustainability of natural environments.

Students engage in direct and personal experiences in a variety of natural environments to reflect on their study of natural areas and their potential to promote personal development, group development, health and well-being, environmental learning, sustainable living, and social justice.

The study of Stage 2 Outdoor Education provides students with opportunities to experience personal growth and to develop social skills, self-confidence, initiative, selfreliance, leadership, and collaborative skills. They evaluate and reflect on their own learning progression, including their practical outdoor skills development and their collaborative and leadership skills, as well as their relationship with and connection to nature. Students use reflective practice and processes to implement improvement strategies in building their skills and connections.

The development of their relationship with natural environments impacts positively on students’ health and well-being, and fosters a lifelong connection with nature and a commitment to responsible activity when interacting with natural environments.

In the context of this subject, the term ‘natural environment’ refers to an ecological unit that encompasses living and non-living things occurring naturally, with minimal influence from humans. It is recognised that the natural environments where learning is intended to take place in this subject will have varying degrees of naturalness. The term ‘natural environment’ is also used to contrast with urban or built environments that may include green spaces or coastal areas.