Outdoor education an actual reality experience.

Are 21st century students are being brought up in a world where fantasy and virtual reality predominate and personal responsibility is declining? Is their diet one of false realities, insulated from meaningful experiences by layers of cotton wool? Widespread risk aversion is leading us to a society of risk illiterates where outdoor educational experiences, with real consequences for their actions, real risks, and where reality is actual, are too far from the norm, out of bounds of perceived acceptable and reasonable risk and behaviour. Traditional Outdoor Education with these experiential novices invokes stress responses that make the experience one where survival and endurance are the only things that remain where self-reflection and learning used to reside. Will Outdoor Education decline towards ‘virtual’ experiences where realities and consequences are further diluted and shielded? This paper examines research into selfefficacy augmentation in providing positive learning and teaching environments through outdoor experiences.