The Impact of a Novel Outdoor Orientation Program on Incoming Medical Students

Background: Undergraduate outdoor orientation programs facilitate students’ transition into college. Research has yet to be conducted on the few programs at medical schools, which may have unique benefits given the specific challenges of transitioning to medical school and high rates of burnout among medical students. Purpose: This mixed methods study examines the impact of one medical school's outdoor orientation program on its participants. Methodology/Approach: A survey was administered immediately following the 2018 trip ( N = 56 responses). Follow-up focus groups were conducted with a sample of the same participants ( N = 18) in 2019. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Findings/Conclusions: Participants felt that the program helped ease their transition into medical school, establish a support system, and hone personal development and wellness skills. Many of these effects persisted up to one year later. Implications: These findings are of particular interest to the medical and experiential education communities because many outcomes persisted for at least one year after the original trip and aligned with factors believed to protect against medical student burnout. There is opportunity for additional research as well as expansion of similar programs to other medical schools.

An Examination of Social Capital in Outdoor Orientation Programs

Social capital offers campus recreation professionals a framework to conceptualize the impacts of outdoor orientation programming (OOPs). Using data from The Outdoor Orientation Benchmarking Survey (TOOBS), researchers explored results of participants’ ( n = 1,154) responses to two constructs conceptually related to social capital: group trust and network closure. Researchers used factor analysis to examine the psychometric properties of TOOBS, finding group trust and network closure represented different aspects of social capital. Results of the study confirms trust and network closure are related, yet unique aspects of the social capital construct. The results provide an empirically-supported measure for evaluating social capital in outdoor orientation programs.

Aiding Transition to University Through an Outdoor Orientation Program: Accelerated Friendships

Outdoor orientation programs are used to provide experiences which aid transition to university. We investigated how an outdoor orientation program for first-year university students in England, UK accelerates social group development, which in turn aids transition and adaptation to university. We employed mixed methods data collection, including the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) (Baker & Siryk, 1989) and semi-structured interviews. The questionnaire indicated that the outdoor orientation program significantly aided adaptation to university. The benefits of accelerated social group formation for transitioning young adults are explored through thematic analysis and explained through psychological theory.

Smartphone Impacts on Outdoor Orientation Trip Goal Attainment

Background: Smartphones provide limitless opportunity for communication and access to the world through social media, texting, and numerous applications. As their popularity continues to grow among college students, it is important to understand the various advantages and disadvantages of their use on and off campus. Purpose: We explored the effect of smartphones on goal and objective attainment in the outdoor orientation program (OOP) at Old Dominion University. Methodology/Approach: Using post-experience focus groups, student participants and leaders, faculty and staff mentors, and program administrators were asked their perceptions of the impacts of smartphones on outdoor orientation. Findings/Conclusions: Analyses revealed that smartphones can be both a tool to help accomplish goals (i.e., develop connections) and a distraction to inhibit them. In addition, students shared feelings of security related to having smartphones with them at all times. Implications: These findings inform future research and policies focused on the role of smartphones in collegiate outdoor orientation programming, as well as provide implications for healthy smartphone habits in higher education.

Social Status Equalization and Outdoor Orientation Programs: An Exploratory Study

Background: Research results indicate outdoor orientation programs (OOPs) successfully help students transition to college and increase student retention, but an understanding of all the key variables involved in creating those positive transitions is unknown. Purpose: The aim of this study is to explore the role of subjective social status as a variable that may be important to the curricular design of OOPs. Methodology/Approach: Surveys asking questions about status were sent to students from 31 college OOPs between 2013 and 2017. Responses ( N = 4,484) were reviewed to understand students’ perceptions of within-group social status. Findings/Conclusions: OOP participants most often reported perceiving their social status as equal among group members. Equality perception was associated with traits such as vocality (defined as being able to verbalize ideas and be listened to in the group) and certain aspects of the trip structure (e.g., shared living conditions). Respondents who reported social status equality also reported positive experiences. Implications: Subjective perceptions of within-group status may have important implications for OOPs and may be an important consideration for program planning and curriculum.

College Student Commitment and Outdoor Orientation Programming

Background: Increasingly colleges and universities are utilizing Outdoor Orientation Programs (OOPs) to help incoming students assimilate into college life. These programs have shown promise in recent analyses for enhancing desired outcomes with particular consideration shown to pro-social behavior and retention outcomes. Purpose: To examine how effective OOPs are in preparing students for a successful college student experience, particularly with variables known to influence student success and commitment to college. Methodology/Approach: Data were collected from four universities across the United States. Participants in this study were 205 undergraduate students from 17 to 25 years old who self-enrolled in their respective institutions OOP. This study used the College Student Readiness Inventory to generate a hypothesis concerning the possible effects of an OOP experience concerning predictive and outcomes variables relative to college student commitment. Findings/Conclusions: Using SmartPLS, the main effects of the OOP indicated predictive relationships between Commitment to College and Goal Striving, Communication Skills, Social Activity, Emotional Reactivity, Study Skills, and Social Connection. Academic Self-Discipline, Academic Self-Confidence, and Self-Determination on Commitment to College. Implications: Study findings suggest specific connections between predicting college student commitment before and after an OOP.

An Outdoor Orientation Program in its Infancy, Student Perception Influencing Best Practice

Outdoor orientation programs (OOP) use adventure experience to aid transition to university. Transition processes are achieved by helping students develop constructive social support systems as well as providing them with feelings of belonging, trust, and connection to a group of peers. These peer relationships provide both critical emotional support and strengthen educational gains (Bell, Gass, Nafziger, & Starbuck, 2014). Important markers of success at university are academic attainment, retention, and student development (Bell et al., 2014). All of these are important for both the finances and reputation of universities. Programs vary in length, content, and objectives. Further outcome- and evidence-based studies are needed to examine outdoor orientation program elements to better understand how and what elements support student retention (Cortez, 2014). The aim of the research is to investigate student perceptions of the university’s first OOP for its sports-based first-year undergraduates. The university created an evaluation questionnaire to receive feedback on the OOP from students in order to have more informed input in future OOPs. The evaluation questionnaire was analyzed using content analysis. The questionnaire also included eight scale-scored questions. The study had 84 first-year undergraduate participants. The evaluation from students will form specific recommendations that will improve provision for its own students and possibly provide recommendations applicable to other academic institutions with limited experience in facilitating an OOP.