Outdoor education trips, Good or Bad?

magicmunchies

magicmunchies

Lab Technician
Yesterday in New Zealand five students and a teacher were killed in a flash flood while cayoning near the Tongariro national park.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10504385

Already OSH is closing down/restricting many once loved activities, camps, school trips etc and parents are getting more protective of their children. It seems like children are becoming unable to be children. Children learn by taking risks and thats what these outdoor education trips do, they take risks and help conquer fears. Children these days are more afraid and are more protected. These school trips teach kids about being safe and they learn about life and other people. No matter what people are going to get hurt and cancelling these school trips means the next generation of children won't get a chance to take risks and learn as we have. I can understand parents wanting to protect their children, but should these trips which leave life long memories be canned?

What are your views on this? Do you think outdoor education trips should be kept safe and that kids shouldn't be allowed to do these adventure trips as they are risky and might get hurt? Or do you oppose this?

I'm just curious......
 
I think it's important for children (even adults actually) to be able to experience what they learn outside the classroom - everyone learns better by actual experience and the hardship of applying what they've learned to a real-life situation.

It's like...learning how to tie a rope - but without ever getting the experience of what you'd need the rope for.

Personally, I'm opposed to canning the activities. It's an important part of growing up. There could be more precautions and safety regulations put in place, but to not allow outdoor trips, no way.

:)
 
Keep the trips going. I always enjoyed them. Yes they do need to be risk assessed but the only reason they do this so much is that people might sue if it goes wrong which is no fun. I did all manner of outdoor activities at school like canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, surfing, sailing, mountain biking, abseiling, rock climbing etc. Never did me any harm and they're great for kids to learn. All I ever was told to do with regards to safety was listen to the instructors, don't go out too far (if in water), wear essential safety gear ie harness, helmet, life jacket and SHOUT loudly if you got into trouble.
 
Outdoors is the only place where I can learn. I study geology and we go out every month for a few days somewhere remote where we can observe the environment. "Out here in the fields I fight for my meals, I get my back into my living" What? :D

Seriously now, it is sometimes dangerous. We go up on the mountains and we have all this gear set up, but still a few of my colleagues got hurt. And flooding could be a danger too for us, since our country is flooded 40% of the year, and exactly in that time we go up in those places to map and dig and establish the new geological map of Romania. It ain't safe, but it's fun and good.
 
The outdoors open so many opportunities for education and peace. I think it is important for children to learn how to survive if being lost while on a trip. I've seen many news reports where kids have been taught what to do if they get lost and it saved their precious lives.

It's also important they get a "hands on" experience with nature. Such as leaves, tree's, bugs, and animal tracks.
 
^There's also a big difference in being "taught" survival skills and actually practicing/using them. Without the required practice and familiarity of the outdoors, it's hard to remember what you've learned when the time comes where you actually need those skills.
 
Depends on the location of said field trip, and who is taking charge of the field trip. Its always best to have a skilled teacher/helper/guide when it comes to trips. Just incase the impossible happens you will have trained professionals to fix it. And it would ease the parents minds in allowing their children to go.
 
I agree it all depends on the location. Outdoor education trips on specific camps etc I think are really good, I remember when I went, I was dreading it, but especially when you're young ( i think I was about 11 when I went) it does help you to grow up a bit in a strange way.

Obviously its tragic when things go wrong, and maybe a little more professional help on 'proper' trips is needed, or keep the trips to more 'safe' ones.
 
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