The many rewards of adventure and outdoor education
Imagine you’re walking through northern wilderness. It is late September and the landscape surrounding you is withering, preparing for winter.
You are a part of a diverse group of Adventure and Outdoor Education students, united by an excitement for the expedition that lies ahead. In the evening, you come across a herd of reindeer and find yourself awed by the unexpected beauty of the moment.
Or picture yourself in a canoe, gliding across open water. The weather takes a turn for the worse and your team must return to land before the wind grows too strong.
You cooperate with the rest of your team. You have been taught how to adapt to difficult circumstances, so you remain calm. No canoes capsize and you return safely to shore, increasingly confident in your abilities.
A unique learning opportunity
The scenarios presented above serve as examples of the experiences that Humak’s Adventure and Outdoor Education students might have during their practical training. These kinds of experiential teaching methods are designed to shape students into legitimate adventure professionals.
From the first jittery hours of orientation to the triumph of graduation, the students develop their proficiency under the guidance of experienced instructors.
Our lecturers are nationally and internationally highly respected specialists in adventure and outdoor education. We are very fortunate to have them in our team. They have the ability to teach and instruct students in a wide range of theoretical and practical outdoor themes, says Education Manager Kim Lindblad.
Whether the students practice rock climbing techniques, learn about wilderness first aid, or intern as safari guides in Lapland, Adventure and Outdoor Education studies help them develop tangible skills that will undoubtedly prove useful in their future professions.
Invaluable experiences
In addition to the technical know-how, Adventure and Outdoor Education students improve themselves in abstract way that can be harder to measure, but equally significant to their development.
One of the most important goals of the studies is to teach the students to trust their personal judgement while moving in nature.
We teach the students how to lead themselves and others through the challenges that the wilderness has to offer. Ideally, these skills transfer to life beyond the learning environment as well, says lecturer Kai Lehtonen.
Adventure and Outdoor Education students will be armed with the capability to operate under uncertain conditions, well-equipped to correct their course if necessary. As such, the programme has the potential to transform the students’ lives in a profound way.
A stronger connection to the world
Adventure and Outdoor Education also promote awareness of the connection between one’s self and the natural environment. The students will inevitably learn to value their relationship with the world surrounding them.
As a consequence, they will likely strive to do what they can to conserve the environment.
A stronger relationship with oneself and the surrounding world is an important benefit of Adventure and Outdoor Education, and one that will yield lifelong rewards.
Header photo: Aleksi Homanen and Markus Mela.
The 2020 application period for the adventure and outdoor education Bachelor’s degree programme has ended. The next application period begins in January 2021 (the date will be announced later).
