Undergraduate - UnitEDF1174 - Foundations of outdoor education and environmental studies

This unit introduces students to the historical, philosophical and experiential foundations of human participation in outdoor environments through the discipline of outdoor education and environmental studies. This has developed as a unique discipline that studies how humans experience, interact with and have an impact on outdoor environments. It includes an examination of the significance of such experiences to individuals and communities and the consequences that follow for outdoor environments. Specifically, the unit presents a case study of how Australian environments have evolved and how human cultures, both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and settler, have accessed, utilised, explored, exploited, managed and conserved these environments through time. In addition, students develop their understanding of current threats, e.g. resource extraction, climate change and recreational pressures, to the ecological integrity of these environments.