| The nature and scope of outdoor adventure leadership and programming preparation for physical education majors was investigated. A nationwide survey (Phase I) found that 184 (44.2%) institutions offered outdoor adventure leadership and programming courses to physical education majors. A mean of 6.7 semester hours, almost equally divided between theory/methods and activity, were offered.;Phase II examined the development of 148 outdoor adventure leadership and programming competencies in 12 institutions with significant outdoor adventure components. Characteristics of the institutions, physical education programs, and outdoor adventure components were described. These institutions offered a mean of 23.6 semester hours in 13.2 predominantly elective activity-oriented courses. An average of 38 (21.2%) physical education majors were enrolled annually in outdoor adventure courses. A mean of 2.8 faculty members, specializing in two or more adventure areas, taught the courses. At least half the institutions offered backpacking, canoeing, climbing/rappelling, cross-country skiing, cycling, SCUBA, orienteering, outdoor education, leadership, outdoor adventure education, and supervised leadership experiences.;The median competency-development score was 4.00 on a five-point Likert scale. Only 2.0% of the competencies were undeveloped. The most-developed competencies were primarily leadership, first aid/safety, and outdoor skills. A majority of the least-developed competencies were counseling and program planning skills. Two-thirds of the competencies were developed in outdoor adventure-specific courses; the rest, in physical education and other courses. Lectures, discussions, reading/written assignments, skill practice, student leadership experiences, and short-duration trips were prevalent development experiences.;Obstacles to further competency development were duplication in other courses, low priority given to competencies, and insufficient time, money, and faculty expertise. Suggestions for further development included adding specific topics of courses and making existing courses requirements. Institutions whose competencies were more developed generally were larger, offered and required majors to take more outdoor adventure courses and semester hours, involved a greater proportion of physical education majors in those courses, and began offering courses earlier than the remaining institutions.;An outdoor adventure leadership and programming preparation model for physical education teacher certification majors was proposed. Outlined were two required courses and a 13-semester-hour option in outdoor adventure. |
