Welcome to Volume 1 Issue 4 of the e-mail companion to the 'Sitefinder: Adventure and Experiential Education Directory' Editor: Roger Greenaway roger@reviewing.co.uk Copyright 1998 Roger Greenaway, Reviewing Skills Training   THANK YOU for signing up for this free monthly newsletter. If this copy is forwarded to you by a friend, you can get your own free subscription. See the end of this message to find out how to SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE.   SiteFinder (directory and ezine) will help you find the answers to this question:   HOW and WHY are people are using outdoor adventure for learning, growth, development, empowerment, education, training, therapy, reflection or inspiration?   Here's another few steps on the journey inspired by that long question!   CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> SITE REVIEWS   The feedback I received on last month's 3 site reviews was encouraging (except about the strange symbols in the automated subject header for 'Part 2' - a problem that I have now fixed). If you missed part 2, you can now find a full web version at: http://reviewing.co.uk/ezine2/reviews1.htm   Some of you may be considering commenting on sites you like, but don't have the time to write a full review. So in this issue I have deliberately switched to a different review style. Instead of looking at whole sites, I have just picked ONE 'thing' on each site to comment on.   CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> EXPERIENTIAL ACTIVITIES More and more web sites are putting up full descriptions of activities on their sites.   Rich Weider (Team Craft) provides activity information in 'pdf' files (more about pdf in a later issue of SiteFinder) http://www.teamcraft.com   Matt Hudson (WooHoo, Inc.) offers 'Landmine' as a free experiential exercise http://www.woohoou.com   Christian Itin invites people to enter activity descriptions on his activities page, and he has collected an interesting variety of activities. http://www.geocities.com/dr_adventure   >From a surfer's point-of-view it's good to know that these resources are available. If you happen to know the name of the activity you are looking for, you may be able to find it via a search engine. But it would take a highly skilled or patient searcher to find the 'Landmine' activity amongst all the other 'Landmine' pages that a search will produce. Even www.askjeeves.com isn't clever enough to help you find good activity ideas. That is where discussion lists are so useful (see next).   CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> DISCUSSION LISTS The main Association for Experiential Education discussion list is a great 'place' to ask advice. You may get a carefully written answer to your question. You may get a reference to off-line or on-line resources. This is often how activity pages on websites get found. You don't need to be a member of AEE to join in. Joining details are at: www.aee.org Then just send in your question - more advice on this below. Depending on the nature of your question you may get a better and more thorough answer by searching the AEELIST archives. Another kind of search you can do is to look for more specialised lists (see next).   MORE DISCUSSION LISTS There are special lists for OUTDOOR RESEARCH, ROPES COURSES, ADVENTURE THERAPY etc. I have instructions for joining and leaving 7 outdoor discussion lists on my own site (and for archive searching - if available) http://reviewing.co.uk/outdoor/discussion-lists.htm   Rob Benson (Crossroads Experiential Learning) has links to 25 discussion lists that may be of interest to experiential educators: http://www.magnolia.net/~xroads [URL may have changed]   ASKING QUESTIONS TO DISCUSSION LISTS It is not a popular move to post the same question to more than one list at a time. In fact some lists discourage or outlaw this practice. If you want to tap the brains, experience and ideas from more than one list, a good way is to ask a different (but related) question to each list. Slant each question towards the 'main focus' of the list you are writing to. Also space out your questions, so that what you learn from one list can shape what you ask the next list (on your list).   If you think you may want to return some time to ask another question, it makes good sense (apart from being good manners) to say thanks and to give something back some time. This might be when you can answer someone else's question. You don't have to be an expert. You may simply refer someone to a useful reference (on or off line) - such as the SiteFinder Directory and Ezine! :-)   When you join a list, you often receive a welcome message from a robot that gives you advice about using that particular list - including sources of more robot advice and human advice (from the 'list owner').   These tips about discussion lists should help you find useful websites - especially in 'our' field where keyword searches are so unreliable. When you find a good website (or a good page) write in and tell us! And if you can add a tip or two about discussion lists or search tips (especially in 'our' field) please write in to roger@reviewing.co.uk These are all ways in which you become eligible for a prize! Winning a prize is not guaranteed - unlike the warm glow of inner satisfaction you get from contributing - which is! :-)   CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> D I R E C T O R I E S . & . D A T A B A S E S   EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION AND YOUTH WORK A new page at Barbara Kawliche's Youthwork Links and Ideas provides you with a descriptive list of experiential education sites. As the site title (and address) indicate there's plenty more of interest on this site for youth workers. This USA based site is also an excellent gateway to UK resources. http://www.youthwork.com   EXPERIENCE-BASED TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT (EBTD) What did I just say about discussion lists helping you find useful websites? I have just picked up news from the AEELIST that should interest you. • If you have a website to promote, here's two more places to submit it. • If you're looking for directories of 'experential' websites, then you have two more places to visit.   Simon Priest has just announced that he will be listing EBTD providers on the eXperientia website. If your work is more than 50% with corporate clients send your E-dress or homepage URL to experien@tscnet.com Your contact information will appear on a page organized geographically (in the next month or two) at http://www.tarrak.com   Christian Itin has already made a start on a similar list where there are about 30 sites who state they do corporate work from around the world and have sites online. http://www.geocities.com/dr_adventure/links.html   UK DATABASE The Outdoor Source Book is now online. It has 444 records. These are not 444 websites, but you will find many more UK websites here than the 22 UK sites in SiteFinder. There are still a few teething troubles with this resource (it's only just appeared). Your feedback to Adventure Education will help to improve this valuable source of information. http://www.outdoor-learning.org>   CONTENTS (TOP) ====>> P R I Z E  W I N N E R   Congratulations to Brent Bell (The Biking Expedition) for winning the first prize draw. Brent will be choosing his prize from the three books currently on the list. The next draw will be on 1st December. Enter now so you don't forget. It's dead easy to enter and the odds on winning a prize are excellent!   You just have to do ONE of these things (not the whole lot!): Send in your review comments OR news OR tips OR articles OR offer a prize OR just recommend SiteFinder to someone else. By entering you are taking one small step that will add to the value of SiteFinder. A selfish way of being unselfish - that should appeal to everyone!