Dr Roger Scrutton (FRSE, FHEA)

Honorary Research Fellow in Outdoor Education

Biography

Background

My background is in geology and geophysics as a member of academic staff in the School of Geosciences at Edinburgh University from 1974.  Now retired, I have been able to pursue a life-long interest in outdoor pursuits as a full-time researcher in the Outdoor Education Group at Edinburgh.  I felt duty-bound to first of all complete a research degree in Outdoor Education, and now I have an Honorary Research Fellowship which will allows me to research areas of the personal and academic benefits of residential outdoor education for school pupils and youth groups.

Responsibilities & affiliations

I have a long involvement with orienteering as a participant, a coach and, recently, as President of the Scottish Orienteering Association.

Postgraduate teaching

I make occasional teaching appearances in areas of education related to my research and orienteering interests.  Formerly, I taught a wide range of courses in geology, geophysics and oceanography.

Research summary

  • Bringing the results of rigorous research to bear on education policy and provision
  • The benefits of participation in residential outdoor activities for the development of young people, principally their personal and social development but also their physical and academic development
  • Quantitative research methodology in outdoor education and its relationship to qualitative research

Current and recent research

Project activity

  • Measurement of the benefits of outdoor adventure activities programmes for school children
  • A pathway of affective and cognitive learning on residential outdoor education courses embedded in the curriculum
  • The contribution of metrics and measures to education policy and provision
  • Increasing the rigour of quantitative studies of personal and social development in outdoor adventure education
  • A comparison of the personal and social benefits gained from outdoor adventure courses, field studies courses and combined courses
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