"What are you studying in school?" A question every college student is asked hundreds of times by friends and family. Even after answering a hundred times, I still hesitate to answer, "Outdoor education."
Nine out of ten times I'll get a response of "What's that?"
Ardoy, an outdoor education centre, defines outdoor education as "organized learning that takes place in the outdoors," and yes, it is a degree!
Specifically at Idaho State University, outdoor education is an emphasis under sports science and physical education through the College of Education. As far as ranking goes, Idaho State lies within the top ten schools for outdoor education, bringing students from all over the country to earn their degree at Idaho State.
As outdoor educators, we are required to take rigorous classes that will prepare us for our future industry. This includes certifications such Leave No Trace, Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder and others, like Avalanche Certification, Ski or Snowboard Instructor Certification and so many more. By the time we graduate, we are well-rounded individuals with excellent hard and soft skills. We are trained in wilderness medicine, have great experience in leadership through practicum, different certifications, a knowledge and passion for taking care of the environment, teaching skills and progressions, large knowledge of safety requirements and a handful of outdoor pursuits we love and have experience teaching.
Outdoor educators are pushed mentally like other students at the university and we are pushed physically in the classroom. Being a well-rounded individual in this field is very important and that includes doing activities you may not be comfortable with. Being willing to try new things and the pursuit of being a life-long learner are two things outdoor educators possess.
The common belief that outdoor education degrees are "easy," "fun," or even "a fake degree" is a common misconception. Outdoor education is a field that contains experiential education, which we all have experienced in some form throughout our life. It may seem like we are playing, when actually we are working. That's the beauty of it. We are facilitators of this unique experience, however, it still requires a lot of work physically and mentally. As educators, we strive for professionalism. Our passion involves working with people and creating a genuine experience for them in the outdoors.
Many people ask, "What do you want to do with that?" "You won't make any money!"
Personally, I am pursuing outdoor education because I want a lifestyle job. I love to teach others and be outside. Educators aren't choosing this degree because they want to make money, but because they have a passion for working with others and the great outdoors. The outdoor field is very immense and provides lots of different opportunities to do a variety of careers all over the world such as working for agencies like Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Forest, Park Service, Fish and Game, various youth programs, wilderness therapy or commercial guide services. These are only a few of the opportunities that we have as outdoor educators.
Despite the common misconceptions, outdoor educators are bold, adventurous and hard working. And with the right education and level of professionalism, we will go out and spread knowledge regardless of their specific career. Outdoor education is on the uprise at Idaho State, and all around the world.
For more information about outdoor education, check out ISU's page: http://www2.isu.edu/outdoor/education.shtml
