This book explores the nature and purpose of outdoor, experiential and informal education and considers the ways in which this expanding field might exploit the opportunities it offers young people and adults to engage in reflective informal education. Bringing together a wide range of contributors, the book examines how the outdoors (rural and urban) offers the potential to create educational encounters that are rarely, if ever, available to those teaching within the confines of school classrooms or youth centres.

Offering a fresh perspective, the book advocates shifting the outdoor education agenda from that of skills to speculative, aesthetic and philosophical opportunities embodied within the outdoor experience. Divided into three parts it explores:

• The environmental and aesthetic values underpinning outdoor education
• The various landscapes through which the outdoor educational experience is facilitated
• The process of education in the outdoors including self-development, group work and dialogue.

Emphasises the importance of understanding what the variety of experiences mean to the participants, this will be valuable reading to those studying or working in the field of outdoor education.

"

This book seeks to bring together the two disciplines of informal and outdoor education, and challenges readers to think differently about outdoor and adventure education. It develops core ideas and thinking about informal education within outdoor settings, and explores how its principles and practice can enhance outdoor education. A wide range of contributors look in detail at the concept of change in the outdoors, whilst also considering the ways in which this expanding field might exploit opportunities offered to young people and adults to engage in reflective informal education. It encourages outdoor educators to experience their immediate surroundings in new and innovative ways and grasp the challenge of promoting a sustainable lifestyle. Offering a fresh perspective on shifting the outdoor education agenda from that of skills acquisition and 'narrow learning' to the social and political, as well as aesthetic and philosophical opportunities embodied within the outdoor experience, this book will be valuable reading for those studying or working in the field of outdoor education.