Investigating the stress response in outdoor education and how to get the most out of it
Details:
1:45 – 3:00 pm
6th of December
Room: Sports Pavillion
Paul Banks
At Rubicon Outdoor School, we explicitly teach and utilise coping strategies for dealing with difficult or challenging tasks. Sometimes, the challenge can just be attending camp—without phones or internet, possibly no showers, and potentially no toilets for five whole days! In this presentation, I will explore the research behind these strategies, focusing on how they provide a sense of predictability and control, and delve into the body’s stress response triggered by such events. This research was gathered during a study tour I undertook in America, where I had the privilege of attending presentations by world-renowned neuroscientists and neuropsychologists from Stanford, Harvard, Berkeley, and San Diego State Universities. By integrating this research into program design, students will gain actionable strategies to improve outcomes in the real world.
About the Presenter
Current campus Principal of Rubicon Outdoor School, Nayook‚ Campus. I have been in this leadership role for almost 8 years, driving educational leadership for all staff at the Nayook campus and managing the day-to-day running of this school site. Rubicon Outdoor School, Nayook campus is a small and unique Department of Education Residential Outdoor Secondary School in rural Victoria. Our vision is Empowering students to develop lifelong, positive growth. We do this through the provision of outdoor learning programs. Each week students attend this special place from a wide variety of settings including Specialist, Koorie School programs and mainstream secondary schools particularly targeting schools from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
