PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Physical Education- Outdoor and Adventurous Activities

Physical Education- Outdoor and Adventurous Activities

Introduction

The history of physical education can be seen as an important dimension of the history of curriculum because it treats the story of responses to questions of what is worthwhile in the psychomotor realm. The psychomotor as such is not merely an alternative to the cognitive (intellectual), the affective (emotional), the social, and the spiritual domains of human functioning. Instead, psycho-motor realm is the integration of all five, with a foregrounding of the physical. This history can be traced in ways that invoke many issues such as the influence of European sport and Puritan religious values, the role of physical activity for women, the emergence and popularity of sport, duelling versions of the purposes of physical education, and more recently, racial, ethnic, and gender issues. Evolution has certainly occurred, and physical education has established a foothold in schools, universities, and to the youth agencies. Nevertheless, its subject matter and purposes have remained contested.

Although physical education now has a number of curriculum models to choose from as well as a wide range of curricular content such as exercise, sport, dance, and outdoor/adventure activities, these developments occurred gradually over two centuries. Precursors to the field of physical education include the active games of early Greek and Mayan societies, which were often part of prevailing notions of education for life. However, physical education as a field was unknown until the 1800s. This paper discusses the physical education in terms of gymnastics activities.

Outdoor and Adventurous Activities (OAA)

Many physical education programs have added popular outdoor adventure activities to the curriculum. Rock climbing, caving, canoeing, fly fishing, orienteering, and backpacking are just a few examples. Many students are interested in these activities, which are challenging and provide a sense of risk and adventure. These activities can be added to the curriculum as stand-alone units or as a combination unit that provides introductory information in many of these areas. In addition to the detailed information on ropes course activities, orienteering, and group initiative games, we have added resources and Web sites in many other areas to help physical education teachers add these lifetime activities to the curriculum (Mangan, 2000, 105).

Scheme of Work

The following is the scheme of work that needs to be adopted by the school in order to carry out the outdoor and adventerous activities.

Ropes Course Activities

Ropes course activities involve obstacles that use ropes, cables, logs, trees, ladders, tires, swings, cargo nets, rings, and other equipment to present students with a challenge that usually has a degree of controlled risk. These obstacles require students to climb, swing, crawl, and balance themselves. Beneath many of the obstacles are water, mud, people, cargo nets, and trees. All of the activities are completed with student spotters or a safety belay line of some type under the direct supervision of the teacher. The activities can be linked together in sequence, or they can be used as separate challenges. Certain activities require strength and endurance, while others require balance and ...