Outdoor & Environmental Studies

Exploring Outdoor Experiences

This unit examines some of the ways in which humans understand and relate to nature through experiences of outdoor environments. The focus is on individuals and their personal responses to, and experiences of, outdoor environments. Students are provided with the opportunity to explore the many ways in which nature is understood and perceived. Students develop a clear understanding of the range of motivations for interacting with outdoor environments and the factors that affect an individual’s access to outdoor experiences and relationships with outdoor environments. Through outdoor experiences, students develop practical skills and knowledge to help them live sustainably in outdoor environments. Students understand the links between practical experiences and theoretical investigations, gaining insight into a variety of responses to, and relationships with nature.

Discovering Outdoor Environments

This unit focuses on the characteristics of outdoor environments and different ways of understanding them, as well as the impact of humans on outdoor environments. In this unit students study the impact of nature on humans, and the ecological, social and economic implications of the impact of humans on outdoor environments. Students develop a clear understanding of the impact of technologies and changing human lifestyles on outdoor environments. Students examine a number of case studies of specific outdoor environments, including areas where there is evidence of human intervention. They develop the practical skills required to minimise the impact of humans on outdoor environments. Through practical experiences students are able to make comparisons between and to reflect upon outdoor environments, as well as to develop theoretical knowledge about natural environments.

Relationships with Outdoor Environments

The focus of this unit is the ecological, historical and social contexts of relationships between humans and outdoor environments in Australia. Case studies of a range of impacts on outdoor environments are examined in the context of the changing nature of human relationships with outdoor environments in Australia over 60,000 years.

Students consider several factors that influence relationships with outdoor environments. They also examine the dynamic nature of relationships between humans and their environment.

Students are involved in multiple experiences in outdoor environments, including in areas where there is evidence of human interaction. Through these practical experiences, students make comparisons between, and reflect upon, outdoor environments, as well as develop theoretical knowledge and skills about specific outdoor environments.

Students undertake an independent investigation into the changing relationships with, and sustainability of, at least two different visited outdoor environments across both Units 3 and 4, which is assessed in Unit 4, Outcome 3.

Sustainable Outdoor Environments

In this unit students explore the sustainable use and management of outdoor environments. They observe and assess the health of outdoor environments and consider the importance of this health for the future of Australian outdoor environments and the Australian population.

Students examine the importance of the sustainability of human relationships with outdoor environments and the urgent need to balance human needs and the needs of outdoor environments. They investigate current acts and conventions as well as management strategies for achieving and maintaining healthy and sustainable Australian outdoor environments in contemporary Australian society.

Students engage in multiple related experiences in outdoor environments, conducting an ongoing investigation into the health of, and care for, these places. They learn and apply the practical skills and knowledge required to sustain healthy outdoor environments and evaluate the strategies and actions they employ. Through these practical experiences, students reflect upon outdoor environments and make comparisons between them by applying theoretical knowledge developed about outdoor environments.

As global citizens, students investigate how individuals and community members take action towards promoting sustainable and healthy outdoor environments and describe possible solutions to threats facing outdoor environments and their sustainability.

Students undertake an independent investigation into the changing relationships with, and sustainability of, at least two different visited outdoor environments across both Units 3 and 4, which is assessed in Unit 4, Outcome 3.