Our Philosophical Origins
Our approach to designing and delivering team building and challenge course programs is based on the pedagogy of experiential education. Experiential education utilizes physical, mental and social challenges as a catalyst for change and the practice of using it in an outdoor adventure education setting can be traced to the 1940's and the advent of Outward Bound which describes it's teaching process as "
an intense experience surmounting challenges in a natural setting, through which the individual builds his sense of self-worth, the group comes to a heightened awareness of human interdependence, and all grow in concern for those in need." - Outwardbound.org
Since its use as a method of training sailors to survive attacks upon their ships during World War II, experiential education has been adapted by educators at all level, leaders of business, sports teams, and service organizations to instill individuals and groups with the skills needed to overcome challenges and the insight to utilize their new found skills in the settings (school, workplace, athletic field...) in which they operate daily.
Our Approach
At Madison College our programs provide groups with a progression of increasingly complex challenges that involve group initiatives, low ropes and high ropes course activities (please see our Challenge Course Program Options page for details). Facing and surmounting these challenges (or failing to do so - there is much to be learned through failure) results in the growth of skills and knowledge that a facilitator then assists participants to make use of in subsequent challenges.
Our ultimate goal is to help group members transfer the skills they practice (communication, leadership, collaboration, differentiation of tasks, etc.) during their challenge course experience into their everyday lives as students, family members, work colleagues or team members. In this way, time spent engaging in what may at first appear to be simple "games" ultimately results in the group being able to effectively work together to set goals, persevere through difficulties and achieve their goals.
For more information email
Bill Kegler, Madison College Challenge Course Coordinator or call (608) 245-2126.
