Outdoor Professionals Research Articles

An applied cognitive task analysis investigation of professional judgement and decision-making in a small group of high-level, UK-based caving instructors

ABSTRACT The professional judgement and decision-making processes of adventure sports coaches’ leadership practice is a growing area of research. However, the PJDM and underpinning epistemology of caving instructors has recived limited research focus. The decision-making practice of professionals working in complex and constrained environments has significant transferability to domains such as rescue and emergency services. Consequently, this paper investigates the leadership practice of a purposive sample of 3 UK based caving instructors, utilising an Applied Cognitive Task Analysis to access expert cognition. The study aimed specifically to examine the decision-making processes of this sub-group of outdoor professionals who work in difficult, multifaceted and demanding environments. Results supported and built upon previous work in adventure sports, specifically in confirming the complexity of judgement and decision-making underground. In particular, decision-making creates high cognitive loads because of environmental factors inherent in extended caving journeys. Loads are assuaged by the application of heuristics and planning, but naturalistic decision-making processes remain numerous and multifaceted. Findings have implications for National Governing Body instructor training programme design, with particular reference to the development of decision-making expertise in complex environments.

"When she goes out, she feels better:" co-designing a Green Activity Program with Hispanic/Latino people living with memory challenges and care partners.

Utilizing a participatory approach, we sought to co-design a 12-week Green Activity Program (GAP) with Hispanic/Latino individuals living with memory challenges and their care partners, local outdoor professionals, and healthcare providers. Participants were recruited via convenience and snowball sampling in the Bronx, New York with Hispanic/Latino persons living with memory challenges and care partners, outdoor activity professionals, and interdisciplinary healthcare providers/dementia experts. Co-design occurred iteratively with 5 focus groups and 4 individual interviews lasting 30-90 min and focused on program and research design. Sessions were recorded and transcribed. Utilizing directed content analysis data was coded using a priori codes program design and research design. 21 participants completed co-design activities: (n = 8 outdoor activity professionals, n = 6 Hispanic/Latino persons living with memory challenges and care partners, and n = 7 interdisciplinary healthcare providers/dementia experts). Participant preferences for program design were captured by subcodes session duration (30-90 min), frequency (4-8 sessions), and delivery modes (in-person and phone). Participants' preferred nature activities included group exercise and outdoor crafts [crocheting], outcomes of social participation, connectedness to nature, decreased loneliness, and stewardship were identified. Preferred language for recruiting and describing the program were "memory challenges," "Hispanic/Latino," and "wellbeing." Referral pathways were identified including community-based organizations and primary care. Co-design was a successful form of engagement for people living with memory challenges that enabled participants to help design key elements of the GAP and research design. Our processes, findings, and recommendations for tailoring co-design to engage Hispanic/Latino people living with memory challenges can inform the development of other programs for this population.

Tales of Two Malaysian Chinese Women – Becoming Outdoor Professionals and Paving New Ways in Australia

Summary Two Malaysian women had a dialogue about their respective experiences pursuing a career in the outdoors. Pei Ting Tham is entering her second decade as an outdoor educator, with nine of those years in Australia working with school groups, whereas Joanne Lee is primarily a rock climbing guide and instructor. Both women, with Chinese heritage, grew up in Malaysia but went through very different pathways to end up working and settling in Melbourne. Both women are now engaged in social justice and advocacy work in the outdoors in their respective ways. The conversation centres on their initial beginnings of engaging in the outdoors as women-of-colour, the trials and tribulations of their outdoor career and their work in advocating for diversity and inclusion in the outdoors. Information © CAB International 2024

‘Who am I?’: professional identity in mature outdoor professionals

ABSTRACT ‘Who we are’ is an existential question that permeates everyone’s lives, affecting how we see ourselves and how others see us. Through semi-structured interviews of 13 mature outdoor professionals, this research attempts to unpack the nature of their professional identity and understand how it emerges. Using a grounded theory methodology, the findings suggest that they construct their own unique identities that incorporate common characteristics of what they see an outdoor professional to be. Alongside this, we propose that outdoor professional identities emerge through a process of doing, watching, and belonging. This raises implications regarding the training and development of future outdoor professionals and how the drawing together of outdoor professional bodies may bring coherence to the sectors’ identity and promote future career prospects to aspiring outdoor professionals. Further research is suggested to test the scope and validity of the modes of doing, watching and belonging.

Evaluating diversity, equity, and inclusivity in outdoor programs for veterans on public lands

Outdoor programs operating on U.S. public lands introduce a range of activities, settings, and therapies for veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress, injuries, or disabilities. The extent to which these programs serve diverse veteran populations is not well understood in terms of race, ethnicity, age, gender, ability, or socioeconomic status. Since governmental agencies are increasingly required to foster diversity, equity, and inclusivity, this presents a knowledge gap with policy implications. We paired a thematic analysis of interviews with outdoor professionals with a content analysis of program websites. We found that promotional materials for outdoor veterans’ programs feature predominantly White, male, youthful clientele without visible disabilities, potentially making it difficult for others to see a place for themselves. Interviewees expressed concern about their ability to accommodate participants’ diverse identities and abilities. We discuss how program providers and public land managers can improve inclusivity and serve diverse populations of veterans.

Words are monuments: Patterns in US national park place names perpetuate settler colonial mythologies including white supremacy

Abstract Ecologists, outdoor professionals and the public work and play in lands with complex histories. Part of decolonizing our professional and recreational practices is to expose settler colonial biases and recognize the histories of colonized lands and the peoples who have stewarded these lands for millennia prior to colonization. To provide a quantitative example of settler colonial biases in a familiar context, we examined the origins of over 2,200 place names in 16 national parks in the United States (US; 26% of the parks). Through iterative thematic analysis of place name origins and meanings, we constructed a decision tree for classifying place names according to emergent categories, which enabled the quantification and spatial analysis of place name meanings. All national parks examined have place names that tacitly endorse racist or, more specifically, anti‐Indigenous ideologies, thus perpetuating settler colonialism and white supremacy at the system scale for future generations. Looking east to west across the US, the proportion of place names per national park that appropriated Indigenous names increased in parallel with the westward expansion and evolution of US settler colonialism. This examination of place names, name origins and their consequences is an opportunity to make everyday complicity in systemic oppression more visible and to more actively advance decolonizing practices for land and language. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Tularemia Transmission to Humans, the Netherlands, 2011-2021.

We used national registry data on human cases of Francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica infection to assess transmission modes among all 26 autochthonous cases in the Netherlands since 2011. The results indicate predominance of terrestrial over aquatic animal transmission sources. We recommend targeting disease-risk communication toward hunters, recreationists, and outdoor professionals.

A Review on Sun Exposure and Skin Diseases.

Skin is the thin layer of tissue forming the natural integumentary system of the body that acts as a barrier to protect it from exogenous and endogenous factors that induce undesirable biological responses in the body. Among these risk factors, skin damage triggered by solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is an escalating problem in dermatology with an increased incidence of acute and chronic cutaneous reactions. Several epidemiological studies have provided evidence for both beneficial and harmful effects of sunlight, particularly the solar UVR exposure of human beings. Due to overexposure to solar UVR on the earth's surface, outdoor professionals such as farmers, rural workers, builders and road workers are most vulnerable to developing occupational skin diseases. Indoor tanning is also associated with increased risks for various dermatological diseases. Sunburn is described as the erythematic acute cutaneous response in addition to increased melanin and apoptosis of keratinocytes to prevent skin carcinoma. Alterations in molecular, pigmentary and morphological characteristics cause carcinogenic progression in skin malignancies and premature ageing of the skin. Solar UV damage leads to immunosuppressive skin diseases such as phototoxic and photoallergic reactions. UV-induced pigmentation persists for a longer time, called long-lasting pigmentation. Sunscreen is the most mentioned skin protective behaviour and it is the most promoted part of the sun smart message along with other effective skin protection strategies such as clothing, that is, long sleeves, hats and sunglasses.

Exploring the development of judgement and decision making in ‘competent’ outdoor instructors

ABSTRACT Over the last ten years there has been growing interest in the judgement and decision making (JDM) of outdoor professionals, though research to date has focused on the JDM processes of experts. In contrast, this study examined the JDM of less experienced, competent, but fully qualified outdoor instructors (N = 9) and the development of their JDM skills. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, we identified two overarching themes: Firstly, managing the cognitive load (relating to instructor JDM), and secondly social experiential learning (relating to instructor JDM development). We found these outdoor instructors needed to manage complex situational demands and high cognitive loads, while balancing the safety of their group with the development of their own JDM. We propose that a combination of challenging formative experiences, community of practice interactions, and explicit development of metacognition are essential to outdoor instructors JDM development. Implications for training, and future research are discussed.

The hills are alive with … Many different folk! Rationalising and operationalising a professional judgment and decision making approach within mountain leadership

ABSTRACT Growth in the adventure sector has increased the demands on adventure sport professionals. Satisfying a diverse range of participatory motivations, however, requires an adaptable and flexible workforce. In this discursive paper, we suggested that a narrowing of service skills caused by commodification and sportification are compounded by general (mis)perceptions of who best suits the adventure sector. Accordingly, this paper discussed two important implications for outdoor professionals to improve inclusivity standards. Specifically, using mountain leadership as an exemplar, we firstly, presented themes in connection with motivations and social dynamics. Secondly, we contextualised these themes against pertinent environmental challenges. Finally, we presented a decision making approach and its requisite planning and reflective skill-sets, designed to assist mountaineering professionals to negotiate the complexity presented by individualised service provision. We concluded that there are no simple solutions to these complex and multiple issues. Services require better alignment between epistemology and delivery via an epistemological chain.

Finding New Ways: Developing a Co-Constructed Approach to Excursions in Higher Education

Background: Outdoor Experiential Education (OEE) in the United Kingdom is steeped in tradition. Established practices limit the ability of outdoor professionals to respond to the global challenges of the modern world through locally relevant ways. Internationally, Higher Education (HE) is also currently subject to considerable challenges and its continued relevance can be gauged through its ability to become meaningful in a rapidly changing and pluralistic world. Purpose: We examine the impact of our pedagogical approach to working with international students, developing professional practice informed by one place, set within the context of the needs of the world and framed by the question “what kind of outdoor educator do you want to become?” Methodology/Approach: The authors used Dewey’s concept of occupations as an organizing principle for the curriculum. Four excursions involving 86 students were facilitated and reviewed. Findings/Conclusions: The norms of traditional OEE practices were predominantly overcome and innovative ways of co-creating knowledge emerged. Implications: If outdoor educators develop their own occupation in the context of wider needs, they can become place-responsive as well as continuously open to change.

The role of ‘pracademics’ in education and development of adventure sport professionals

ABSTRACTUnderstanding and exploiting the synergy between theory and practice lies at the heart of effective education for outdoor professionals. Accordingly, and in an attempt to stimulate debate, this paper conceptualizes the interaction between theory and practice in the context of the education of outdoor professionals. We identify issues specific to the often separated worlds of practice and academia. While acknowledging those distinct skills and competencies, however, we also explore a mid-role; that of the ‘pracademic’ or scientist–practitioner or practitioner scholar, considering behaviours that may encourage greater collaborative work to inform the process and implementation of the education of outdoor professionals.

Primary and secondary prevention of skin cancer in mountain guides: attitude and motivation for or against participation.

Outdoor professionals such as mountain guides are at a substantial risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) due to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. Despite major recent primary prevention efforts, studies on secondary skin cancer prevention efforts are limited and corresponding data on outdoor workers scarce. To assess the sun protective behaviour and individual motivations for or against skin cancer screening examinations in the German mountain guide population to aid in the development of effective awareness and prevention strategies. A cross-sectional study among all registered mountain guides in Germany was conducted using a 35-item online questionnaire on primary and secondary prevention of NMSC as well as perceived barriers for prevention. A total of 145 mountain guides participated in the study in January 2017. Of these, 86.2% reported using sunscreen often or always, 62.1% with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30-50% and 60.7% had undergone dermatological examination by a medical professional. The most common reasons for using secondary prevention efforts were hope of an early diagnosis (77.3%), fear of skin cancer (73.9%) and the intention to be aware of one's own health (70.5%). The main reasons for not doing so were absence of conspicuous skin conditions (63.2%) and feeling healthy (59.6%). Awareness of prevention strategies recommended by the scientific community is low among affected occupationally high-risk mountain guide populations. Understanding the specific needs of this high-risk group is essential for the development of sustainable awareness and prevention strategies.

Learning from incidents and students’ perceptions of safety and challenge: A case study of Outward Bound New Zealand

Risk is a complex component of outdoor adventure education (OAE) that can both enhance and diminish meaningful learning experiences. Outdoor professionals are searching for the balance between providing a high level of safety and challenging students through outdoor adventure activities. This case study of Outward Bound New Zealand (OBNZ) utilised a mixed method approach involving interviews with senior management staff (n = 5) and analysis of incident reports, quality control forms, and pre- and post-programme evaluation questionnaires from short-course (8 days) and long-course (21 days) participants (n = 6, 792) between 2009 and 2014. The purpose of the qualitative part of the study was to examine the learning from incidents in relation to changes to safety management at OBNZ. The quantitative analysis was used to examine the relationship between students’ perceptions of safety and challenge and how incidents impacted learning outcomes. The findings indicated that OBNZ has responded to increasing compliance requirements through the review of standard operating procedures and multiple external and internal safety audits, developing a current industry best practice incident reporting system and a heightened sense of responsibility and supportive culture amongst instructors to keep students safe and facilitate high-quality courses. These findings have implications for other OAE providers in their review of incidents and development of appropriate safety management systems that enhance safety, quality, and culture whilst still challenging students and achieving significant learning outcomes.

Pioneering innovations in ultra-light mountain equipment: socio-technical analysis of two objects’ trajectories

The search to lighten material is a major trend accompanying the development of several sports and recreational mountain practices (ski touring, trail running, fast hiking, etc). Such characteristics as lightness, technicality, and durability are not easy to combine for the designers. Two emblematic inventions of this successful equation have drawn our attention (a climbing harness, and a backpack). We undertook a sociological analysis of these innovatory trajectories: in a socio-technical perspective, 15 semi-directive interviews have been conducted with partakers of the two innovations. Our results point out the complexity and unpredictability of such processes. These inventions are approved in the restricted circle of experienced outdoor professionals and practitioners; but in spite of this recognition, their attaining the status of innovation can be subject to debate, because of limited compromises, little broadening of the network, and a clear turn towards restrictive practices.

Nordic Slow Adventure: Explorations in Time and Nature

The potentially paradoxical concept of “slow adventure” is offered here as having a particularly North European potential and a peculiarly Nordic orientation towards outdoor tourism activity. An overview of the relationship between the slow movements and the frenetically paced, technologically wired lived experience of hypermodernity is considered in the light of the rise of the adventure tourism “industry”. We contrast the slow movement principles with mainstream, risk managed and rationalised “fast” adventure tourism products, which focus predominantly on thrill and rush. The concept of slow adventure, as distinct from slow tourism or slow travel per se is then further developed to include time, passage, comfort and nature, aligned with Scandinavian concepts of friluftsliv, as determining elements in what have become highly regarded tourist experiences. We conclude that there cannot be an essentialist separation of “slow” and “fast” adventure (or travel, or tourism, or food … ) per se. Rather, that these qualitative aspects of self-supported adventurous journeys illustrate significant, and hitherto largely ignored aspects in the analysis of adventure tourism, and point toward opportunities for well-trained outdoor professionals who can make the most of the Nordic great outdoors for small numbers of clients, enabling inclusive, environmentally responsible, high-value, place-specific experiences, all year round.

Skin Reactions to pine processionary caterpillar Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff.

Pine caterpillar, Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff, is a phyto- and xylophagous lepidopteran, responsible for the delay in the growth or the death of various types of pines. Besides nature damage, pine caterpillar causes dermatological reactions in humans by contact with its irritating larvae hairs. Although the dermatitis occurs among outdoor professionals, it is primarily extraprofessional. Contamination generally occurs in pinewoods, rarely in cities. Means of contamination comprise direct contact with the nest or the processional caterpillar and indirect contact with air dispersed hairs. The dermatitis is generally observed in late spring and particularly from April to June, among campers and tourers. The eruption has its onset 1–12 hours after contact with the hairs and presents with intense and continuous itching. Morphologically, it is strophulus-like and consists of papulous, excoriated, and pinkish lesions on an oedematous base. Diagnosis is usually straightforward. The pathogenetic mechanism of the affection is mechanical, pharmacological, and allergic in nature. Besides skin, T. pityocampa Schiff can involve the eyes and rarely the airways. Despite the considerable damages to humans and nature, pine caterpillar infestation is an underestimated problem; medical literature lists few studies, and often relevant information is referred to local media and popular wisdom.

Conceptualizing the adventure-sports coach

As a comparatively recent development, the adventure-sports coach struggles for a clear and distinct identity. The generic term ‘instructor’ no longer characterizes the role and function of this subgroup of outdoor professionals. Indeed, although the fields of adventure/outdoor education and leadership are comparatively well researched, the arrival of this ‘new kid on the block’ appears to challenge both the adventure-sports old guard and traditional views of sports coaching. In an attempt to offer clarity and stimulate debate, this paper attempts to conceptualize the adventure-sports coach in the context of the existing roles in the field and current motivations for activity in the outdoors. We identify issues that are specific to the adventure-sports coach while also recognizing those skills and competencies shared with other professionals, both in the adventure sports profession and traditional sports coaching fields. Based on this review, we offer a conceptual model which may be used to focus debate, stimulate research and, at a possible later stage, to underpin accreditation, training and professional development.

Professional risk for skin cancer development in male mountain guides – a cross‐sectional study

For reasons of their outdoor work, mountain guides (MG) are heavily exposed to ultraviolet radiation during their work. A standardized interview and examination were performed on 283 male MG (median 41 years) from Germany, Switzerland and Austria and 309 age-matched controls. The median occupation time as MG was 17 years; 39.9% were working full-time. The incidence of skin cancer and precancerous lesions was obtained. Precancerous lesions as solar keratosis (SK) were significantly more frequent in MG (25.4% vs. 7.4%). There was no skin cancer [BCC, SSC, melanoma (MEL)] in the control subjects. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) was diagnosed in 20 MG (7.1%) and SSC in four MG (1.4%). There were 10 highly suspicious melanocytic lesions; one MG had a histologically confirmed malignant MEL. Risk factors for SK in the multivariate analysis included occupation (P < 0.0001), age (P < 0.0001) and skin type (P = 0.0002). Within the MG group, age (P < 0.0001) and hair colour (P = 0.0058) were independent risk factors for SK. Severe lifetime sunburns (P = 0.0007) and skin type (P = 0.041) were the significant risk factors for BCC, within the MG group in addition to the number of guiding days (P = 0.010). The risk factor for skin cancer (BCC, SCC and MEL) was the number of heavy sunburns during lifetime (P = 0.0014). The present study demonstrates an association between high occupational ultraviolet-exposure and an increased prevalence of precancerous skin lesions and skin cancer. MG may be considered as an example for other outdoor professionals. Skin cancer of outdoor workers is likely to be an occupational disease. Primary and secondary prevention should be enforced.

The Challenge Course Facilitator Technical Skills Assessment Tool

Abstract A study was conducted to develop a technical skills assessment tool for the training and development of challenge course facilitators. Researchers accessed two professional on-line listserves to collect a sample size of twenty-seven currently used technical skills assessment tools. The assessment tools were critically analysed by three independent reviewers. As a result, ten commonly assessed technical skills were identified. A rubric was then developed based on the ten technical skills. A Delphi panel consisting of seven challenge course professionals completed a total of four reviews and revisions of the rubric resulting in the Challenge Course Facilitator Technical Skills Assessment Tool. Introduction Since the early 1990s, practitioners began formal discussions surrounding challenge course facilitator competencies and training curricula on a national level (Priest, 1995). These discussions and other national activities reflect the explosive growth of the challenge course industry. Outdoor professionals estimate that over 15,000 challenge course programs exist in the United States (Attarian, 2001). The challenge course profession experienced significant growth since its inception in the early 1960s. In the United States, organizations such as the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT), the Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA) and the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) represent professional groups that support challenge course industry development. While in Australia, two national avenues exist. The Outdoor Council of Australia promotes professional development by including challenge course leadership in the National Outdoor Leader Registration Scheme (NOLRS). Also the National Training Information Service provides a National Outdoor Recreation Training Package that addresses facilitator standards. As the challenge course profession matures, so does its programming methods, construction standards, facilitation standards and safety systems. Little research exists that focuses on the assessment of challenge course facilitator technical skills competencies; however, the discussion among professionals in Australia and the USA has been historically rich and at times heated. In both countries, challenge course providers take great pride in their individual programs and enjoy a diversity of practices. This diversity allows for creativity and unique program identities. However, the diversity also creates a sense of independence that fosters resistance if national standards and assessment systems are perceived as impositions. The researchers in this study believe methods exist to create systems that preserve individual program uniqueness while improving the quality the profession. This study represents an exploratory effort to instigate more thought and discussion surrounding standardized facilitator development within the industry. Specifically, a research project was designed to create an assessment tool for technical skills facilitation. In the USA and Australia, national organizations provide facilitator standards and competencies but rely on individual members or external providers to implement their own assessment techniques. In Australia, the "National Outdoor Recreation Training Package is the only official framework for assessing facilitator standards at present. A range of technical colleges (TAFEs) and commercial providers use the training package to deliver courses and discrete qualifications for ropes course instructors and supervisors" (M. Dingle, personal communication, April 19, 2007). The Training Package outlines facilitator competencies and the context to assess the competencies but does not mandate a universal assessment tool. Mark Dingle, Secretary of Outdoor Education Australia also shared with the researchers that the Training Package is in its infancy and is slowly gaining broader industry acceptance and is considered the benchmark by the market insurers and accreditation and regulatory bodies. …