Long Walk Readings

1. Key concepts
2. How can you utilise the knowledge in your prep for the long walk or
whilst on the walk
Reading One Thomas, Glyn (2010) Facilitator, teacher, or leader?
Managing conflicting roles in outdoor education. The Journal of
Experiential Education, 32 3- 239-254.
Outdoor educators are responsible for the provision of leadership, skill
instruction and safety management
The five facilitator roles (Schwarz 2002):
Facilitator
-Aims to increase a groups effectiveness by helping it to improve its processes
and structures
-Should try to remain neutral where possible: belief systems, realities,
participant interpretations
Facilitative leader
-Differs from a facilitator since they have knowledge and expertise to share
with participants but s/he still bases her/his practice on the same core values
and ground rules
-Aims to help students to develop, test and get feedback on new knowledge and
skills
Facilitative trainer
-The hardest facilitator role because they need to use their facilitative skills at
the same time that they have views about the issue being discussed
-To achieve this, one must openly state their views on a subject, explain the
reasoning underlying those views, and then encourage others to identify any
problems in them
Facilitative consultant
-Used for their expertise in a particular content area
-Their role is to work with new groups for a short time to help them make
informed decisions
-They are often required to develop effective relationships and manage difficult
conversations when participants have strong and differing views
Facilitative coach
-They usually work with participants to help them to improve their
effectiveness by enabling them to reflect on their behavior and thinking
-They may work with participants to explore the coaching relationships itself as
a source of learning for both the client and the coach
Facilitation roles in Outdoor Education practice
-Your role as a facilitator: understanding reasoning behind each technique and
method that you use and teach
-Understanding the theories and values that underpin your practice as an

Long Walk Readings

outdoor educator
Benefits of using the experiential learning approach in the outdoors:
-The learner is actively engaged in posing questions, investigating,
experimenting, being curious, solving problems, assuming responsibility, being
creative, and constructing meaning
Thetransparencytest
Encouragesfacilitatorstoimaginesharingtheirfacilitationstrategyoutloud
withtheirparticipants
Canbeusefulforoutdooreducatorsbyallowingthemtoseewhentheir
facilitationstrategiesmaynotbeconsistentwiththeprinciplesofexperiential
learningandgoodfacilitation
Modelsunderpinningtherolesfacilitatorschoose
Coreassumptionstoachieveproductivegroupprocessesandoutcomes
(SchwarzsMutualLearningModel):
1.Acknowledgethatthefacilitatorcanneverknoweverythingthereistoknow
andcommunicationofthistoher/hisgroupisimportant
2.Othergroupmembersmayknowornoticesomethingsthatthefacilitator
doesnot
3.Thefacilitatorunderstandthats/hemayactuallybecontributingtoa
problemwithoutbeingawareofit
ThemutualLearningModelandFacilitationinOutdoorEducation
Provideschallengesforoutdooreducatorswhowanttoenhancethequalityof
theirgroupfacilitationinwhicheverroletheyhavechosentofulfill
Requiresagenuineacceptanceandengagementwiththecorevaluesand
assumptions,otherwise:
ItcanbeeasyforafacilitatortoslipbackintotheoryinuseoraUnilateral
ControlModel
Experientiallearning/problemsolvingactivities
Whereinformationiswithheldfromparticipantsinorderforthetolearn
Facilitatorsareencouragedtoestablishsomesortofanagreementwith
participantsbeforestartingactivitytoavoidtheparticipantfeelingtrickedor
negativetowardsthefacilitator
Movingbetweendifferentroles
Itispossibleforfacilitatorstomovebetweenthefivefacilitativerolesaslong
astheydiscussthesechangeswiththegroup
Toactwithintegrity,consistencyisrequired
Thefivefacilitatorrolesarebasedonthesamecorevaluesandprinciples
Recommendations/conclusions

Long Walk Readings

Itmaybehelpfultogivestudentstheresponsibilitytoformgroups
Providingsomeclearguidelinestothestudentsanddiscussingtheirdecisions
withthemandmodifyingthemwhenneededbeforesharingwiththeentire
group
Beclearaboutthedifferentrolesthatyouareexpectedtofulfill;transparency
andcommunication
Understandthetheoriesandvaluesbehindyourpractice
Betransparentwithgroupsaboutyourrolesasafacilitatorandthepossible
needtomovebetweendifferentones
Beopenaboutthedifficultiesyouareexperiencingwithmanagingthe
differentroles
Relatingtolongwalk
Thisknowledgewillbebeneficialtomeonlongwalkaswellasinthefuture
whenIaminaleadershippositionandwhenIhavetotakeonafacilitativerole
andleadandmakeimportantdecisions.OnmyleadingdayandwhenIam
doingmyteaching/activityIwilltakeintoconsiderationindividualmembers
andgroupfeelingsandcircumstancesandwilltrytobeengaging,openand
transparent.
Readingtwo:Recognizinganddevelopingadaptiveexpertisewithin
outdoorandexpeditionleaders
Adaptiveexpertise:theideathatpeoplewhohavehadextensive,purposeful
andvariedexperiencesofdoingsomethingarecapableofrespondingto
unstructuredsituationsskillfullyandsuccessfully
Candistinguishandexpertfromanovice
Expeditionsandleadership
Expeditions:challengingandrewardingexperiences
Candeveloppracticalskillsandpersonalknowledge
Canassistinovercomingaddiction,promotespiritualdevelopmentand
developleadershipqualities
Expeditionsgainvaluethroughgroupbehavior
Leadershaveaprofoundeffectontheemotionalandgeneralwellbeingof
theirgroup
Expeditionleadersshouldhaveextensivepersonalqualities,technical
knowledge,interpersonalgroupskillsandactivepastexperiences
Beingabletoidentifywhenacircumstancerequiresmodificationisabasisfor
goodleadership
Understandinghowwelearnisimportantfordevelopingexpertiseand
improvingskills
Expertise:impliesacapabilitytowardskillfulphysical,cognitiveandmeta

Long Walk Readings

cognitivebehaviours;anorganizedbodyofknowledgethatisdeepand
contextualized;retrievingandapplyingknowledge
Experts:
Recognizefeaturesandpatternsthatarenotnoticedbynovices
Organizecontentknowledgearoundcentralideas
Donotneedtosearchthrougheverythinginordertofindwhatisgermaneor
applicabletoaparticularcircumstanceortask
Areabletoretrieveknowledgeeffortlessly
Maynotnecessarilybegoodathelpingotherstolearn
Displaydifferentdegreesofflexibilityinbeingabletoadaptandattendto
novelsituations
Adaptiveexpertise:encompassesarangeofcognitive,motivationaland
personalityrelatedcomponents,aswellashabitsofmindanddispositions
Beingcapableofdrawingonknowledgetoinventnewproceduresforsolving
uniqueorfreshproblems,ratherthansimplyapplyingalreadymastered
procedures
Applyingwhatweknowfrompreviousexperiencesandknowledgeinsome
areastoanewproblemandcanbemoreorlesssuccessfuldependingonhow
weviewthecurrentproblem
Adaptivepractitioners:individualswhoareabletothinkandactflexibly
Adaptiveexperts:exhibitastrongproactivedesiretocontinuouslylearnfrom
theirexperiences,improveperformanceandacceptthattheirunderstanding
willalwayschange
Learning:achangeinapersonsunderstandingofthemselvesandtheirworld;
changeinthepersonworldrelationship
Learninghowtodosomethingbetterrequiresregularanddeliberatepractice
Earlystages:consciousofalmosteverybutunabletoidentifywhatis
important>behaviorbecomesrefinedandincreasinglyautomateduntilthe
learnercandowhattheywantwhilepayinglittleattentiontodoingit
Variationofpracticeisacriticalelementoflearning
Reflection
Toknowsomethingrequiresrecollectionisthereforeareflectiveand
introspectiveprocess
Reflectingonasituationallowsustodevelopandviewthingsdifferently
KurtLewinscyclicalnatureoflearning:plan,act,reviewandtryagain
Adaptiveexperts:havesufficientbreadthanddepthofunderstandingto
identify,interpretandrespondsuitablytocircumstancesthatrequirevariation
inperformance
Relatingtolongwalk

Long Walk Readings

SinceIamnotanexpertatanythingyet,Iwilltrytoutilizethisknowledge
aboutexpertise,knowledge,learningandreflectionsothatIcanmakethemost
outofthisexperienceanddevelopmyskillsandleadershiptothebestofmy
abilities.Iwillensurethatbefore,duringandaftermyleadershipdaysthatIam
awareofmylearningandexperienceandwillconstantlytrytoimprove.
Readingthree:Theconstitutionofoutdooreducationgroups:ananalysis
oftheliterature
Groupscomeinmanyforms
Groupsareeitheremergent;groupsthatarefluidandgenerallycometogether
bychance;orplanned,whicharegroupsthatformforapurpose
Outdooreducationgroupsaretypicallysecondaryandplanned
Whatcountsasagroupdependsonthecontextanditshistoricalspecificity
Thewaysinwhichgroupsaredefinedandcategorizedshapesotherpeoples
perceptionsaboutgroups
Groupsallowanindividualtoachievemorethantheycouldbythemselves
Thesecondisthatbeingpartofagroupisonewaytomeetourneedsfor
inclusionandsupport
Belonging
Healthygroupsproducehealthypeople
Power
Howpowerworks>whoholdspower
Powerandknowledgeimplyoneanother
Community
Basesforhealthyrelationships:community,trustcaringandsafety
Exclusioninoutdooreducation
Howprivilege,class,genderandracecanhaveaneffectongroups
Self
Makingpositivedecisionsaboutoneslearningfosterslifelonglearning,
whichisintertwinedwithanentrepreneurialandresponsiblecitizen
Relatingtolongwalk
ThisknowledgewillbeusefulonLongWalkthroughoutthewholetripas
havinggoodgroupdynamicsandhappyandpositivememberswillensurea
memorableexperience.Beingawareofouractions,commentsandgroup
choicesisimportanttoavoidaccidentallymakingpeoplefeeldevaluedor
crappy.
Reading four: Alpine Education Kit
Aboriginal People and the Australian Alps
Aboriginal people have cultural and spiritual associations with the

Long Walk Readings

Australian Alps that go back many thousands of years

This history is passed on through stories from generation to generation
and physical evidence can be found in many archaeological sites
The physical sites have significant social, spiritual, historical and
commemorative values for the Aboriginal people
Examples include:
-Occupation sites
-Stone scatters
-Intangible sites including landscape features and whole landscapes
-Culturally marked trees
-Stone arrangements
There is evidence of Aboriginal occupation in the tablelands and
highlands of south-eastern Australia that date back 21,000 years ago
-One of the oldest is the Birrigai Rock Shelter
-Aboriginal sites have also been found within the valleys of the Snow
Mountains and along the upper Snowy River
Non-Aboriginal arrival:
Catastrophically disrupted the Aboriginal lifestyle in the 1820s
The nomadic lifestyle of Aboriginal people conflicted with the
European notion of land ownership
Following this invasion, diminishing access to water, fish and native
animals, as well as introduced diseases such as influenza and small pox
devastated many populations of people
Later on, most Aboriginal people either moved away or were removed
from their traditional lands however some remained on the land to
continue hunting whilst others worked as guides, trackers or pastoral
workers for new settlers
- This upheaval included the separation of family members, the forced
abandonment of traditional practices and a great loss of cultural
knowledge. Despite this, Aboriginal people of the region have retained
important strands of their culture, including a sense of identity and
belonging
Aboriginal sites and objects in the Alps are valued by all and are
protected by legislation by state and federal legislation. However,
Aboriginal culture is greater than just these physical sites

Long Walk Readings