What's the point of your experiential education program?
If you can't answer this, you're going to struggle to provide any real educational value. If you're just running activities for the sake of it, or because everyone else is doing it, you're missing a powerful opportunity to make a positive difference in your students’ lives.
Until you can clearly answer the question, "Why are we doing what we're doing?" everything is just a scattergun approach. Something might hit the mark, but chances are it won't. However, if you're clear on exactly what you want to achieve, you can become laser-focused and consistently hit the mark.
Common Traps: When the "Why" Gets Lost
In my experience, many programs struggle to define their purpose, often falling into common traps that diminish their impact.
The "We've Always Done It This Way" Fallacy
A number of places I've worked had no idea what they were trying to achieve, despite programs having run for years. The "we've always done it this way" mindset doesn't mean anything is actually being achieved; it could simply be the perpetuation of the same mistakes over and over again.
The "Bit of Everything" Approach
One program I worked on was so confused that they did a bit of everything in an attempt to make everyone happy. They claimed to be promoting student independence, yet provided no real opportunities for students to experience it. As a result, the activities were more about babysitting and filling time. It was a completely wasted opportunity, but from the school's point of view, it was perceived as "safe" and looked nice in a brochure.
The Forced Academic Fit
Please don't make the mistake of shoving a bunch of academic outcomes into experiential education to try and make something fit. One school I worked for tried to force English skills into an outdoor education program by introducing "bush poetry." Instead of admitting that the program's focus was personal and social development, they crammed in an irrelevant academic task. Needless to say, it didn't work.
Moving from Activities to Meaningful Outcomes
For every program you run, you need real educational outcomes to add value. Activities without a goal are just that—activities. If they are isolated and don't form part of a wider strategic vision, you may as well just go outside and stare at clouds.
Instead of cramming things in, focus on what's important.
- For one program I ran, the whole point was social and emotional development.
- For another, it was team building and leadership.
- Others have focused on expanding comfort zones and overcoming fears.
With each of these, there were planned, sequential stages and clear educational outcomes. Using a tool like Xcursion Planner allows you to set clear goals, linking each activity directly back to your stated learning objectives. This ensures your program is purpose-driven from start to finish.
So, what do you want to achieve? Do you want a nice glossy brochure with no substance, or do you want to add real educational value so your students are better equipped to handle anything the world throws at them?
If you can answer the questions, "Why are we doing this?" and "What do we really want to achieve?" you will find that experiential education opens up a world of opportunity for challenging students, expanding their horizons, and promoting positive, life-long growth.
