Outdoor Leadership: Theory and Practice

Outdoor Leadership, Second Edition, is the definitive text for developing student leadership in outdoor and adventure settings throughout the world. Crafted by an author team internationally recognized for their research, teaching, and experience in outdoor and adventure leadership, this new edition provides students with the foundational knowledge they need to develop as competent professionals in the field.

Grounded in Eight Core Competencies

Through Outdoor Leadership, Second Edition, students are introduced to eight core competencies that the authors consider essential to outdoor leadership:

1. Foundational knowledge

2. Self-awareness and professional conduct

3. Decision making and judgment

4. Teaching and facilitation

5. Environmental stewardship

6. Program management

7. Safety and risk management

8. Technical ability

This unique approach to outdoor and adventure leadership will help students meet current professional standards in the field as they prepare for careers in education and recreation. The students move step by step through the materials and assignments, gaining and demonstrating leadership competencies, which they will document through a portfolio of their course experiences. The development of these portfolios is a highly practical and valuable takeaway for students looking to get a leg up as they ready themselves for their careers.

New to the Text

This latest edition of Outdoor Leadership offers new features, material, and resources, including:

- The expertise and perspectives of new author Marni Goldenberg

- A new chapter on program assessment

- A new chapter on developing cultural and social justice competencies as an outdoor leader

- A redistribution of the content on values and ethics (formerly a single chapter) across multiple chapters

- An increased emphasis on international perspectives

- A stronger focus on outdoor leadership in the area of ecotourism

- Revisions to address critical issues in the evolving field of outdoor and adventure leadership

- New ancillaries, including an instructor guide (which includes learning and portfolio activities for each chapter, as well as other new learning experiences), a test package, and a presentation package

Emphasizing Both Theory and Practice

While primarily directed at novice outdoor leaders, Outdoor Leadership, Second Edition, is useful for more experienced outdoor leaders as well, including administrative and supervisory personnel in outdoor leadership organizations. The authors have created a balance between theory and practice as they explore the eight core competencies by doing the following:

- Introducing students to a wide variety of theories and concepts integral to outdoor leadership

- Using chapter-opening vignettes to illustrate the theories and concepts addressed in the chapter

- Acquainting readers with numerous organizations and agencies in which outdoor leaders work

- Offering a series of learning activities and professional development exercises to transform the theoretical into the practical

Preparing Students for Successful Careers

The result is a highly useful resource that grounds students in the theories, concepts, and competencies that they need in order to be successful leaders in outdoor and adventure settings. This competency-based approach will help aspiring outdoor leaders plan safe, enjoyable, and ecologically responsible expeditions; acquire and showcase their leadership abilities, culminating in a professional portfolio; and develop the knowledge and expertise they need to be effective leaders.

Bruce Martin, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Recreation & Sport Pedagogy at Ohio University in Athens, OH. He has been in higher education since 1998, and he has significant and varied experience as an outdoor leader and instructor. He has worked as a camp counselor, professional river guide, and Outward Bound instructor. He holds certifications through the American Canoe Association as a whitewater kayak instructor trainer and open-water coastal kayak instructor. He is a Leave No Trace Master Educator and is currently certified through the Wilderness Medical Associates as a Wilderness First Responder. Martin has been associated with and served in varying capacities for professional organizations such as the Association for Experiential Education, the Wilderness Education Association, the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, the American Canoe Association, and the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education. His current teaching and research interests are focused on the practice of outdoor leadership and adventure programming. At Ohio University, he regularly teaches both theoretically oriented and practically based courses related to outdoor leadership, adventure programming, and experiential education. Martin is also author of numerous publications related to outdoor leadership and adventure programming.

Mary Breunig, PhD, has been involved in outdoor and experiential education, with a focus on social and environmental justice, for more than 20 years. She is an associate professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies and graduate program director of the Social Justice and Equity Studies program at Brock University, Canada. Mary is a research consultant, a past president of the Association for Experiential Education, a former Outward Bound instructor, and a National Outdoor Leadership School instructor. She is both an outdoor enthusiast and an urban flaneur.

Mark Wagstaff, EdD, is a professor of recreation, parks, and tourism at Radford University in Radford, Virginia. He has taught outdoor leadership and adventure education in a university setting for 20 years and has led extended expeditions to develop outdoor leaders for more than 30 years. He has been an instructor for Outward Bound and the Wilderness Education Association (WEA). Wagstaff has worked in the challenge course industry for many years and is also a Leave No Trace master educator. Wagstaff has authored books, chapters, and journal articles on outdoor-related topics. He is cofounder of the Virginia Adventure Education Conference and is a member of several outdoor organizations, including Leave No Trace, WEA, and the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education.

Marni Goldenberg, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Experience Industry Management at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She teaches courses in recreation, parks, and tourism administration with a focus on outdoor and adventure leadership. She has instructed courses for the Wilderness Education Association (WEA) and North Carolina Outward Bound School, and she has worked as a ropes course facilitator for more than 25 years. Her research focuses on outcomes and benefits associated with participating in recreation and outdoor experiences. She has received several awards for her teaching, research, and service at California Polytechnic and has several publications and presentations on various outdoor and adventure topics.