What grade did you get for character?

Researchers receive $1.4 million to study how outdoor education influences character development

Over the last 82 years young people around the world have participated in outdoor expeditions and programmes through Outward Bound.Research has shown that outdoor experiential education courses like those offered by Outward Bound help people develop teamwork, self-reliance, leadership and other positive attributes that can collectively be termed “character.”

A new, $1.4 million award from the John Templeton Foundation will enable researchers from Penn State, the University of Utah, Outward Bound International, and Clemson University to study the commonalities and differences in Outward Bound Schools around the world and their impact on character development in different cultures and geographies.

Outward Bound operates in 34 nations (including Oman!), and its programmes differ due to those cultural and geographic differences. Similarly, even though character generally means the same thing around the world, different cultures may have different values that are incorporated in their definition of character.

This three-year project aims to reveal how outdoor experiential education can most effectively build character and how to develop character in a multicultural setting while remaining sensitive to the communities served by Outward Bound and participants in their programmes.

During their visit to Oman to observe Outward Bound Oman's courses, Pro. Pete and Pro. Jim, from the study team, along with high profile Omani leaders were our guest speakers on a talk event that focused on why building characters is very important for careers, and how outdoor education and training influence character?

The event was held at our Muscat Training Centre on the 24th September 2023.

We are excited for the research to complete, and will sure keep you updated with it's results once they are available.