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Experiential Wilderness-Based Professional Development: Beliefs and Confidence of Participant Educators

Background: Continuing education programs for teachers seek to enhance outcomes for participants and their students. Experiential wilderness-based programs offer outdoor-recreational activities and experiential teaching initiatives. Research needs to be conducted to reveal how they influence individual behaviors. Purpose: This research investigated whether a wilderness-based program influenced individual beliefs and confidence in using experiential teaching methods within a classroom. Methodology/Approach: A pre-, post-, and follow-up closed survey was administered to educators who had participated in the North Carolina Outward Bound Educators Initiative (NCOBEI) 2017–2018. Furthermore, retrospective follow-up surveys were administered to alumni (years 2007–2016). Responses were analyzed to determine how participants integrated learning within the classroom. Findings/Conclusions: Participation positively influenced educators’ beliefs, confidence, and intentions to implement experiential techniques within the classroom immediately following the experience, although the benefits diminished over time. Educator beliefs and confidence were poor predictors of using experiential learning in the classroom. Implications: Experiential wilderness-based professional development (PD) has the potential to positively build confidence and skills for use in the classroom. PD and future research should address how to perpetuate the influence of wilderness-based continuing PD programs at the individual and institutional levels.