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INFORMATION TO USERS While the most advanced technology has been used to photograph and reproduce this manuscript, the quality of the reproduction is heavily dependent upon the quality of the material submitted. For example: o Manuscript pages may have indistinct print. In such cases, the best available copy has been filmed. © Manuscripts may not always be complete. In such cases, a note will indicate that it is not possible to obtain missing pages. © Copyrighted material may have been removed from the manuscript. In such cases, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, and charts) are photographed by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand corner and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each oversize page is also filmed as one exposure and is available, for an additional charge, as a standard 35mm slide or as a 17”x 23” black and white photographic print. Most photographs reproduce acceptably on positive microfilm or microfiche but lack the clarity on xerographic copies made from the microfilm. For an additional charge, 35mm slides of 6”x 9” black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations that cannot be reproduced satisfactorily by xerography. Order Number 8717687 An investigation of an experiential education program Meers, Eileen Graham, Ph.D. The Ohio State University, 1987 U-M-I 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106 PLEASE NOTE: In all cases this material has been filmed in the best possible way from the available copy. Problems encountered with this document have been identified here with a checkV mark . 1. Glossy photographs or pages_____ 2. Colored illustrations, paper or print_______ 3. Photographs with dark background_____ 4. Illustrations are poor copy______ 5. Pages with black marks, not original co______ p y 6. Print shows through as there is text on both sides of _______page 7. Indistinct, broken or small print on several pages 8. Print exceeds margin requirements 9. Tightly bound copy with print lost in spine 10. Computer printout pages with indistinct print 11. Page(s) lacking when material received, and not available from school or author. 12. Page(s) seem to be missing in numbering only as text follows. 13. Two pages numbered . Text follows. 14. Curling and wrinkled pages 15. Dissertation contains pages with print at a slant, filmed as received 16. Other University Microfilms International AN INVESTIGATIGATION OF AN EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of the Ohio State University By Eileen G. Meers, B.S., M.A. ***** The Ohio State University 1987 Reading Committee: Dr. Robert A. Bargar Dr. Robert E. Jewett Dr. Elsie J. Alberty Adviser \\ Education Policy and Leadership To my family in gratitude for three generations of love and support ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS It is impossible to capture in a few words the significant contributions made by the following people. Perhaps, it is appropriate to start in chronological order. Professor Jewett has inspired me to try to understand the process of teaching since he was my undergraduate advisor and twenty-five years later, he is still a part of the process with his gentle encouragement. Professor Donald Sanders' first conversation and continuing work with me initiated me into an understanding of the process of the educator as achieving a balance between challenge and support of the student. Professor Robert Bargar's consistent support and insight has given me a model of the gifts students need from teachers. Professor Elsie Alberty has taught me the meaning of quality time in a relationship. The Linworth staff has made me proud to be an educator in a learning community where the adults practice what they ask of students: care, risk and growth. Drs. Edwin Shay and George Steele have shared their time, energy and conviction that the process was possible for me and, thereby, making it possible. iii The 1983 Linworth seniors who shared their growth and made this study possible. iv VITA February 4, 19 38 .............. Born - Columbus, Ohio 1959 ........................... B.S. in Education, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1959-1961 ..................... Teacher, Linden-McKinley High School, Columbus, Ohio 1965-1968 ..................... Teacher, Watterson High School, Columbus, Ohio 1971-1978 ..................... Teacher, Watterson High School, Columbus, Ohio 1977-1978 ..................... M.A. in Education, Spe cial Services, The Ohio State University, Colum bus, Ohio 1980-1987 ..................... Teacher, Worthington Alternative Program, Worthington, Ohio FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: New Program Development Studies in Experiential Education v TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION.......................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................... iii VITA ................................................ V LIST OF FIGURES .................................... viii CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION ................................ 1 Nature and Background of the Study ... 1 Statement of the Problem ............... 6 Justification of the Study ............ 8 Purpose of the S t u d y ................... 10 Methodology............................. 11 Limitations of the S t u d y ............... 12 II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE IN TERMS OF THE SETTING OF THE S T U D Y ................. 14 Review of Related Literature in Terms of the Concept of Walkabout.......... 17 Review of Related Literature in Terms of the Problem Statement ............. 19 Review of Related Literature in Terms of the Study's Conceptual Framework . 2 6 Summary of Literature Review .......... 45 III. PROCEDURES OF THE STUDY ..................... 47 Research Methodology in Experiential Education ............ ........ 47 Research Methodology of This Study . 55 S u b j e c t s ............................... 60 Research Design ......................... 62 Data Analysis and Interpretation .... 69 IV. CASE STUDY - USE OF THEORY TO ILLUSTRATE CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENT WHICH PROMOTES GROWTH IN WALKABOUT......................... 70 vi V. CASE STUDY - USE OF THEORY TO ILLUSTRATE CHARACTERISTICS OF WALKABOUT WHICH PROMOTES GROWTH IN STUDENT................... 9 6 VI. DATA ANALYSIS IN TERMS OF RESPONSE, SITUATION, AND TRANSITUATION LEARNING .... 120 Response Learning - Summary of Cell's T h e o r y ............................... 120 Response Learning - Analysis of Data . 122 Situation Learning - Summary of Cell . 12 9 Situation Learning - Analysis of Data . 131 Transituational Learning - Summary of C e l l .................................. 139 Transituational Learning - Analysis of D a t a ............................... 141 VII. CASE STUDIES - USE OF THEORY TO ILLUSTRATE DYSFUNCTIONAL LEARNING ..................... 144 VIII. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS................. 162 Restatement of the S t u d y ................... 162 Conclusions.................................. 166 Implications of the Study for Future R e s e a r c h .................................. 172 Implications for Practice ................... 177 APPENDICES A. Phi Delta Kappan Article .......... 179 B. Interview Guide Students ................ 181 C. Interview Guide Student Families ....... 183 D. Interview Guide Linworth Staff .......... 185 E. Interview Guide Walkabout Placement . 187 F. Interviews................................ 189 G. Walkabout Proposal ....................... 193 LIST OF REFERENCES.................................. 197 vii LIST OF FIGURES FIGURES PAGE 1. Cell's Experiential Learning Typology .... 36 2. Comparison of Research Paradigms ....... 53 3. Study's Population .......................... 61 4. Schedule of Data Collection for the S t u d y ...................................... 67 viii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Nature and Background of the Study Most educators agree that significant learning involves a change in the learner. However, what is considerably less clear are the characteristics of the learner and of the learning situation which cause the change to take place. Equally unclear is the issue of what kinds of changes (i.e., cognitive, affective) take place in the learner in the process of learning. Educators as separated in time as John Dewey (193 6) and Edward Cell (1984) agree that a student's successful learning is the result of his ability to learn from experience. Cell said that, "Because our success in living depends on our ability to learn from our experience, the subject has importance to all of us . ." While Dewey (1938) said, "The more definitely and sincerely it is held that education is a development within, by, and for experience, the more important it is that there shall be clear conceptions of what experience is." This is, therefore, a study of a particular example of experiential learning in the hope that it may offer a more clear concept of what this type of experience is. This 1 2 study is concerned with an experiential program, called Walkabout. The concept is the idea of a Canadian educator, Maurice Gibbons, and has been the subject of two Phi Delta Kappan issues. It is important to understand the evolution of his idea and a history of the word and concept. A year ago, I saw an Australian film called Walkabout, which was so provocative - and evocative - I am still rerunning scenes from it in my mind. In the movie, two children escape into the desert - like wilderness of the outback when their father, driven mad by failure in

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