Papers by Sandy Allen-Craig
Widening the aperture: using visual methods to broaden our understanding of gender in the outdoor profession
Annals of leisure research, Apr 8, 2021
Embedding a gender-aware and social-responsive culture is one of the many challenges which confro... more Embedding a gender-aware and social-responsive culture is one of the many challenges which confronts the outdoor profession. Creative methodologies and feminist research has the potential to unlock new insights and knowledges about outdoor embodiment and embolden change. This paper offers a fresh research approach to interrogate the lived experiences and prevailing injustices encountered by outdoor women. To address issues of hegemony and asymmetrical power imbalance, the authors chose visual arts-based methods to widen their research aperture. Arts-based research disrupts the common use of language and allows participants to creatively communicate thoughts and feelings. Data was gathered from a purposive convenience sample of outdoor leadership professionals at conference workshops and emergent themes analysed. We conclude as a reflective research method, visual-arts provided alternative perspectives beyond the dominant discourse to illuminate blindspots in the outdoor professions
Outdoor Education: Threaded Pathways to Belonging
This chapter traces the interwoven paths of two women’s journeys working and living in the outdoo... more This chapter traces the interwoven paths of two women’s journeys working and living in the outdoors in Australia over the last 30 years. This journey explores the parallel lives of the women whilst documenting changing practices within the profession over three decades. Born on the same day of the same month of the same year, both women share a deep sense of connection to nature and are still actively engaged in working in the outdoors. This narrative articulates their approach to life with a whimsical and curious questioning of alternate pathways of lives lived in the outdoors.
Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, Apr 1, 2017
Within our fast-paced, fluid society, it is arguable that outdoor education needs to be innovativ... more Within our fast-paced, fluid society, it is arguable that outdoor education needs to be innovative to play a useful role in young people's overall educational enterprise. A critical view, however, would suggest that we must beware of accepting technological innovation for its own sake. Innovations (or improvements) in education can take the form of ideas, methods, and products. This paper discusses how outdoor educators need to recognise how some innovations may add unwanted layers of clutter that reduce direct interaction with geophysical, ecological, and sociocultural elements of the landscape, whilst lessening the quality and quantity of interaction between humans-whether with classmates or community members. It may be possible to assess the degree to which an innovative piece of equipment or educational practice is "good" by considering its ability to elicit meaningful engagement between the learner and the ideas, physical objects, and other human beings encountered.
The Future in Youth sport program, Timor-Leste : Impacts on youth, coaches and community
Sport is often recognised as an effective vehicle for achieving various development goals through... more Sport is often recognised as an effective vehicle for achieving various development goals throughout the international community. Often grouped together under the ’sport for development’ label, sport programs within developing nations have the potential to reduce the impacts of poverty, foster health and cultivate social networks. This study investigated the extent to which a sport for development initiative achieved its objectives within Baucau, Timor-Leste. Community leaders and coaches (n=24) involved with the program shared their views regarding the program and its impacts. Data were gathered through interviews and focus groups at the completion of the three-week program and three months later. The outcomes that appeared to be targeted most successfully in association with the program were those related to health, well-being and life skills. Findings regarding capacity building and program sustainability were mixed. The results of this study have informed recent changes to ongoi...
Defining moments : women’s contribution to outdoor education leadership and an examination of the gender divide
Throughout our collective experiences in the outdoors, defining moments have helped ignite innova... more Throughout our collective experiences in the outdoors, defining moments have helped ignite innovation and provided inspiration for women and men in the outdoor profession. Women comprise around half the outdoor education industry however our representation is disproportionately low among the ranks of the senior leaders and researchers in the field
Celebrating our past, harnessing our future as a collective voice : exploring feminism for men and women in outdoor education
At the 17th NOEC in 2016 Sandy, Cathryn and Tonia challenged the long held assumption that the OE... more At the 17th NOEC in 2016 Sandy, Cathryn and Tonia challenged the long held assumption that the OE profession was a level playing field in a presentation entitled: Selective Hearing: The Unrecognized Contribution of Women to the Outdoor Profession. The audience indicated a strong desire for further opportunities to explore contribute and reflect on the issue in greater depth. Using a number of creative approaches, we will enable a reflective, restorative and story gathering opportunity for the voices of the men and women. In short, we aim to ensure the Outdoor Education (OE) profession continues to have a healthy dialogue in this space, whilst also working towards pathways for gender parity
Recent lively dialogue among women in the outdoor education profession has led to the realization... more Recent lively dialogue among women in the outdoor education profession has led to the realization that more care and attention is needed to ensure that this profession receives the benefits of diverse voices and standpoints (Gray and Mitten, 2018). These mostly ‘peripheral’ or unheard voices are needed in research and practice. We intend to elucidate the societal privileges, unconscious entitlement, and implicit biases that prevail in our profession. As a collective of feminists from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the USA, we queried our varied experiences and perspectives in contemporary outdoor education leadership spaces, intertwined with recent data and narratives collected from students and professionals. We asked whose voices we most often hear and whose voices are missing. By initiating conversations, describing the contemporary gendered landscape, identifying cultural and institutional blind spots, including intersectionality, and pinpointing areas of future focus, we a...
The invisibility cloak: Women's contributions to outdoor and environmental education
The Journal of Environmental Education, 2017
ABSTRACT Women leaders in outdoor environmental education (OEE) have begun to discuss the invisib... more ABSTRACT Women leaders in outdoor environmental education (OEE) have begun to discuss the invisibility cloak that seems to envelope us. Women comprise approximately half the OEE professionals; however, women still face gender bias resulting in challenges of recognition and access to the upper echelons of the profession. Data show that implicit prejudice and limitations, arising from systematic hegemony and the gender binary, create an atmosphere that generally silences or ignores women's contributions and voices in media and history. As a collective group, our profession needs to actively challenge and positively change the forms of knowledge and recognition that render women invisible. Authors suggest that feminism and alternative discourses that have historically been marginalized or less visible can be used to replace and challenge current dominant narratives.
Defining Moments: An Examination of the Gender Divide in Women’s Contribution to Outdoor Education
Research in Outdoor Education, 2017
Abstract: Throughout our collective experiences in the outdoors, defining moments have helped ign... more Abstract: Throughout our collective experiences in the outdoors, defining moments have helped ignite innovation and provided inspiration for women and men in the outdoor profession. Women’s representation among the ranks of the senior leaders and researchers in the outdoor field is disproportionately low. As such, women in outdoor education today still face challenges being recognized and accessing the upper echelons of the profession and academy. An incident at the 6th International Outdoor Education Research Conference in 2013, where women donned an invisibility cloak provided the impetus for our paper. Significant progress has been made in the past three decades; however an imbalance and gender asymmetry still exists today. At the core of our profession is the development of leadership and individual potential; it is therefore imperative that we examine our indiscernible footprint within the profession. The paper aims to generate practical solutions and strategies for those grappling with ways to improve their leadership impact and attain gender equity in their career goals.
Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education
Within our fast-paced, fluid society, it is arguable that outdoor education needs to be innovativ... more Within our fast-paced, fluid society, it is arguable that outdoor education needs to be innovative to play a useful role in young people's overall educational enterprise. A critical view, however, would suggest that we must beware of accepting technological innovation for its own sake. Innovations (or improvements) in education can take the form of ideas, methods, and products. This paper discusses how outdoor educators need to recognise how some innovations may add unwanted layers of clutter that reduce direct interaction with geophysical, ecological, and sociocultural elements of the landscape, whilst lessening the quality and quantity of interaction between humans-whether with classmates or community members. It may be possible to assess the degree to which an innovative piece of equipment or educational practice is "good" by considering its ability to elicit meaningful engagement between the learner and the ideas, physical objects, and other human beings encountered.
Widening the aperture: using visual methods to broaden our understanding of gender in the outdoor profession
Annals of leisure research, 2021
Outdoor Education: Threaded Pathways to Belonging
This chapter traces the interwoven paths of two women’s journeys working and living in the outdoo... more This chapter traces the interwoven paths of two women’s journeys working and living in the outdoors in Australia over the last 30 years. This journey explores the parallel lives of the women whilst documenting changing practices within the profession over three decades. Born on the same day of the same month of the same year, both women share a deep sense of connection to nature and are still actively engaged in working in the outdoors. This narrative articulates their approach to life with a whimsical and curious questioning of alternate pathways of lives lived in the outdoors.
Threshold Concepts for Australian Outdoor Education University Graduates
Inadequate risk assessment has often been implicated as a contributing factor in led outdoor acti... more Inadequate risk assessment has often been implicated as a contributing factor in led outdoor activity incidents. Safety science now largely considers accidents in complex safety critical domains (e.g. led outdoor programs, healthcare, aviation) to be created by a complex web of interacting factors from across the work system. Prior to this program of research, it was unclear as to whether this perspective had been translated into risk assessment practice in led outdoor programs, or indeed risk assessment in other safety critical domains such as aviation, rail, and process control. An overview of the research program will be provided – including the findings that current risk assessment methods and practice are not consistent with systems thinking, existing risk assessment methods are limited in their ability to identify system wide risks, and the newly designed risk assessment method is capable of identifying systemic risks as well as emergent risks. Further, formal reliability and ...
Together We Have Impact: Exploring Gendered Experiences in Outdoor Leadership
Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, 2020
Recent dialogue in outdoor leadership has led to the realization that more care and attention is ... more Recent dialogue in outdoor leadership has led to the realization that more care and attention is required to ensure the profession receives the benefits of diverse perspectives. In this paper, we report on stories gathered through feminist narrative inquiry via art-based approaches from 32 participants attending one of three outdoor conferences in Australia. The arts-based workshops aimed to provide a safe space for participants to reflect upon how gender may have influenced their outdoor leadership journey. Three key gender-related themes emerged through a thematic analysis of the reflective process: (1) noninclusive practices, (2) inclusive practices, and (3) suggestions to increase equity and inclusivity to embrace and enact. Further exploration of these themes highlighted the value of single-gender environments and the influence of supportive mentors while illuminating the societal privileges, unconscious entitlement, and implicit biases prevailing in the profession. Finally, we...
Preventing Family and Educational Disconnection through Wilderness-Based Therapy Targeting Youth at Risk
The ACHPER Healthy Lifestyles Journal, 2008
Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education
This is an unusual article in that it brings together the perspectives of many on this journal's ... more This is an unusual article in that it brings together the perspectives of many on this journal's editorial board, around the issue of contending with COVID-19. Twenty statements showcase a range of thoughts and experiences, highlighting the differences and similarities in the way the pandemic is impacting on the educational practice of outdoor and environmental education. The future is not yet written, of course, so it is worth thinking about how the current moment may impact on the months and years to come. The aim of this article is to influence and support such thinking.
Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education
This is an unusual article in that it brings together the perspectives of many on this journal's ... more This is an unusual article in that it brings together the perspectives of many on this journal's editorial board, around the issue of contending with COVID-19. Twenty statements showcase a range of thoughts and experiences, highlighting the differences and similarities in the way the pandemic is impacting on the educational practice of outdoor and environmental education. The future is not yet written, of course, so it is worth thinking about how the current moment may impact on the months and years to come. The aim of this article is to influence and support such thinking.
Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education
The initial online publication contained several typesetting errors. The original article has bee... more The initial online publication contained several typesetting errors. The original article has been corrected. Publisher's note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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Papers by Sandy Allen-Craig