Erleben and its meaning for vulnerable youth: a case study with digital stories

Prager, Simone (2019) Erleben and its meaning for vulnerable youth: a case study with digital stories. Masters dissertation, University of Cumbria (awarding body Lancaster University). Item availability may be restricted.

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Abstract

It is already known that youths with a challenging background can be reached by outdoor experiential pedagogical and therapeutic programmes. Nevertheless, insights into the how, why, and what are still limited. To glimpse into that black box, this study aims to examine the experiences and their underlying meanings, of vulnerable youths participating in a twelve day programme. The framework builds on the German concept of experiential education, Erlebnispädagogik, with its core terms. The youths created digital stories about their experiences, which have been analysed in order to determine captured experiences and their underlying meaning. Therefore, narrative enquiry and a hermeneutic phenomenological approach have been applied for understanding the audio-visual narrations. The method of Digital Storytelling is fairly new and has not been used in this context before, however it can be concluded that this participatory approach is promising. Nevertheless, there were limitations and the study suggests the application of method triangulation. The captured experiences are discussed in relation to the German guiding terms, with Erleben as the common denominator. In particular, the youths thematised a kind of being-on-the-way. Seven meanings were found; amongst them mastery, freedom/escape, being-important/self-worth and enjoyment. These are discussed, including the way in which the youths present themselves. The experiences as well as meanings are intertwined, complex and individually shifting. The study presents a starting point for further research in this context, as well as with Digital Storytelling, and calls for holistic and meaningful educational programmes that meet the demands of modern times.

Item Type: Thesis/Dissertation (Masters)
Departments: Academic Departments > Science, Natural Resources & Outdoor Studies (SNROS) > Outdoor Studies
Additional Information: Dissertation presented in part fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Arts in Transcultural European Outdoor Studies, University of Cumbria, 2019.
Depositing User: Anna Lupton
Date Deposited: 14 Mar 2019 10:27
Last Modified: 13 Jan 2024 08:01
URI: https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/4544
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