Teaching in the Outdoors

In his foreword to the First Edition, L. B. Sharp, noted pioneer in outdoor education, wrote, "This book,Teaching in the Outdoors,will aid greatly in learning and understanding those segments of the basic school curriculum that exist in the out-of-doors for all subject-matter areas at all grade levels."Teaching in the Outdoorshas withstood the test of time. The book has endured through four previous editions and has become a minor classic in its field. It is the only text dealing with outdoor education, of which we are aware, that has been in print since 1964. The book has been used extensively not only in the United States but throughout the world. The Third Edition was translated and published in Japan; the Fourth Edition, in China. Outdoor education programs, particularly at the elementary and middle school levels, as well as in selected secondary schools, colleges, and universities, are expanding unabated.Teaching in the Outdoorsis designed specifically for pre- and in-service teachers, school administrators, and college and university personnel. Agency and private camp personnel will also find this book useful as a source of program ideas. This text may also point the way for extending the use of summer camp facilities into the school year. The scope of the materials presented here is by no means an exhaustive and exhausting treatment of the field of outdoor education.Teaching in the Outdoorspresents a brief, concise point of view representing our philosophy, derived from our collective experience as outdoor educators. The thoughts, ideas, and information-offered here will, we trust, aid others in helping students and teachers become better acquainted with the use of the outdoors as a laboratory for learning. When the First Edition ofTeaching in the Outdoorsappeared in 1964, computers were not common in either homes or schools, and web sites were unknown. Now that the Information Age has arrived, more sophisticated methods of recording and transmitting information and data are possible. Each year, more and more electronic databases, knowledge maps, and library collections are becoming readily available and accessible to both teachers and students. The Fifth Edition ofTeaching in the Outdoorshas attempted to recognize these electronic information resources by including Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) references and World Wide Web URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) when appropriate. Welcome to the Information Age, in which students will need opportunities to learn in the outdoors more than ever. D.R.H. W.M.H. E.L.H.Hammerman, Donald R. is the author of 'Teaching in the Outdoors', published 2000 under ISBN 9780813431802 and ISBN 0813431808.