A Study of Facilitator Decisions on Ethical Adventure Issues.

An increasing number of adventure facilitators are being trained in school settings. The common form of training consists of modeling the appropriate behavior to new facilitators followed by an apprenticeship period. An attempt was made to determine if adventure facilitators were making ethically correct decisions based upon their knowledge and skills obtained in training or from workshops on adventure ethics and decision making. Adventure facilitators and apprentices (N=87) in one school district were surveyed about five areas of decision making: (1) empowerment; (2) informed consent; (3) appropriate use of risk; (4) dual relationships; and (5) physical needs of participants. Based upon the data presented, it can be concluded that the facilitator responses accept the hypothesis that adventure facilitators, without the benefit of extensive adventure-based decision making, can make correct decisions based on personal knowledge and experience in the five areas of decision making. Recommendations include follow-ups with focus groups to determine appropriate training models to enhance current facilitator training; follow-up with facilitators on the use of the mute technique in the group; and replicate study with other school based adventure facilitators. (JDM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. A Study of Facilitator Decisions on Ethical Adventure Issues Doug Long, M.A. Assistant Dean Interlochen Academy for the Arts and Judy DeTrude, PhD Associate. Professor Sam Houston State University