An introduction to the constraints-led approach to learning in outdoor education

Participation in outdoor education is underpinned by a learner's ability to acquire skills in activities such as canoeing, bushwalking and skiing and consequently the outdoor leader is often required to facilitate skill acquisition and motor learning. As such, outdoor leaders might benefit from an appropriate and tested model on how the learner acquires skills in order to design appropriate learning contexts. This paper introduces an approach to skill acquisition based on ecological psychology and dynamical systems theory called the constraints-led approach to skills acquisition. We propose that this student-centred approach is an ideal perspective for the outdoor leader to design effective learning settings. Furthermore, this open style of facilitation is also congruent with learning models that focus on other concepts such as teamwork and leadership

Outdoor learning spaces: the case of forest school

© 2017 The Author. Area published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers). This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.This paper contributes to the growing body of research concerning use of outdoor spaces by educators, and the increased use of informal and outdoor learning spaces when teaching primary school children. The research takes the example of forest school, a form of regular and repeated outdoor learning increasingly common in primary schools. This research focuses on how the learning space at forest school shapes the experience of children and forest school leaders as they engage in learning outside the classroom. The learning space is considered as a physical space, and also in a more metaphorical way as a space where different behaviours are permitted, and a space set apart from the national curriculum. Through semi-structured interviews with members of the community of practice of forest school leaders, the paper seeks to determine the significance of being outdoors on the forest school experience. How does this learning space differ from the classroom environment? What aspects of the forest school learning space support pupils’ experiences? How does the outdoor learning space affect teaching, and the dynamics of learning while at forest school? The research shows that the outdoor space provides new opportunities for children and teachers to interact and learn, and revealed how forest school leaders and children co-create a learning environment in which the boundaries between classroom and outdoor learning, teacher and pupil, are renegotiated to stimulate teaching and learning. Forest school practitioners see forest school as a separate learning space that is removed from the physical constraints of the classroom and pedagogical constraints of the national curriculum to provide a more flexible and responsive learning environment.Peer reviewe

Assessment in senior outdoor education: A catalyst for change?

In recent times issues of sustainability and place, and human connectedness and care for outdoor environments, have been the subject of increasing professional dialogue in outdoor education in Aotearoa New Zealand. Attention has been drawn to the ways in which traditional, adventure-based conceptualisations of outdoor education shape pedagogical practice in particular ways, potentially obscuring opportunities to explicitly promote student connectedness to, and learning about and for the outdoors. This paper contributes to this evolving dialogue about the greening of outdoor education by specifically targeting assessment in senior school outdoor education. By initially establishing the interdependence of curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment, the potential that assessment has to constrain and/or drive this recent curriculum and pedagogical re-prioritising in outdoor education is made evident. We argue that it is possible for assessment to be a productive engine for student learning about sustainable relationships with the outdoors. Five interconnected catalysts are highlighted as being central to this: (i) the alignment process, (ii) using fresh eyes with current achievement standards, (iii) taking another look at curriculum in relation to assessment, (iv) writing programme-specific assessments, and (v) reflective decision making. These are suggested to be key considerations for outdoor educators for the potential of school-based outdoor education to be fully harnessed

Gun Carrying Among Adolescents

Outdoor education is a promising educational field that can support indoor education and provide benefits beyond the evidentknowledge. Outdoor and indoor education together can formulate the ground for an integrated learning. In Greece, like manycountries, outdoor education and its potential contribution to the learning process have not been clearly and intentionally testedyet, even though the country tends to follow a progressive educational philosophy. This research focuses on the subject ofmathematics and explores the connections between the existing philosophy and practices of mathematics education in Greece andoutdoor education theory and practice. Following the method of content analysis, the connections were identified through theexistence of basic outdoor education concepts in the mathematics textbooks of the last three grades of primary school. Althoughthe expectations, because of the lack of personal experiences, could not be high, the application of outdoor education seems to befar from impossible in Greece. It could rather flourish even without any changes in the books, when its potentialities are realizedby the teachers

Penerapan Pembelajaran Outdoor Learning Process (Olp) melalui Pemanfaatan Taman Sekolah sebagai Sumber Belajar Materi Klasifikasi Tumbuhan untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Siswa SMP

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk memperoleh deskripsi tentang (1) keterlaksanaan pembelajaran yang dilakukan oleh guru selama menerapkan pembelajaran OLP melalui pemanfaatan taman sekolah sebagai sumber belajar materi klasifikasi tumbuhan di kelas VII SMP Negeri 1 Sampang, (2) aktivitas siswa selama mengikuti pembelajaran OLP melalui pemanfaatan taman sekolah sebagai sumber belajar materi klasifikasi tumbuhan di kelas VII SMP Negeri 1 Sampang, (3) ketuntasan hasil belajar siswa setelah mengikuti pembelajaran OLP melalui pemanfaatan taman sekolah sebagai sumber belajar materi klasifikasi tumbuhan di kelas VII SMP Negeri 1 Sampang, dan (4) respon siswa kelas VII SMP Negeri 1 Sampang terhadap pelaksanaan pembelajaran OLP melalui pemanfaatan taman sekolah sebagai sumber belajar materi klasifikasi tumbuhan. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah pre-experimental dengan menggunakan rancangan “One Group Pre-test Post-test  Design”. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa keterlaksanaan pembelajaran yang dilakukan oleh guru selama menerapkan pembelajaran OLP pada pertemuan 2 dan pertemuan 3 sudah terlaksana dengan sangat baik karena mendapatkan penilaian dari ketiga pengamat dengan persentase ≥ 80%. Aktivitas siswa selama mengikuti pembelajaran OLP sangat aktif. Aspek aktivitas siswa yang tinggi terdapat pada saat mendengarkan dan memperhatikan penjelasan guru, mengamati tumbuhan di lingkungan sekitar sekolah, aspek mencari informasi yang berkaitan dengan materi, dan aspek mengerjakan LKS secara berkelompok dan mendiskusikannya yakni sebesar 100%. Ketuntasan hasil belajar siswa kelas VII-A setelah mengikuti pembelajaran OLP mencapai ketuntasan klasikal dengan persentase sebesar 81,3%. Sebelum mengikuti pembelajaran OLP diperoleh data nilai siswa VII-A KD 3.3 ketuntasan klasikal hanya mencapai 25%. Hal ini menunjukkan ada peningkatan persentase ketuntasan klasikal yang signifikan dibandingkan nilai sebelumnya yang belum menerapkan pembelajaran OLP. Respon siswa setelah mengikuti kegiatan pembelajaran OLP yakni dengan persentase sebesar 97,8% siswa setuju dan tertarik dengan pembelajaran OLP. Kata Kunci : pembelajaran Outdoor Learning Process (OLP), sumber belajar, klasifikasi tumbuhan, hasil belaja

Implementasi Outdoor Learning Untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Kognitif Mahasiswa Pada Mata Kuliah Sistematika Tumbuhan Tinggi

Outdoor learning was learning that gives students the opportunity to explore the surrounding environment as a source of learning. Students are required to be able to construct knowledge independently throgh the process of exploring the learning environment in Systematics of High Plant. This research aims to improve student cognitive learning outcomes through the implementation of outdoor learning in the subject of High Plant Systematics. The method used was classroom action research with 3 cycles. Each cycle consists of four basic stages, namely planning, implementation, observation and reflection. Samples used in this study was 22 fourth semester students of Biology Education Study Program, Faculty of Teaching and Education, University of Veteran Bangun Nusantara Sukoharjo .The study was conducted in March and May 2015. The cognitive learning was measured through the posttest. The results showed that the cognitive learning outcomes of students increased from the first cycle to the second cycle amounted to 27.56% and from the second cycle to the third cycle of 10.20%. Target of cognitive learning outcomes at least achieved grade of 75 in average

AN EMPIRICAL EVALUATION OF EXPERIENCED-BASED LEARNING: A ROPES COURSE ILLUSTRATION

This paper draws on empirical evidence to measure the impact of using corporate-like outdoor-based team training to enhance the effectiveness of student groups and teach team player skills. Results indicate that outdoor team activities had greater effects and impacts on student behaviors and learning than in class team activities.team experiential learning, outdoor-based training, team building, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,