ACES : connecting youth to the environment through outdoor education
Subject
Outdoor education; Nature--Psychological aspects; Environmental education; Yukon; Interviews (Research methodology)Abstract
ACES is an integrated curriculum program that has been a part of the Yukon
public education system since 1989. This study explores the impacts of this place-based
outdoor education program on the participants‟ relationships with the environment.
Interview and observation data were collected from 15 participants during a 13 day canoe
trip on the Yukon River, which was the culmination of their semester long course. There
were nine significant themes that emerged from the data that provide insight into the
successes of the program and the impact it has on the students. The findings support the
importance of outdoor education as a means for connecting young people with nature and
as a catalyst for change and growth. They demonstrate the central role the teacher has in
the success of the program and how the Yukon-centric focus promotes a connection with
the local landscape resulting in concern for local environmental issues.
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