Abstract
Caring is an action oriented value that can provide a way forward beyond the dualism prevalent between the concepts of individual and community. This investigation focused on school students’ understandings of and experiences of caring. It comprised a comparison of Year Nine students’ perceptions of outdoor education and their other classes at an Australian secondary school with respect to their experiences of caring. In order to achieve this it was first necessary to determine a student derived understanding of the meaning of caring, a very broad term. A survey instrument was constructed following analysis of the interview data which enabled this comparison to be made. The results indicated that caring between students was more likely to be experienced in the outdoor education context than in the school classroom context.
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He previously taught outdoor education in schools for over ten years. He can be contacted on
He has particular research interest in affective behaviour in natural/wilderness environments. He can be contacted on
He has been involved, over the past ten years, in research on the relationships between people and the natural environment. He can be contacted on 03 9870 6107.
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Quay, J., Dickinson, S. & Nettleton, B. Students Caring For Each Other: Outdoor Education and Learning Through Peer Relationships. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education 7, 45–53 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03400768
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03400768