Adventurers’ adventures: Can they relaunch outdoor activities after Covid?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.1970-2221/19226Abstract
In this article, I highlight how the lockdowns during the pandemic in Italy favoured the emergence of a higher indoorisation for Generation Z. I underline the fact that the most recent post-pandemic studies in Italy highlight the difficulties for a part of adolescents to resume experiential activities in outdoors. The latest research states that some teenagers do not find the stimuli to get out of the virtual bubble after the end of the pandemic. Some scholars of outdoor education in Italy have started a debate on whether it is enough to give adolescents the opportunity to resume outdoor experiential activities for a real re-start, or whether the adventurers’ adventures can be an example to follow. The scientific literature in outdoor adventure education has not yet explored the positive relationship that can be established between pupil and adventurer in order to promote more place-based micro-adventures.
References
Aristeidou, M. & Cross, S. (2021). Disrupted distance learning: the impact of Covid-19 on study habits of distance learning university students, Open Learning. The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, 36:3, 263-282. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2021.1973400.
Beames, S. (2010). Understanding Educational Expeditions. Rotterdam: Sense Publisher.
Beames, S. & Brown, M. (2014). Enough of Ronald and Mickey: focusing on learning in outdoor education, Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 14:2, 118-131. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2013.841096
Beames, S. & Brown, M. (2016). Adventurous Learning. A Pedagogy for a Changing World. New York-London. Routledge.
Beames S., Higgins P. & Nicol R. (2012). Learning outside the classroom-theory and guidelines for practise. New York and London: Routledge.
Beames S., Mackie C. & Atencio M. (2019). Adventure and Society. Torino: Amazon Italia Logistica S.R.L
Bernardi, W. (2015). La filosofia va in bicicletta. Venezia: Ediciclo Edizioni.
Biolcati R. & Pani R. (2006). Le dipendenze senza droghe. Torino: UTET Università.
Bortolotti, A. (2019). Outdoor Education. Storia, ambiti, metodi. Milano: Guerini Scientifica.
Boyd, D. (2014). It’s complicated: The social lives of networked teens. London: Yale University Press.
Brymer, E., Downey, G. & Gray, T. (2009). Extreme sports as a precursor to environmental sustainability. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 14(2-3], 193- 204. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729670903116912
Brown, M. (2008b). Outdoor education: Opportunities provided by a place-based approach, New Zealand Journal of Outdoor Education, 2(3), 7–25.
Brown, M. (2009). Reconceptualising outdoor adventure education: Activity in search of an appropriate theory,. Australian Journal of Outdoor Education, 13(2), 3–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03400882
Brown, M. (2010). Transfer: Outdoor adventure education’s Achilles heel? Changing participation as a viable option. Australian, Journal of Outdoor Education, 14(1), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03400892
Brown, M. & Fraser, D. (2009). Re-evaluating risk and exploring educational alternatives. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 9(1), 61–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729670902789529
Bryman, A. (2004). The Disneyization of society. London: Sage.
Brymer, E. (2010). Risk taking in extreme sports: A phenomenological perspective. Annals of Leisure Research, 13(1-2), 218-238. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/11745398.2010.9686845
Brymer, E., Downey, G. & Gray, T. (2009). Extreme sports as a precursor to environmental sustainability. Journal of Sport and Tourism, 14(2-3), 193-204. https://doi.org/10.1080/14775080902965223
Brymer, E. & Gray, T. (2009). Dancing with nature: Rhythm and harmony in extreme sport participation. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 9(2), 135-149. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729670903116912
Bull, M. (2021). The Italian government response to Covid-19 and the making of a prime minister, Contemporary Italian Politics, 13:2, 149-165. https://doi.org/10.1080/23248823.2021.1914453.
Cagliari P., Castagnetti, M., Giudici, C., Rinaldi, C., Vecchi, V. & Moss, P. (2016). Loris Malaguzzi and the schools of Reggio Emilia: A selection of his writings and speechs 1945-1993. London, England: Routledge.
Colamedici, A. & Gancitano, M. (2018). La società della performance: come uscire dalla caverna. Roma: Edizioni Tlon.
Crepet, P. (2023). Prendetevi la Luna. Mondadori-Strade blu.
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Collier Books.
Dewey, J. (2005). Democracy and Education: An introduction to the Philosophy of Education. New York: Cosimo, Inc.
Di Giorgio, A. (2015). Esco a fare quattro passi. Torino: Miraggi edizioni.
Di Giorgio, A. (2021). Eppure c’era: l’invisibile amico Rhino. Cesena: Il ponte vecchio società editrice.
D’Elia, I. (2020). Generazione DAD: scuole, politica e psicoanalisi. Ancona: Pequod.
Elkann, E. (2020, 22 August). Florence Williams: “Il cervello è felice quando ascolta l’armonia della natura”. La Stampa. https://www.lastampa.it/topnews/tempi-moderni/2020/08/23/news/florence-williams-il-cervello-e-felice-quando-ascolta-l-armonia-della-natura-1.39220527/ (Accessed on 05/05/2025).
Esposito, S., Giannitto, N., Squarcia, A., Neglia, C., Argentiero, A., Minichetti, P., Cotugno, N. & Principi, N. (2021) Development of Psychological Problems Among Adolescents During School Closures Because of the COVID-19 Lockdown Phase in Italy: A Cross-Sectional Survey. Front. Pediatr. 8:628072. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2020.628072
Farné, R., Bortolotti, A. & Terrusi, M. (2018). Outdoor Education: prospettive teoriche e buone pratiche. Carocci Editore Studi Superiori
Farné, R. & Agostini, F. (2014). Outdoor Education: L’educazione si cura all’aperto. Parma: Edizioni Junior.
Fraser, S. (2012). Authentic childhood: Exploring Reggio-Emilia in the classroom. Toronto: Nelson Education.
Gordon, R. (2006). Introduction. In L. Vivanco & R. Gordon (Eds.), Tarzan was an ecotourist (pp. 1–23). New York, NY: Berghahn.
Gregoretti, S. (2019). Ultratrail, dal deserto della Namibia all’Artico: le mie corse estreme nelle terre meravigliose e fragili del pianeta. Milano: Rizzoli.
Allen Hill & Mike Brown (2014). Intersections between place, sustainability and transformative outdoor experiences. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 14:3, 217-232. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2014.918843
Iori, V. (1996). Lo spazio vissuto. Luoghi educativi e soggettività. Firenze: La Nuova Italia.
Joplin, L. (1995). On defining experiential education. In Warren, K; Sakofs, M; Hunt, J. Dubuque (Eds.) The Theory of Experiential Education (pp. 15-22). Kendall/Hunt.
Krein, K. (2007). Nature and risk in adventure sports. In M. McNamee (Ed.), Philosophy, risk and adventure sports (pp. 80–93). London: Routledge.
Lavenia, G. (2018). Le dipendenze tecnologiche: valutazione, diagnosi e cura. Firenze: Giunti Editore.
Li, Qing. (2018). Shinrin-yoku. Immergersi nei boschi. Il metodo giapponese per coltivare la felicità e vivere più a lungo. Milano: Rizzoli.
Loynes, C. (1998). Adventure in a bun. Journal of Experiential Education, 21(1), 35–39.
Lyng, S. (1990). Edgework: A social psychological analysis of voluntary risk taking. The American Journal of Sociology, 95(4), 851–886. https://doi.org/ 10.1086/229379.
Ministry of Education (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington. Learning Media.
Mascheroni, G., Saeed, M., Valenza, M., Cino, D., Dreesen, T., Zaffaroni, L.G. & Kardefelt-Winther, D. (2021). La didattica a distanza durante l’emergenza COVID-19: l’esperienza italiana. Firenze: Centro di Ricerca Innocenti dell’Unicef.
Nicol, R., Higgins, P., & Ross, H. (2012). Call for papers for themed edition of the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning: space, place and sustainability—the role of outdoor education. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 12(3), 267–268. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2012.701072
Petrini, C. (2009). Terra Madre: come non farci mangiare dal cibo. Firenze: Giunti Editore.
Petrini, C. (2016). Buono, pulito e giusto. Bra: Slow Food Editore.
Quay, J. (2003). Experience and participation: Relating theories and learning. Journal of Experiential Education, 26(2), 105-112. https://doi.org/10.1177/105382590302600208
Quay, J., & Seaman, J., (2013). John Dewey and education outdoors: Making sense of the ‘educational situation’ through more than a century of progressive reforms. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Recalcati, M. (2021a). I ragazzi ai tempi del Covid: come aiutare una generazione che rischia di perdere-tutto. La Repubblica:https://www.repubblica.it/robinson/2021/02/20/news/la_nuova_materia_e_la_riscoperta_dell_altro-288428819/ (Last accessed on May 7, 2024).
Recalcati, M. (2021b). I social e le lezioni da remoto si sostituiscono ai legami in presenza: è una dipendenza preoccupante. La Stampa. https://www.lastampa.it/alessandria/2021/08/31/news/massimo-recalcati-i-social-si-sostituiscono-ai-legami-e-una-dipendenza-preoccupante-1.40653318/ (Last accessed on May 7, 2024).
Ricci, C. (2017). Hikikomori: narrations from behind a closed door. Roma: Aracne Editrice.
Ritzer, G. (1998). The McDonaldization thesis: Explorations and extensions. New York: Sage.
Rivkin, M. S. (2000). Outdoor experiences for young children. Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools, Appalachia Educational Laboratory.
Rubino, G. (2012). L'Eroica. La storia, le strade, le bici, i personaggi. Bergamo: Bolis Edizioni.
Russell, J. S. (2007). Children and dangerous sport and recreation. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport, 34(2), 176-193.
Salgari, E. (2011). Sandokan alla riscossa. Milano: Rizzoli.
Schenetti M., Salvaterra I., & Rossini B. (2015). La scuola nel bosco: Pedagogia, didattica e natura. Trento: Erickson.
Spitzer, M. (2016). Solitudine digitale. Milano: Garzanti.
Terzani, T. (2014). Una idea di destino. Milano: Longanesi.
Van Bottenbourg, M., & Lotte, S., (2010). The indoorisation of outdoor sport: an exlporation of the rise of lifestyle sports in artificial settings. Leisure Studies, 29, 143-160. https://doi.org/ 10.1080/02614360903261479
Volpi, B. (2014). Gli adolescenti e la rete. Roma: Carocci.
Wattchow, B., & Brown, M., (2011). Pedagogy of place: Outdoor education for a changing world. Melbourne. Monash University Publishing.
Williams, F. (2017). The nature fix: Why nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative. New York City. W. W. Norton & Company Publisher.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Werther Giannini
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
