Expectations of learning outcomes

Parents mostly consider these programmes as extra-curricular activities and are unaware of any cultural implication. Expectations of these programmes are straightforward and simple. Widening their children‟s horizons and meeting more potential friends is the most common

expectation. Parents are aware that their children‟s social circles are very small and that this could be disadvantageous in the future. However, as immigrants, they lack confidence to expand their comfort zone. Their local knowledge and information about social support institutions are rather limited. They know they need to extend their horizons; they are not sure where they should extend their wings and what will be the consequence if this runs out of their control. As a result, they tend to gravitate to those organisations they trust or know by virtue of belonging to the same ethnic identity. This is consistent with ethnic enclosure theory (Hwang & Murdock, 1991; Carr & Williams, 1993). Staying in the same ethnic group provides parents with a safety network in which they have more confidence. Some of them choose the church, particularly Chinese churches; some choose the S.C.C.U.S.S. (a non-profit making charitable organisation for the purpose of promoting the well-being of Canadians and Chinese immigrants) and CCM (Chinese Christian Missions) to obtain support when necessary. At least they are able to communicate efficiently in these organisations. Participation in adventure education programmes provided by both Enoch and Scouts means families can widen their horizons and make more friends. The AE participants generally felt satisfied with the result and have developed some friendships. Cathy, one of the young participants in this research, commented positively after her 3-day camp with the Duke of Edinburgh Award about this aspect of the experience.

Cathy (AE participant) “Being with people who are like the same as me (peers), rather than being the only child at home. There‟s no one to really turn to when things get hairy. I have always wanted a brother or sister, and being at camp is like having a million brothers and sisters.”

Parents are aware of the significance of peer influence and therefore carefully chose what they thought was good for their children. Through various connections, the Enoch Leadership camp and the Scout programme at CCM were recommended to them. They enrolled their children in these programmes mainly because they have trust in their background and their brand. Most importantly, they trust the people in charge and the participants in these organisations and believe that there will be no harmful effects on their children from participation. Their motivations in pre-selecting a controllable peer-group for their children are understandable.

Most of the parents commented that their children lacked self-confidence. This is consistent with the finding of Chang (1975) and Bowler et al. (1986), that Asian-American children have comparatively lower self-esteem and self-confidence than Anglo-American, Blacks and Mexican Americans. Due to differences in body size between the majority Americans and the Asian immigrants, Asian children have a poor body image, considered a major component of personal self-esteem, compared to the Blacks or the Whites (Henkin & Nguyen, 1984; Pang et al, 1985). Chinese parents are aware of this problem and realize that adventure education programmes will provide a good learning opportunity. The results are quite noticeable: several parents commented that there were significant improvements in their children‟s self-confidence and were pleased about these changes. This feedback supports Hattie et al (1997) and McKenzie, (2003) that adventure education programmes have a positive effect in building participants‟ self-esteem and self-confidence.

Some parents are also aware that their children are being “protected” when growing up in an untroubled environment and they worry that their children may not be able to withstand adversity. Building their children‟s resilience is therefore an expectation of joining AE programmes. Chinese Canadian parents generally believe that the experience of tough and demanding situations will help their children to mature and enhance the development of their “Emotional Quotient” and “Adversity Quotient”. This is not new in Chinese culture: “Jade only becomes valuable after being cut and polished” (Chinese proverb). Parents accept that they need to give

freedom to the organisers to conduct the programme so that their children can be “tough” in the future. However, safety is still the major concern for some parents. They know that sometimes “risks” are unavoidable and if these adverse situations are managed well, positive outcomes will result. Their attitude to risk-taking is positive but they would prefer that risks be minimized. To achieve this involves systematic training, strategic planning and scientific programming. Parents believe that joining adventure programmes and tackling risk situations are means to achieve personal growth; one should not take risks purely for enjoyment. “Experience one thing; your wisdom will improve one step” (Chinese proverb). “Your body is given by your parents, you are not allowed to do any harm to it, this is the fundamental of filial piety” (Xiao Jin). Semantically, this perspective may look outdated and pedantic but it is

embedded in Chinese philosophy: it is not commendable to risk and harm your body unnecessarily. This idea links with the definition of “self”, which, in Chinese philosophy, carries a strong social dimension. Avoidance of risk-taking is considered a responsibility not only to yourself but also to your family, particularly to your parents. Therefore, taking risks for the holistic development of a person is acceptable to Chinese culture but the Western approach of taking risks for self-satisfaction and enjoyment is not commendable. Nevertheless, it worth stressing here that Western parents also want to minimise “risks” to their children, but unlike the Chinese parents, they have more acceptance of allowing their children to explore and experience even if there is a certain risk involved.

Much literature covers the psychological status of participants in adventure education programmes and suggests that they will need to break through their “Comfort Zone” and enter the “Stretch Zone” to gain most personal growth (Priest & Gass, 1997). These Chinese-Canadian children are born into small family units, well taken care of within the family and build very close family networks. In a collective Chinese culture, every person is regarded as an integral part of the family because they are closely knit together, socially and emotionally. This is particularly true of Chinese immigrants‟ families. As they have faced the changes and challenges through migration together, their relationships are much tighter than in normal families. Adventure experience is not only new to the children but to the entire family, particularly the parents, and therefore the parents have to “choose very carefully”. Sending their children to an unknown experience could be a very overwhelming experience for them too. This may also explain why parents stay with the Scout group when they have meetings or are attached to the group as volunteers. When asked how they felt when their children went camping, some parents admitted to being very worried. One even cried for the entire three days and went sleepless until her son came home safely. A father recalled that he kept anxiously holding his mobile phone and stayed alert because it was the first time his daughter slept away from home and he needed to be ready to react fast in case of emergency!