Knowledge
Outdoor Education: A Pathway to Personal Growth and Development
We have evolved into a more modern, technological, and globalized world but, in the process, we lost habits and experiences that influence our quality of life.
“Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own.”
In the words of Charles Dickens, nature solely has the ability to acknowledge and appreciate the astounding presence of all beings in the world. It fosters and nurtures our personalities in a way that no other medium can match. Learning in the lap of nature has been an accepted way of imparting the values and concepts of education. From Socrates to Tagore, the ideologies gripping the fundamentals of education have been in relation to the external environment. India has been proud of its history which gave birth to learned and wise men who were the products of the Gurukul teachings. The philosophies circumscribing the ‘Guru-shishya Parampara’ run deep in our core value systems of education. Time changes with the passing years, and methods too but not the structured roots and pillars of a system.
When we talk about 2023, there has been a significant transition in the mediums or ways of imparting education. With the advent of Information Technology in education, the lessons taught have acquired multiple dimensions. Every discipline is linked with the other and learners are provided with the space to critically analyze all the aspects. The 21st Century is all about having a sustainable education which can never be achieved in absence of the external environment. For sustainable education, we need a sustainable society. Over the last few decades, there has been debate on how to establish the norms for sustainable education in a sustainable society.
According to UNESCO, education for sustainable development is about enabling people to constructively and creatively address present and future global challenges and create more sustainable and resilient societies. Learning in education for sustainable development often includes only knowledge, values, and theories related to sustainable development. However, it also means “learning to ask critical questions; learning to clarify one’s own values; learning to envision more positive and sustainable futures; learning to think systematically; learning to respond through applied learning; and learning to explore the dialectic between tradition and innovation.” Thus, it offers learners a context for developing active citizenship and participation, embracing the complexity of the interdependencies of ecological, societal, and economic systems.
The overall goal of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014) was to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. Sustainable development education again is based particularly on environmental and ecological sciences and focuses on the interaction between ecological and social systems. It encourages students to critically reflect on the ideas of sustainable development and the values that underlie them and to create solutions to achieve concrete goals in a variety of unpredictable situations.
To achieve the goals of SD, active teaching methods such as process-based instruction, problem-based learning, and OE are recommended by several researchers. Process-based instruction focuses on developing students’ independence in learning and problem-solving by providing a framework into which curriculum activities can be placed. In problem-based learning, students use “triggers” from a problem case or scenario to define their own learning objectives. Subsequently, they do the independent, self-directed study before returning to the group to discuss and refine their acquired knowledge.
There is, however, no definitive description of authentic learning. Educators must make their own interpretations of what creates meaning for students in the classroom. Here we do not take the term authentic environment to mean only environments outside the classroom; instead, we take it to mean teaching strategies that make student experiences as authentic as possible compared to what happens in real life. In order to do so, the information to be studied and the environment in which learning takes place must be meaningful to the students. In addition, it also means that teachers should support the students to be reflective.
Different learning environments and current and contextual tasks used in problem-based learning and outdoor environment support self-efficacy, autonomy, engagement, and meaningful learning as well as foster creativity and flexibility. Collaborative learning can be supported e.g., by searching for information and producing knowledge in groups, by evaluating learning, action, and knowing together.
The specific features and stimuli of the outdoor environment provide different play opportunities that can hardly be replicated inside. The outdoors can be described as an open and constantly changing environment, where it is possible to experience freedom, gross and boisterous movements, and contact with natural elements. While playing outside, children benefit from being exposed to sunlight, natural elements, and open air, which contributes to bone development, a stronger immune system, and physical activity. The need to be physically active from an early age is particularly relevant if we consider the concerning growth of children’s obesity and overweight. According to the World Health Organization, Portugal is the second European country with the highest values of overweight among children 11 years old (32%), preceded by Greece (33%) and proceeded by Ireland (30%). Also, playing in green outdoor environments promotes higher levels of attention and well-being.
The exploration of natural elements is also important to capture children’s attention to the richness and diversity of Nature. The sense of discovery and fascination influences meaningful learning and allows for the development of an emotional connection towards the environment. If we assume that attitudes of respect and care are more likely to emerge regarding something that is dear to us, then it is crucial to promote a sense of belonging and familiarity towards Nature from an early age to facilitate ecological and sustainable behaviors in life.
Through outdoor play and the exploration of natural elements, it is possible to promote education in its broadest sense. Activities related to playing with soil and water can serve as examples of learning opportunities in which concepts related to mathematics, science, or language were promoted in an integrated way. As children filled and emptied containers, several times, they could explore notions related to weight, volume, and time, and as they talked about what they were experiencing, a new vocabulary was being acquired. Similar findings were found in other research, showing, for example, children’s ability to learn and employ mathematical products and procedures during outdoor play, using their bodies as a learning tool.
The need to guarantee that children have the possibility to play outside, facing adventures and challenges, without being constantly engaged in activities controlled by adults is a recent concern for most western societies. We have evolved into a more modern, technological, and globalized world but, in the process, we lost habits and experiences that influence our quality of life. One of the major challenges of present and future generations may be the need to find a balance between an increasingly “busy” society and the preservation of experiences of well-being and connection to the world. The educational settings have an important role in this process, guarantying that during the first years of life, children have the means and opportunities to develop positive self-esteem, curiosity and motivation about learning and good socialization.
Author – Nita Nijhara, Middle School Headmistress, Bal Bharati Public School, New Delhi
