Staff
Dr Simon Beames (Lecturer)
Email: simon.beames@ed.ac.uk
Simon Beames is lecturer and undergraduate programme coordinator in the outdoor education section of the Moray House School of Education.
Simon's outdoor instructing experience has been predominantly in North America and Asia, where he worked with Outward Bound, Project DARE, The YMCA, and Hong Kong International School. He moved to the UK in 2001 to pursue PhD research focusing on overseas expeditions with Raleigh International. Simon has a mixture of basic North American and British NGB awards.
Simon serves on the review board of the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. In terms of research, he is particularly interested in understanding how different elements of outdoor education experiences influence participant outcomes. Simon's work also explores ways in which symbolic interactionist social theory is useful in understanding participants' outdoor education experiences.
Some publications include:
Beames, S., & Stonehouse, P. (2007). Liberty and social order on expeditions. Horizons, 40, 22-24.
Pike, E. & Beames, S. (2007). A critical interactionist analysis of 'youth development' expeditions. Journal of Leisure Studies, 26(2), 147-159.
Beames, S. (2006). Losing my religion: The struggle to find applicable theory. Pathways: The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 19(1), 4-11.
Beames, S., Brown, A. (2005). Outdoor Education in Hong Kong: Past, present, future. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 5(1), 69-82.
Beames, S. (2005). Expeditions and the social construction of the self. Australian Journal of Outdoor Education, 9(1), 14-22.
Beames, S. (2004). Critical elements of an expedition experience. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 4(2), 145-157.
Beames, S. (2004). Overseas youth expeditions: A rite of passage? Australian Journal of Outdoor Education, 8(1), 29-36.
Beames, S. (2003). Overseas youth expeditions. In B. Humberstone & H. Brown & K. Richards (Eds.), Whose Journeys? Penrith: Institute for Outdoor Learning, 289-296.
Beames, S., Briggs, T., Koestler, P., Holcombe, J., & Carlson, S. (2000). Guided reflection: A school-wide approach to reflection. Horizons: The Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Leadership, (7/8), 38-40.
Beames, S. (2000). Adventure education in developing nations. Horizons: The Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Leadership, (7/8), 47-49.
Beames, S. (1997). Chinese education: The journey from Confucianism to adventure learning. The Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Leadership, 14(2), 25-28.
Some back page rants in Pathways...
Beames, S. (2002). The black box. Pathways: The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 14(Autumn), 35.
Beames, S. (2003). Wrestling with development: Searching for the balance between give and take. Pathways: The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 15(Winter), 33.
Beames, S. (2002b). Cutbacks, credibility, and the mac and cheese experience. Pathways: The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 14, Winter, 11.
Beames, S. (2002c). Friluftsliv: Would you like fries with that? Pathways: The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 14, Summer, 36.
Beames, S. (2003b). Outdoor education degree = outdoor educator? Pathways: The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 15(4), 36.
The following essay was originally written as a personal position statement, to clarify my own ideas. It discusses two "critical threads" that I believe should underpin educational programmes of all kinds.
Beames, S. (2006). Caring for the planet and for each other: Two critical threads for contemporary education. Unpublished manuscript.
