DR LORRAINE SMITH
Researcher & Teacher - Health and Recreation
TAFE NSW Western Institute

Presentation

With co-presenter Charlie Cross

THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF OUTDOOR EDUCATION ON EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS
AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES FOR RURAL STUDENTS

Exploring student outcomes in terms of student retention rates; personal and social growth and vocational pathways from participation in a TVET Outdoor Recreation Block Delivery Program.

This workshop will explore the nature and scope of the TVET Outdoor Recreation Block Delivery program in terms of student outcomes.

Evaluation tools and methods used to gather and analyse data together with the findings will be shared.

The workshop will highlight that the TVET Outdoor Recreation program significantly impacts participants’ self-perceived life effectiveness skills which in turn assist young people in their choices both personally and vocationally into the future.

Lorraine Smith has more than 30 years experience in a variety of educational settings. She started her professional career as a secondary teacher in Physical Education and English in Victoria.

She began her professional Outdoor Education career at Bogong Outdoor Education Centre in the late 1970’s. In 1984 she completed a doctorate in Outdoor Education at Indiana University.

She has taught at Victoria University and La Trobe University.

She was the Head of Outdoor Education and Nature Tourism at Bendigo for ten years before moving to The Outdoor Education Group in NSW.

Lorraine was appointed as the Executive Director of the NSW Division of OEG with the specific brief to establish OEG in NSW.  Over a period of ten years she assisted to grow the organization into a well respected not-for-profit outdoor company.

She led a review and restructure of OEG’s curriculum and developed the Educational Framework.

Concurrently, a five year research program was launched to validate educational outcomes achieved through participation in OEG’s programs.