An environmental scan of outdoor orientation programs at universities in Canada

Abstract

As of 2012, colleges and universities in the United States had established 191 outdoor orientation programs (OOPs) and this was increasing at the rate of approximately 10 per year. The situation in Canada has been strikingly different. Little information is available regarding OOPs at universities in Canada and this is true for information available online and in the literature. This study used an environmental scanning (ES) approach to identify information related to OOPs at universities in Canada. During the 2015-2016 academic year, approximately 20% (n=21) of the universities in Canada used OOPs, however only 573 students were participating in Canadian OOPs (COOPs) during the 2017-2018 academic year. The common objectives of COOPs were to: (1) facilitate peer relationships and bonding; (2) connect students to place; and (3) promote student development. The COOPs described in this study represent an underutilized opportunity for a holistic approach to student development and orientation at universities in Canada