Expeditionary Learning: An Outward Bound Approach to Education

The phrase, written in 1996 by Harvard University professor Meg Campbell in collaboration with a group of educators from the well-known organization Outward Bound in an article entitled “The Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound Design,” has inspired a generation of school administrators, teachers and learning specialists to rethink the way we educate our children in the United States. It implies that at their root, people-and educators especially-are curious, want to know about the world and, rather than run from that which they don’t know and understand, prefer instead to run toward it and learn about it. Educators in particular want to share that knowledge with others, teach them what they know and help them along the amazing path from childhood to adulthood.

Introduction to Expeditionary Learning

Expeditionary Learning (EL) is an educational approach rooted in the principles of Outward Bound, seeking to deeply engage students, fostering excitement not just for the subjects they study, but also for the educational process itself. By Joshua Miner and Charles Froelicher, Expeditionary Learning primarily involves what most educators today know by the name “Project Based Learning.” This approach emphasizes hands-on experiences, real-world applications, and character development, creating a holistic learning environment.

The Core of Expeditionary Learning: Project-Based Expeditions

The original educational expeditions were comprised of intense, focused units of study that lasted from six to nine weeks and always involved physical activity and real-world work paired with more traditional, intellectual classroom activities. The core of Expeditionary Learning lies in "learning expeditions," in-depth studies of a single theme or topic. These expeditions are designed to be purposeful and rigorous, often taking students outside the traditional classroom setting to explore real-world applications of their studies.

Examples of Learning Expeditions

A study of geology would always involve going outside and finding different types of rocks. A study of microorganisms would always involve going to a local pond, taking water samples and bringing them back for study under a microscope. Learning expeditions can take many forms, integrating multiple disciplines such as math, science, humanities, and the arts.

The Ten Design Principles of Expeditionary Learning

The Expeditionary Learning system is based on ten design principles. Those principles grew in large part out of the experience of Outward Bound. The design principles are abstract and aspirational. Nonetheless, they are worth reading, because so much of the Expeditionary Learning system is derived from them. These principles, derived from the experiences of Outward Bound, guide the development and implementation of EL programs:

The Primacy of Self-Discovery: Learning happens best with emotion, challenge, and the requisite support. People discover their abilities, values, passions, and responsibilities in situations that offer adventure and the unexpected. A primary job of the educator is to help students overcome their fear and discover they have more in them than they think.
The Having of Wonderful Ideas: Teach so as to build on children's curiosity about the world by creating learning situations that provide matter to think about, time to experiment, and time to make sense of what is observed.
The Responsibility for Learning: Every aspect of a school must encourage children, young people, and adults to become increasingly responsible for directing their own personal and collective learning.
Intimacy and Caring: Learning is fostered best in small groups where there is trust, sustained caring, and mutual respect. Be sure there is a caring adult looking after the progress of each child. Arrange for older students to mentor younger ones.
Success and Failure: All students must attain a fair measure of success in learning in order to gain the confidence and capacity to rise to increasingly difficult challenges. But they must also learn to experience failure, to overcome negative inclinations, to prevail against adversity. Since a big part of most learning expeditions takes place out in the world, there is a built-in chance of failure.
Collaboration and Competition: Teach so that the value of friendship, trust, and group endeavor is made manifest. Encourage students to compete, not against one another, but against their own personal best and against rigorous standards of excellence. Working Together and Pushing Limits: Learning Expeditions work best in smaller units where trust and friendship develops as a natural part of the learning experience.
Diversity and Inclusion: Diversity and inclusivity dramatically increase richness of ideas, creative power, problem-solving ability, and acceptance of others. Inclusive and Diverse: In small expeditionary units, teachers are encouraged to pair students of different backgrounds, experiences and ages.
The Natural World: A direct and respectful relationship with the natural world refreshes the human spirit. Students must learn to become stewards of the earth and of the generations to come.
Solitude and Reflection: Solitude, reflection, and silence replenish our energies and open our minds. Be sure students have time alone to explore their own thoughts, make their own connections, and create their own ideas. Personal Time and Introspection: In order to bring the new knowledge gained during a Learning Expedition forward into their lives, students need time to process, ponder and reflect.
Service and Compassion: We are crew, not passengers, and are strengthened by acts of consequential service to others. One of a school's primary functions is to instill in students the attitudes and skills they need to learn from and be of service to others.

Core Practices: Bringing the Principles to Life

The design principles inform all aspects of the Expeditionary Learning system - from how furniture is arranged in the classrooms to how an Expeditionary Learning school is evaluated. The principles have been fleshed out and "brought down to earth" in a set of specific educational guidelines labelled "Core Practices." The Core Practices provide direction on how a school becomes an Expeditionary Learning School. These principles are translated into practical guidelines called "Core Practices," which provide direction for schools aiming to implement the EL model.

The Role of Teachers in Expeditionary Learning

Teachers are the key to Expeditionary Learning's success. Instead of working in isolation behind closed classroom doors, teachers collaborate closely with colleagues, family and community members. This openness and collaboration ensures rich and high quality learning experiences for students, and significant professional growth and renewal for teachers. In Expeditionary Learning schools, teachers play a central role. They collaborate closely with colleagues, families, and community members to create rich learning experiences for students. This collaborative environment fosters professional growth and renewal for teachers.

Collaborative Professional Development

During the school year and summer, in week-long planning institutes or mini-sabbaticals, teachers select themes, prioritize learning goals, create guiding questions, develop project ideas and fieldwork sites, and establish interdisciplinary connections. Perhaps the most important facets of collaborative professional development are (1) frequent opportunities for planning and assessment, and (2) administrative support in establishing the schedule and school culture. Sufficient time and psychological space to allow for messy, recursive debates and discussion is not found easily amid the clamor and hectic pace of schools. Teachers have extended periods of time (a week or more) away from the distractions and hectic pace of school life. The planning groups are kept small (no more than four or five members). Teachers have the autonomy to select a theme and develop the parameters for their learning expedition.

Assessment in Expeditionary Learning

Assessment is also embedded in an Expeditionary Learning school's curriculum and instruction. Expeditionary Learning nurtures a culture of continuous reflection, revision, and improvement. Expeditionary Learning schools make explicit the criteria they apply to judge student performance, and they expect students to work hard until they have achieved their best work. Expeditionary Learning schools try to avoid setting assessment apart as an isolated, dreaded event. Expeditionary Learning recognizes that effective assessment is impossible unless one has clearly defined standards. We require students to meet skill and content requirements identified in the Colorado State standards. Students, at the end of 3rd, 5th, 8th, 10th and 12th grade, present their portfolios for evaluation by a panel of people who represent the RMSEL community, and then discuss their work in terms of effective communication, deep knowledge and higher order thinking. This demonstration of understanding is meant to further uncover student skill and knowledge. Students whose work is not judged by the passage panel and crew leaders as meeting passage requirements are not promoted until they demonstrate that they have completed the required work and attained the necessary knowledge and skills. Creating a culture of reflection, critique, and revision pushes students to better performances. Expeditionary Learning believes the same is true of entire schools. Assessment is integrated into the curriculum, fostering a culture of reflection and continuous improvement. Students are expected to meet clearly defined standards and present their best work.

The Impact and Effectiveness of Expeditionary Learning

What evidence is there that Expeditionary Learning works? Two independent research groups, the Academy for Educational Development and a team from the University of Colorado's Department of Education, have studied Expeditionary Learning programs. Both groups found dramatic increases in students' levels of engagement and motivation, as demonstrated by high attendance and low rates of disciplinary problems. Studies have shown that EL programs lead to increased student engagement and motivation, as evidenced by higher attendance rates and fewer disciplinary issues.

Examples of Success

King Middle School in Portland achieved dramatic gains on the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA), surpassing the rate of change statewide.
In New York City, three-year longitudinal comparisons show significant increases on the Degrees of Reading Power Test in grades seven and eight at the School for the Physical City, placing the school 29th out of the city's 226 junior high schools in reading in 1996.
In 1996, fifth-grade students at Clairemont Elementary School in Decatur scored at the 8.1 grade equivalent in math on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) and the 7.6 grade equivalent in reading after its third year of implementation.

Expeditionary Learning vs. Adventure-Based Learning

Adventure-based learning (ABL) and expeditionary learning have similarities, but ABL adventures need not be as long or rigorous as EL expeditions. (For example, an afternoon of bungee jumping may suffice as an ABL experience.) ABL encourages students to not only participate in sequential activities but to also debrief, according to Professor Paul T. Stuhr. While both Expeditionary Learning (EL) and Adventure-Based Learning (ABL) share similarities, ABL experiences are typically shorter and less rigorous than EL expeditions. ABL emphasizes debriefing sessions after activities to encourage reflection and the development of leadership and communication skills.

The Role of Relationships in Expeditionary Learning

Relationship-building is essential for students at all grade levels and, as a primary focus of adventure-based learning, establishes bonds of trust between participants. In constructing positive relationships with others, students develop self-esteem and confidence in their own abilities. Building strong relationships is a key component of both ABL and EL, fostering trust, self-esteem, and confidence among participants.

Expeditionary Learning in Practice: Thornton Creek Elementary School

Welcome to the Thornton Creek Elementary School! We are a Pre-K-5 Option school in the Seattle Public School system. Expeditionary learning emphasizes learning by doing, with a particular focus on character growth, teamwork, reflection, and literacy. Teachers connect high-quality academic learning to adventure, service, and character development through a variety of student experiences, including interdisciplinary, project-based learning expeditions. Expeditions draw together personal experience and intellectual growth to promote self-discovery and construct knowledge. Thornton Creek Elementary School in Seattle exemplifies the implementation of Expeditionary Learning, emphasizing hands-on learning, character development, teamwork, reflection, and literacy.

Key Programs at Thornton Creek

Wired for Reading®: This word study program enhances students' reading and spelling skills, promoting deeper understanding of texts.
Responsive Classroom: This framework focuses on social-emotional learning, fostering a strong sense of community.
Buddy System: Older students mentor younger students, promoting social and academic growth.
Looping: Teachers stay with the same class for two years, strengthening cooperative learning.

Read also: A Look at Sierra Academy

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