The communication of the aims of Outward Bound to students

Abstract

The intention of this thesis is to assess the effectiveness with which the philosophy of Cobham Outward Bound School (COBS) was communicated to its students. To this end, the study falls into four parts. The first is a review of the literature related to the philosophy of the Outward Bound schools. Secondly, the operational philosophy of COBS as it is perceived by the Warden and Instructors is recorded. A sample of students was questioned about what they thought were the aims of Outward Bound during the third stage of the study. Finally, the operational philosophy of the school is compared to the students' perceptions of that philosophy. It was found that the students did recognise the three main aims identified by the instructors - the development of self-awareness, interpersonal skills and personal resources.