Perhaps the best known organization practicing adventure education is Outward Bound. These are important findings given that low participation in civic life often occurs because citizens feel powerless to bring about changes. Outdoor education nurtures a respect for our connectedness with nature and the wider community. Cultural journalism and participatory research. In a society that promotes individualism in countless ways, understanding the value of certain civic traditions can provide the basis for cooperation and mutual support.
Participatory research is closely related, but tends to involve more contemporary issues.
Put simply, it is research conducted by people who are affected by an issue, problem, or concern. The Highlander Center has offered training to community leaders in this approach for many decades. This form of outdoor education helps develop a sense of justice, which is essential to civic responsibility. For example, Whatcom Middle School, Western Washington State University, and Washington State Campus Compact collaborated to create an eighth-grade curriculum on environmental facets of watershed conservation and civic responsibilities inherent in environmental stewardship. The project prompted students to become politically involved in protecting and maintaining a local stream and fish hatchery threatened by industrial pollution.