| Many troubled youth are at-risk for dropping out or getting pushed out of school. Alternative learning programs provide at-risk youth with the opportunity to learn more about themselves and others during a wilderness experience. This study examined a wilderness school designed for such populations. An educational ethnography was conducted to explore the experiences of youth during the wilderness component. Data collected included field notes, journal notes, and interviews. Participants included both new and experienced students as well as former students who now volunteer as leaders for the wilderness component. Domain analysis and constant comparitive analysis were conducted and developmental trends over time were explored. Major themes found included self-growth, motivation, community development, leadership development, and transfer of learning. Students repeating their wilderness experience continued to increase in self-growth while showing the emergence and growth of community and leadership development. Students discussed how they planned to transfer learning from their wilderness experiences to similar activities (specific transfer) and to their general lives (general transfer). Follow-up data demonstrated transfer of themes into students' daily lives, as well as passing on their knowledge to new students. |
