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Threshold concepts for Australian university outdoor education programs: findings from a Delphi research study

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Abstract

In Australia, when a person wants to work in the outdoor education or recreation field, they can follow a number of different pathways to gain the required knowledge, skills and experience. Typically, this involves the completion of a formal program with either a training organisation or a university, depending on the qualification sought. Programs delivered by training organisations typically use a national training package to define the specific competencies (knowledge and skills) and the curriculum and outcomes of these programs are clearly defined, and qualifications are usually transferable around the country. Outdoor education programs delivered by universities in Australia, however, have no such clarity. This paper describes a research study that used the Delphi research method to consult with academics working in university outdoor education programs across Australia. The research set out to establish a set of threshold concepts that articulate what a student who completes at least a major in outdoor education knows and is able to do. Over two rounds of consultation the six authors of this paper formed the Delphi facilitation team, which solicited input and feedback from an expert panel. Nineteen different university academics participated in the research and produced seven threshold concepts, which are shared in this paper to encourage discussion and invite feedback from a wider range of stakeholders. More research is required to ascertain the efficacy of these threshold concepts in describing what graduates of university outdoor education programs know and can do.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the input and support of the academics from the Australian Tertiary Outdoor Education Network who contributed as expert panel members.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia

    Glyn Thomas

  2. Federation University Australia, Mount Helen, VIC, 3350, Australia

    Heather Grenon

  3. La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia

    Marcus Morse & Anthony Mangelsdorf

  4. Australian Catholic University, Sydney, Australia

    Sandy Allen-Craig

  5. University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia

    Scott Polley

Authors
  1. Glyn Thomas
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  2. Heather Grenon
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  3. Marcus Morse
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  4. Sandy Allen-Craig
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  5. Anthony Mangelsdorf
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  6. Scott Polley
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Correspondence to Glyn Thomas.

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Thomas, G., Grenon, H., Morse, M. et al. Threshold concepts for Australian university outdoor education programs: findings from a Delphi research study. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education 22, 169–186 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-019-00039-1

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