Scott Craig Polley

Teaching Strengths

Experiential Learning, Reflective Practice

APrf Scott Craig Polley

Program Director: Bachelor of Outdoor and Environmental Leadership

UniSA Allied Hlth & Human Perf

Teaching Enterprise

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Available For Media Comment.


I am Program Director of the Bachelor of Outdoor and Environmental Leadership, co-ordinator of the Outdoor Education sub-major and pedagogical pathway in the Bachelor of Secondary Education (honours) and the Master of Teaching (secondary). I have been teaching Outdoor Education at the University of South Australia since 1993, and have coordinated the Outdoor Education study pathway since July 1996. 
My teaching and research interests are primarily in the field of outdoor and environmental education, with interests in adventure therapy, environmentally sensitive behaviours, green exercise, curriculum, pedagogy, health and wellbeing, social justice, environmental learning,  physical education, leadership, group dynamics, adapted physical activity, tertiary thresholds and professionalization.
I am member of ARENA at UniSA, Co-Chair of the Australian Tertiary Outdoor Education Network, Coordinating Assessor for Paddle SA, Deputy Chair of the Nature Based Outdoor Network of South Australia, South Australian Rockclimbing Education Association Board Member and assessor for Bushwalking Leadership, Paddle Australia and South Australian Rockclimbing Education Association.

My primary research area is Outdoor Education and related fields, with interests in Health, Sustainability and Pedagogy.

Year Citation
2025 Polley, S., Ambrosy, J., Bester, L., Neville, I., Munge, B., Anderson, D., & Thomas, G. (2025). What additional skills and knowledge do Australian university graduates gain when learning to lead bushwalking by engaging with the National Outdoor Education Threshold Concepts?. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, online, 1-23.
DOI
2025 Ambrosy, J., Polley, S., Rankin, J., & Gray, T. (2025). Outdoor education and the Australian Curriculum: a descriptive policy analysis. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 19 pages.
DOI
2024 Polley, S., McLeod, B., Rankin, J., Munge, B., Bovino, P., & Picknoll, D. (2024). Assessing outdoor and environmental education threshold concepts in Australian universities. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, online(2), 1-23.
DOI Scopus1 WoS2
2020 Quay, J., Gray, T., Thomas, G., Allen Craig, S., Polley, S., & Foley, D. (2020). What future/s for outdoor and environmental education in a world that has contended with COVID-19?. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 23(2), 93-117.
DOI Scopus82 WoS63
2020 Quay, J., Gray, T., Thomas, G., Allen-Craig, S., Asfeldt, M., Andkjaer, S., . . . Foley, D. (2020). Correction to: What future/s for outdoor and environmental education in a world that has contended with COVID-19? (Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, (2020), 23, 2, (93-117), 10.1007/s42322-020-00059-2). Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 23(2), 119-120.
DOI Scopus3 WoS1
2019 Thomas, G., Grenon, H., Morse, M., Allen Craig, S., Mangelsdorf, A., & Polley, S. (2019). Threshold concepts for Australian university outdoor education programs: findings from a Delphi research study. Journal of outdoor and environmental education, 22(3), 169-186.
DOI Scopus21 WoS14
2019 Glover, N., & Polley, S. (2019). Going green: the effectiveness of a 40-day green exercise intervention for insufficiently active adults. Sports, 7(6, article no. 142), 1-15.
DOI Scopus11 WoS8 Europe PMC2
2017 Polley, S., & Thomas, G. (2017). What are the capabilities of graduates who study outdoor education in Australian universities? The case for a threshold concepts framework'. Journal of outdoor and environmental education, 20(1), 55-63.
DOI Scopus8
2003 Polley, S. C., & Pickett, B. (2003). The nature and scope of outdoor education in Australia: a summary of key findings. Australian Journal of Outdoor Education.
2001 Pickett, B., & Polley, S. C. (2001). Investigating the history of outdoor education in South Australia. Australian Journal of Outdoor Education.

Courses I teach

  • EDUC 3088 Outdoor and Environmental Education 1 - Middle Years (2025)
  • EDUC 4241 Outdoor and Environmental Education 2 - Senior Years (2025)
  • EDUC 5290 Outdoor and Environmental Education Pedagogy 1- Middle Years (2025)
  • EDUC 5291 Outdoor and Environmental Education Pedagogy 2 - Senior Years (2025)
  • HLTH 2024 Foundations of Outdoor Leadership (2025)
  • HLTH 3050 Leadership in Aquatic Environments (2025)
  • HLTH 3051 Leadership in Terrestrial Environments (2025)
  • HLTH 3052 Outdoor, Wilderness and Adventure Education (2025)
  • HLTH 3068 Professional Practice in Outdoor Leadership (2025)
  • HLTH 1039 Foundations in Human Movement, Exercise and Sports Science (2024)
  • HLTH 3050 Leadership in Aquatic Environments (2024)
  • HLTH 3052 Outdoor, Wilderness and Adventure Education (2024)
  • HLTH 3068 Professional Practice in Outdoor Leadership (2024)

Programs I'm associated with

  • IBHT - Bachelor of Human Movement
  • IBOE - Bachelor of Outdoor and Environmental Leadership

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2024 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Clay Hunter
2024 Co-Supervisor - - Master Full Time Mrs Tameliya Nikielski
2023 Co-Supervisor - - Master Full Time Mr Daniel Anderson
  • Position: Program Director: Bachelor of Outdoor and Environmental Leadership
  • Email: scottcraig.polley@adelaide.edu.au
  • Alternative Contact: alh-teachinglearning@unisa.edu.au

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