Why we might be getting outdoor education (very) wrong
School Outdoor Learning have shared this TES article about outdoor education. In particular, this quote stood out, "No research proves that forest school is any more beneficial than any other type of outdoor learning." The point being that all time spent learning outdoors is good for children and teachers. Forest [...]
High Quality Outdoor Learning: Evidence-based Education outside the Classroom for Children, Teachers and Society
SILVIVA, the Swiss Foundation for Nature-based Education, together with the University of Education Heidelberg and more than 30 international experts, have published a new anthology. This brings together the most important research results and arguments why "outdoor learning" must be a central element of a viable education for the 21th [...]
Outdoor Play and Learning for Health, Wellbeing, and Development in Early Childhood
This Special Issue “Outdoor Play and Learning for Health, Wellbeing, and Development in Early Childhood” is in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). It seeks papers describing outdoor play and learning interventions and initiatives designed to promote the physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioural development of [...]
Outdoor education has psychological, cognitive and physical health benefits for children
This article in The Conversation (18 July 2022) describes outdoor education and research on teacher outdoor practice in Canada. It includes key messages for policy makers.
What impact does nature-specific outdoor learning have on school children’s learning and development?
This paper Getting Out of the Classroom and Into Nature: A Systematic Review of Nature-Specific Outdoor Learning on School Children's Learning and Development is published in Frontiers in Psychology (16 May 2022). It describes a systematic review carried out by Jeff Mann et al. The authors conclude that nature-specific outdoor [...]
New report reveals the experience of young people’s participation in projects throughout the pandemic
Children in Scotland (6 June 2022) have shared details on this new report which reveals key findings from a group of young researchers. This includes reference to nature and outdoor spaces. This includes a case study report which makes reference to the value of outdoor spaces. For example, The Place, [...]
Priorities in relation to education for environmental sustainability across the UK – research paper
This paper explores priorities in relation to education for environmental sustainability, drawing on qualitative research involving teachers and young people across the UK. See Dunlop, L., Rushton, E. A., Atkinson, L., Ayre, J., Bullivant, A., Essex, J., Price, L., Smith, A., Summer, M., Stubbs, J. E., Diepen, M-v., & Wood, [...]
Nurturing nature in urban schools for enhanced learning
This article in Child in the City (17 May 2022) shares the results from a systemic review of research. This review found strong support for nature interventions improving attention and working memory in young people.
