Mountaineering club model in the first and second elementary school education periods

A hiking club is one of the extracurricular activities that a school can offer, and is optional for students. Similar to hiking sports days, a hiking club is also composed of three phases (hike preparation, hike realization and reliving the hike). The purpose of this Master’s Thesis is to research how 1st and 2nd educational stage teachers in Slovenia’s primary schools implement this three-phase model. The results of our quantitative research are presented in the empirical part of this thesis. We used the descriptive research method. We collected data via surveys given out to teachers carrying out hiking club activities in the 2020–2021 school year across different primary schools in Slovenia. Using statistical data analysis we presented the results with graphs, tables and interpretations. We found out that some schools cooperate with the Alpine Association of Slovenia, while others organize their hiking clubs independently. Most teachers inform their students about upcoming hiking trips at least 3 days beforehand via written notices. Teachers choose the hiking destinations before the school year starts and change them during the year if necessary. Some destinations remain the same as previous years’, and some change annually. Almost all of the teachers impart some theoretical knowledge by talking with the students during the trip itself, and they don’t pay much attention to the students’ physical preparedness. Teachers use different motivational techniques, such as implementing a hiking program. We had expected more teachers to be applying differentiation. Teachers usually carry out the evaluation and reliving part on the bus directly after the trip by talking to the students. Most teachers decide to be in charge of hiking clubs because they enjoy hiking themselves. We found there are differences between teachers with additional hiking training and those without when it came to implementing certain theoretical content, implementing differentiation and including hiking programs. There were no noticeable statistically important differences between the two groups regarding the reliving phase of the hike. Love of hiking and the possibility of passing the applicable knowledge to students have a statistically greater impact on the motivation of tour guides and hiking club mentors than on the motivation of teachers without those titles