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Outdoor education

Organized learning that takes place in the outdoors

  • 14 min read
  • 6 chapters

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Scope

Outdoor education encompasses a wide range of organized learning activities that take place predominantly outdoors. It can involve learning about, in, or through natural environments. The focus varies widely: some programs emphasize environmental stewardship, while others prioritize personal or social development through nature-based challenges.

Key aims and outcomes

Common objectives of outdoor education include:

  • Building teamwork, problem-solving skills, resilience, and self-confidence via experiential and wilderness-based activities such as hiking, camping, ropes courses, and canoeing.
  • Promoting environmental awareness, ecological literacy, and a sense of place through direct interaction with natural environments.
  • Supporting social and emotional development, including improved focus, well-being, and interpersonal relationships among students.
  • Strengthening physical and mental health through increased activity levels, reduced stress, and improved mood.

Theoretical foundations

Outdoor education draws on:

  • Experiential education, where knowledge grows through action and reflection.
  • Environmental education, focusing on sustainability and respect for nature.
  • Broader models such as the Outdoor Learning umbrella, which includes Adventure education, Forest Schools, and Outdoor therapy.

A systematic review highlighted gains in engagement and well-being from outdoor learning but also noted that long-term academic outcomes are under-researched. Current trends include:

  • Addressing issues such as nature-deficit disorder and climate change.
  • Incorporating Indigenous perspectives to support reconciliation and contextual learning.
  • Developing inclusive and low-cost approaches, such as school gardens and community-based outdoor classrooms.

Definitions

Outdoor education can be defined as experiential learning in, for, or about the outdoors. The term "outdoor education", however, is used broadly to refer to a range of organized activities that take place in a variety of ways in predominantly outdoor environments. Common definitions of outdoor education are difficult to achieve because interpretations vary according to culture, philosophy, and local conditions.

Outdoor education is often referred to as synonymous with outdoor learning, outdoor school, forest schools and wilderness education. Outdoor education often uses or draws upon related elements and/or informs related areas, such as teaching students how to pitch tents and cook over a campfire. The hallmark of outdoor education is its focus on the "outdoor" side of this education; whereas adventure education would focus on the adventure side and environmental education would focus on environmental. Expeditionary education involves expeditions into wilderness "where man is but a visitor." All of these activities typically involve experiential education.

Education outside the classroom

"Education outside the classroom" describes school curriculum learning, other than with a class of students sitting in a room with a teacher and books. It encompasses biology field trips and searching for insects in the school garden, as well as indoor activities like observing stock control in a local shop, or visiting a museum. It is a concept currently enjoying a revival because of the recognition of benefits from the more active style. The Education and Skills Committee of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom has reported that it brings history and art to life, develops social skills, and clearly enhances geography and science. There are key policies in place for outdoor learning in England, Scotland and Wales.

Despite the evidence supporting an extension of educational camping and outdoor learning for children, there are a number of obstacles in the way. One of these obstacles is risk aversion amongst teachers, parents and others, raising reluctance to such diverse and physical tasks. The journalist Tim Gill has written about parental and institutional risk aversion affecting many activities with children in his book "No Fear". Another obstacle is the perceived high cost of facilitating outdoor learning. Creating an outdoor learning environment needn't cost a great deal, however. The UK Early Years Framework Stage, which outlines best practice in Early Years teaching, asserts that: "Outdoor learning is more effective when adults focus on what children need to be able to do rather than what children need to have. An approach that considers experiences rather than equipment places children at the centre of learning and ensures that individual children's learning and developmental needs are taken account of and met effectively"

Linda Tallent, a UK-based educational consultant who has worked extensively with schools to develop their outdoor spaces into learning environments, agrees. She believes that by focusing on activities and skill development, it is possible to develop an outdoor learning curriculum on a 'shoe string'. She cites a comment by Will Nixon, who reminds readers that 'Using the real world is the way learning has happened for 99.9% of human existence. Only in the last hundred years have we put it into a little box called a classroom.'. Tallent also refers to evidence from a number of studies that the most effective way of learning is through participation, and calls on educators to make a special effort to create opportunities for children to participate in their learning.

Aims

Some typical aims of outdoor education are to:

  • learn how to overcome adversity;
  • enhance personal and social development;
  • develop a deeper relationship with nature;
  • boost self-confidence when camping with classmates;
  • raise attainment through better teaching and learning experiences.

Outdoor education spans the three domains of self, others, and the natural world. The relative emphasis of these three domains varies from one program to another. An outdoor education program can, for example, emphasize one (or more) of these aims to:

Outdoor education is often used as a means to create a deeper sense of place for people in a community. Sense of place is manifested through the understanding and connection that one has with the area in which they reside. Sense of place is an important aspect of environmentalism as well as environmental justice because it makes the importance of sustaining a particular ecosystem that much more personal to an individual.

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