Outdoor education has been shown to have a variety of benefits across the lifespan. Specifically within the educational context, regularly compulsory school-based and curriculum-based outdoor education over an extended period of time have been shown to have a variety of positive effects on students across age ranges.
Due to the diverse nature of outdoor education programming, it is difficult to characterize exactly what a program includes. However, the specific outcomes listed here are based on curriculum-based learning that occurs during school hours on a regular basis over the course of multiple months’ time.
WHY EDUCATORS LIKE THIS PROGRAM
- Depending on a schools’ existing resources, support for and knowledge of outdoor education, initial resources required will vary. At the least, lesson planning to develop class work in an outdoor environment tailored to a specific curriculum is required. Additional considerations may include cost setting up a suitable outdoor environment, acquiring further training, consulting with curriculum or other topic experts, engaging parents and caregivers, outdoor classroom resources, or risk planning.
- There are many benefits to being outdoors so any time spent outdoors during school hours related to curriculum work could be beneficial. However, the outcomes listed here are specific to regular curriculum-based classes provided outdoors over a period of months.
- Lessons are curriculum-based.