RESULTS
Whereas all 23 participants stated that their OAE course was meaningful and significant, they
experienced the course in diverse ways representing a suite of personal growth (e.g., finding new
strategies to deal with emotional problems) and instrumental learning outcomes (e.g., committing
to protect the environment). Four main themes emerged from the data analysis as important
aspects of the course and as elements that contributed to personal transformations and changes
in behavior: living in pristine nature, experiencing a different lifestyle, being part of the course
community, and dealing with the intensity and challenges of the course (Table 2). Note that the
themes intertwine meanings participants took away from the course along with aspects of the
course to which interviewees attributed that meaning.