1. Where's the E in OE? The McDonaldization of Irish outdoor education.
- Author
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Pierce, John and Beames, Simon
- Subjects
OUTDOOR education ,PARTICIPANT observation ,MCDONALDIZATION of society ,PUBLIC education ,EDUCATION research - Abstract
This paper presents key findings from a study that aimed to critically examine the practice of outdoor education in the Republic of Ireland. It consisted of 10 months of fieldwork across four public Outdoor Education and Training Centres (OETCs). Data were generated through participant observation, informal conversation, as well as centre websites. Findings from the thematic analysis are presented in the form of a creative non-fiction story—principally to protect the identities and centres involved. The findings were then interpreted through the theoretical lens of McDonaldization. Considering the dearth of outdoor education research in Ireland, McDonaldization provided a lens through which it was possible to more deeply understand how rationalisation has affected Irish public outdoor education practices. The discussion explores practices inconsistent with the stated Irish definitions of public outdoor education and the paper concludes with suggestions as to how the McDonaldization of outdoor education may be countered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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