Experientially learning and teaching in a student-directed classroom
A study explores the successes, challenges, surprises and pedagogical risks for students and a professor in a student-directed experiential education course.
Research, reports and guidance on education outside the classroom and outdoor education, with a plain-English summary of each and a link to the original. New items are added every week.
The library began with Education Outside the Classroom: Applied Research Readings 2010–2017(McNatty & Boyes, University of Otago, 2017). Later items were found, summarised and checked with AI assistance using the same method: every reference is checked against the publisher's record, every summary against the published abstract, and only items rated high confidence by two independent relevance checks are published. Summaries are a guide: read the original before citing it.
Research library
39 items
School-based experiential outdoor education: A neglected necessity
The study supports school-based experiential outdoor education as a way to engage students in meaningful, memorable and motivating learning.
Adventure education: Redux
The authors argue that a focus on risk and danger limits the teaching potential of adventure, and propose an approach based on the learner's everyday life.
A surprising discovery: five pedagogical skills outdoor and experiential educators might offer more mainstream educators in this time of change
The research suggests outdoor educators have pedagogical skills that mainstream educators could use to teach outdoors or be more environmentally focused.
Service learning as holistic values pedagogy
The article draws together evidence linking service learning to the goals of education, including personal, social and academic achievement.
Outdoor education in rural primary schools in New Zealand: A narrative inquiry
The article examines how New Zealand primary teachers teach, programme and understand outdoor education.
The return home: Transitioning from a 28-day remote outdoor education programme
The research stresses supporting students through the transition home after a long outdoor programme, including assessing learning through project work.
Adventurous learning: A pedagogy for a changing world
The book outlines the key elements of a pedagogy of adventurous learning that educators can adapt to their own contexts.
'Touched by the Earth': a place-based outdoor learning programme incorporating the Arts
Working with young adolescents, the study found the Arts play a crucial role in embodied, multi-sensory learning that nurtures nature awareness and attachment.
Comparison of methods to teach magnetic declination
The article describes and compares four methods of teaching magnetic declination.
Critical thinking assessment across four sustainability-related experiential learning settings
The project examined critical thinking in four experiential sustainability courses and discusses a conceptual model of integrated planning, design, content and scaffolded application.
Does challenge by choice increase participation?
The article discusses student responses to a challenge by choice programme, including its benefits and caveats.
Experiential learning and its impact on students' attitudes toward youth with disabilities
Students' attitudes toward people with disabilities were examined after lecture material plus direct work with people with disabilities at an inclusive camp.
Being close to each other
The article examines progressions in experiential learning and how more proficient kayakers guide learners.
Autonomous student experiences in outdoor and adventure education
The article discusses giving students independence in outdoor programmes while keeping appropriate supervision and staying within safety bounds.
Guidelines for assessment of experiential learning
A guide offering several strategies for assessing experiential learning.
Empowerment and experiential education: A state of knowledge paper
The paper examines empowerment as a process and an outcome in experiential education and makes recommendations for practitioners and researchers.
Outdoor education and science achievement
The authors describe using the schoolyard for science outdoor education, with repeated visits for observation and data collection, plus activities and web resources.
Teaching evaluations and reflective practice: Strategies for improving teaching skills in adventure education
The article offers strategies, including reflective practice methods, for improving instructors' teaching skills.
High school teachers' experience of the educational potential of outdoor teaching and learning
A longitudinal study found teachers who taught regularly in the school grounds reported more student motivation, communication and participation.
The potential of humor as a trigger for emotional engagement in outdoor education
The article argues humour can trigger students' emotional engagement and influence student-student, student-teacher and context interactions.
The desire to learn as a kind of love: Gardening, cooking, and passion in outdoor education
A Danish organic school gardens project built students' desire to learn and their knowledge of nature, farming and food.
Undergraduate perceptions regarding the debrief process in adventure-based learning: Exploring the credibility of the Sunday afternoon drive debrief model
The paper explains the Sunday Afternoon Drive debrief model, with examples and critiques of meaningful, complete debrief sessions.
The implementation of mobile learning in outdoor learning: Application of QR codes
The authors built a multimedia tool using QR codes on environmental and cultural 'green maps' to link technology with outdoor experiences.