Dr Heather Prince is Associate Professor of Outdoor and Environmental Education/Principal Lecture... more Dr Heather Prince is Associate Professor of Outdoor and Environmental Education/Principal Lecturer at University of Cumbria. In this Higher Education Academy blog post she talks about her journey to becoming a Principal Fellow of the HEA (PFHEA), and the sense of achievement she felt when she was finally awarded PFHEA.
The formal education system in the UK, as in many educational systems, is outcome driven. There i... more The formal education system in the UK, as in many educational systems, is outcome driven. There is a strong and substantial research base for the impacts of outdoor adventure programmes on young people’s development in the affective and interpersonal domains but less evidence for the cognitive benefits (Rickinson et al., 2004). Many schools would dream about being presented with a simple model in which the introduction of an outdoor curriculum impacts directly on higher pupil achievement, resulting in an upward trending profile in key performance indicators. The reality is that, even if such a relationship could be presented, the intangibility of variables would be such that the cause and effect could not be differentiated securely from factors such as further pedagogical initiatives, step-change, baseline data on student performance, and other intrinsic and extraneous influences.
Sensory activities in the outdoors build on young people’s curiosity yet their justification in t... more Sensory activities in the outdoors build on young people’s curiosity yet their justification in terms of content or process in relation to learning, pedagogy or a wider understanding of issues is less well recognized. This presentation will explore meaning making of sensory activities for educators and young people in formal mainstream school curricula, through the objectives of increasing environmental awareness and physical activity, changes in behaviours, knowledge and attitudes. It will examine whether through experiencing nature, young people will actively seek a relationship or connection with it. The balance between cognitive objectives and pedagogical approaches of exploration, inquiry, experience and communication will be explored for optimizing outcomes, supported by case studies of outdoor experiences and research. The presentation will also provide examples of activities using the senses in the outdoors with young people that address understandings of disabilities and se...
The Picos de Europa are a range of predominantly Carboniferous Limestone and Sandstone mountains ... more The Picos de Europa are a range of predominantly Carboniferous Limestone and Sandstone mountains mainly in the Cantabrian region of northern Spain. The highest peaks are precipitous and reach 2600 m. There are complex gradients between Lusitanian, Alpine and Mediterranean environmental zones, as well as variable soil types. In combination with the long history of traditional agricultural management, a wide range of diverse habitats and species is present. The herb-rich hay meadows have long been recognised as having a high nature conservation value but, as elsewhere in European mountains, such grasslands are threatened by changing agricultural practices. Accordingly, in 1993, 92 quadrats were recorded using a restricted list of indicator species from stratified random samples. The authors repeated the sample in 2009. Changed land use had only occurred in approximately 3% of meadows, however, farmyard manure was no longer used, probably because of shortage of labour. Statistical anal...
Bushcraft emerged from indigenous knowledge with a skill-base used for military, commercial and r... more Bushcraft emerged from indigenous knowledge with a skill-base used for military, commercial and recreational purposes. We identify it as embodied contextual learning, for and with the environment, arising from a deep inter-subjective relationship with the natural world. This focus suggests a 'conscientization' developing a critical awareness, transformative of society's relationship with ecosystems and providing autonomous, individual learning. Bushcraft education has gained in popularity in recent years and we seek to problematise and define its educational identity as it appears rarely in mainstream or outdoor education. Accordingly, we suggest that bushcraft education shares some of the aims of radical education, signalled by the transformative purpose in which radical pedagogies are positioned, normally situated outside mainstream formal education. We conclude that bushcraft education may have global significance as radical pedagogy, progressing deeper understandings of the relationship between self and nature, and in transdisciplinary thinking supporting our response to current environmental crises.
Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning
Evidence from four retrospective empirical research studies on lasting impacts (>12 months) of... more Evidence from four retrospective empirical research studies on lasting impacts (>12 months) of outdoor residential experiences for young people in the UK since 2015 are examined through a form of s...
ABSTRACT Data from English primary school teachers in 1995 and 2017 illustrate the sustained valu... more ABSTRACT Data from English primary school teachers in 1995 and 2017 illustrate the sustained value they place on outdoor learning in a period of curriculum and governance reform. With emphasis on a prescribed curriculum, metrics and performativity, and decreased expertise, these data show the strength of teachers’ aspirations and values for developing provision in outdoor learning. Teachers use their autonomous space as curriculum makers to achieve different practices and their ‘personality of change’ accommodates this non-mandatory curriculum area. These strategies are relevant to beginning teachers and in international settings, to identify how teachers might respond to change and deconstruct their practice.
Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning
ABSTRACT Outdoor learning provides memorably relevant learning and authentic, contextualised oppo... more ABSTRACT Outdoor learning provides memorably relevant learning and authentic, contextualised opportunities to extend classroom-based education. This research draws on empirical data from surveys involving teachers in primary schools in England in 1995 and 2017 (n=61 and n=40 respectively). The evidence illustrates that schools are continuing to use their playgrounds and day visits as locations for practice. Teacher expertise had decreased by 2017 but the major challenges and barriers to implementation of time and expense remain similar in both years. Teachers no longer see outdoor ‘education’ as a subject in its own right but within the physical education curriculum although Early Years Foundation Stage practitioners report an enabling curriculum for outdoor learning. The research identifies the strength of teachers’ values and beliefs, an open approach to curriculum interpretation, the importance of suitable locations, a culture of risk benefit and positive initiatives as key ingredients for successful outdoor learning in primary schools.
The ‘outdoors’ is a physical and ideological space in which people engage with their environment,... more The ‘outdoors’ is a physical and ideological space in which people engage with their environment, but it is also an important vehicle for learning and for leisure. The Routledge Handbook of Outdoor Studies is the first book to attempt to define and survey the multi-disciplinary set of approaches that constitute the broad field of outdoor studies, including outdoor recreation, outdoor education, adventure education, environmental studies, physical culture studies and leisure studies. It reflects upon the often haphazard development of outdoor studies as a discipline, critically assesses current knowledge in outdoor studies, and identifies further opportunities for future research in this area. With a broader sweep than any other book yet published on the topic, this handbook traces the philosophical and conceptual contours of the discipline, as well as exploring key contemporary topics and debates, and identifying important issues in education and professional practice. It examines the cultural, social and political contexts in which people experience the outdoors, including perspectives on outdoor studies from a wide range of countries, providing the perfect foundation for any student, researcher, educator or outdoors practitioner looking to deepen their professional knowledge of the outdoors and our engagement with the world around us.
For most young children, outdoor places are habitual spaces around their home and school. Through... more For most young children, outdoor places are habitual spaces around their home and school. Through approaches to outdoor learning, it may be possible to make the familiar place unfamiliar and teach formal curriculum subjects and topics in the outdoors, particularly in primary education. Innovative design of outdoor activities can inspire children in their interpretation of, and response to, a well-known place. Challenges and opportunities are presented in using places near to school buildings but it is questioned whether quality learning is achieved through a single experience, days using these environments integrated with trips further afield to ‘new’ places, or frequent use of the same place as in the concept of forest schools. A range of evaluation tools is presented to attempt to ascertain the quality of learning in local places linked to the formal curriculum in the UK.
The process of writing and submitting a portfolio for the U.K. Professional Standards Framework i... more The process of writing and submitting a portfolio for the U.K. Professional Standards Framework is described as a reflective, evidence-based approach to teaching and the support of learning in Higher Education. Through an autobiographical and personal narrative approach, the journey through the submission of a portfolio at Descriptor 3 level (Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy) is described with an analysis of the pervading motivational factors. A range of pedagogies are classified as ‘traditional’ well-known approaches with interpretative differences, new and innovative approaches which have been uncovered by this exploratory research for evidence and ‘adventurous and exploratory’ pedagogies which appear to have no referential touchstone. Personal reflection considers the incentive dimension of the submission together with the excitement and reward of the enhancement of professional practice and the encouragement for others to follow this pathway.
Do w nlo a d e d fro m: h t t p://i n si g h t. c u m b ri a. a c. u k/i d/ e p ri n t/ 2 2 2 9/ ... more Do w nlo a d e d fro m: h t t p://i n si g h t. c u m b ri a. a c. u k/i d/ e p ri n t/ 2 2 2 9/ U s a g e o f a n y i t e m s f r o m t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f C u m b r i a' s i n s t i t u t i o n a l r e p o s i t o r y 'I n s i g h t' m u s t c o n f o r m t o t h e f o l l o w i n g f a i r u s a g e g u i d e l i n e s .
Dr Heather Prince is Associate Professor of Outdoor and Environmental Education/Principal Lecture... more Dr Heather Prince is Associate Professor of Outdoor and Environmental Education/Principal Lecturer at University of Cumbria. In this Higher Education Academy blog post she talks about her journey to becoming a Principal Fellow of the HEA (PFHEA), and the sense of achievement she felt when she was finally awarded PFHEA.
The formal education system in the UK, as in many educational systems, is outcome driven. There i... more The formal education system in the UK, as in many educational systems, is outcome driven. There is a strong and substantial research base for the impacts of outdoor adventure programmes on young people’s development in the affective and interpersonal domains but less evidence for the cognitive benefits (Rickinson et al., 2004). Many schools would dream about being presented with a simple model in which the introduction of an outdoor curriculum impacts directly on higher pupil achievement, resulting in an upward trending profile in key performance indicators. The reality is that, even if such a relationship could be presented, the intangibility of variables would be such that the cause and effect could not be differentiated securely from factors such as further pedagogical initiatives, step-change, baseline data on student performance, and other intrinsic and extraneous influences.
Sensory activities in the outdoors build on young people’s curiosity yet their justification in t... more Sensory activities in the outdoors build on young people’s curiosity yet their justification in terms of content or process in relation to learning, pedagogy or a wider understanding of issues is less well recognized. This presentation will explore meaning making of sensory activities for educators and young people in formal mainstream school curricula, through the objectives of increasing environmental awareness and physical activity, changes in behaviours, knowledge and attitudes. It will examine whether through experiencing nature, young people will actively seek a relationship or connection with it. The balance between cognitive objectives and pedagogical approaches of exploration, inquiry, experience and communication will be explored for optimizing outcomes, supported by case studies of outdoor experiences and research. The presentation will also provide examples of activities using the senses in the outdoors with young people that address understandings of disabilities and se...
The Picos de Europa are a range of predominantly Carboniferous Limestone and Sandstone mountains ... more The Picos de Europa are a range of predominantly Carboniferous Limestone and Sandstone mountains mainly in the Cantabrian region of northern Spain. The highest peaks are precipitous and reach 2600 m. There are complex gradients between Lusitanian, Alpine and Mediterranean environmental zones, as well as variable soil types. In combination with the long history of traditional agricultural management, a wide range of diverse habitats and species is present. The herb-rich hay meadows have long been recognised as having a high nature conservation value but, as elsewhere in European mountains, such grasslands are threatened by changing agricultural practices. Accordingly, in 1993, 92 quadrats were recorded using a restricted list of indicator species from stratified random samples. The authors repeated the sample in 2009. Changed land use had only occurred in approximately 3% of meadows, however, farmyard manure was no longer used, probably because of shortage of labour. Statistical anal...
Bushcraft emerged from indigenous knowledge with a skill-base used for military, commercial and r... more Bushcraft emerged from indigenous knowledge with a skill-base used for military, commercial and recreational purposes. We identify it as embodied contextual learning, for and with the environment, arising from a deep inter-subjective relationship with the natural world. This focus suggests a 'conscientization' developing a critical awareness, transformative of society's relationship with ecosystems and providing autonomous, individual learning. Bushcraft education has gained in popularity in recent years and we seek to problematise and define its educational identity as it appears rarely in mainstream or outdoor education. Accordingly, we suggest that bushcraft education shares some of the aims of radical education, signalled by the transformative purpose in which radical pedagogies are positioned, normally situated outside mainstream formal education. We conclude that bushcraft education may have global significance as radical pedagogy, progressing deeper understandings of the relationship between self and nature, and in transdisciplinary thinking supporting our response to current environmental crises.
Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning
Evidence from four retrospective empirical research studies on lasting impacts (>12 months) of... more Evidence from four retrospective empirical research studies on lasting impacts (>12 months) of outdoor residential experiences for young people in the UK since 2015 are examined through a form of s...
ABSTRACT Data from English primary school teachers in 1995 and 2017 illustrate the sustained valu... more ABSTRACT Data from English primary school teachers in 1995 and 2017 illustrate the sustained value they place on outdoor learning in a period of curriculum and governance reform. With emphasis on a prescribed curriculum, metrics and performativity, and decreased expertise, these data show the strength of teachers’ aspirations and values for developing provision in outdoor learning. Teachers use their autonomous space as curriculum makers to achieve different practices and their ‘personality of change’ accommodates this non-mandatory curriculum area. These strategies are relevant to beginning teachers and in international settings, to identify how teachers might respond to change and deconstruct their practice.
Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning
ABSTRACT Outdoor learning provides memorably relevant learning and authentic, contextualised oppo... more ABSTRACT Outdoor learning provides memorably relevant learning and authentic, contextualised opportunities to extend classroom-based education. This research draws on empirical data from surveys involving teachers in primary schools in England in 1995 and 2017 (n=61 and n=40 respectively). The evidence illustrates that schools are continuing to use their playgrounds and day visits as locations for practice. Teacher expertise had decreased by 2017 but the major challenges and barriers to implementation of time and expense remain similar in both years. Teachers no longer see outdoor ‘education’ as a subject in its own right but within the physical education curriculum although Early Years Foundation Stage practitioners report an enabling curriculum for outdoor learning. The research identifies the strength of teachers’ values and beliefs, an open approach to curriculum interpretation, the importance of suitable locations, a culture of risk benefit and positive initiatives as key ingredients for successful outdoor learning in primary schools.
The ‘outdoors’ is a physical and ideological space in which people engage with their environment,... more The ‘outdoors’ is a physical and ideological space in which people engage with their environment, but it is also an important vehicle for learning and for leisure. The Routledge Handbook of Outdoor Studies is the first book to attempt to define and survey the multi-disciplinary set of approaches that constitute the broad field of outdoor studies, including outdoor recreation, outdoor education, adventure education, environmental studies, physical culture studies and leisure studies. It reflects upon the often haphazard development of outdoor studies as a discipline, critically assesses current knowledge in outdoor studies, and identifies further opportunities for future research in this area. With a broader sweep than any other book yet published on the topic, this handbook traces the philosophical and conceptual contours of the discipline, as well as exploring key contemporary topics and debates, and identifying important issues in education and professional practice. It examines the cultural, social and political contexts in which people experience the outdoors, including perspectives on outdoor studies from a wide range of countries, providing the perfect foundation for any student, researcher, educator or outdoors practitioner looking to deepen their professional knowledge of the outdoors and our engagement with the world around us.
For most young children, outdoor places are habitual spaces around their home and school. Through... more For most young children, outdoor places are habitual spaces around their home and school. Through approaches to outdoor learning, it may be possible to make the familiar place unfamiliar and teach formal curriculum subjects and topics in the outdoors, particularly in primary education. Innovative design of outdoor activities can inspire children in their interpretation of, and response to, a well-known place. Challenges and opportunities are presented in using places near to school buildings but it is questioned whether quality learning is achieved through a single experience, days using these environments integrated with trips further afield to ‘new’ places, or frequent use of the same place as in the concept of forest schools. A range of evaluation tools is presented to attempt to ascertain the quality of learning in local places linked to the formal curriculum in the UK.
The process of writing and submitting a portfolio for the U.K. Professional Standards Framework i... more The process of writing and submitting a portfolio for the U.K. Professional Standards Framework is described as a reflective, evidence-based approach to teaching and the support of learning in Higher Education. Through an autobiographical and personal narrative approach, the journey through the submission of a portfolio at Descriptor 3 level (Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy) is described with an analysis of the pervading motivational factors. A range of pedagogies are classified as ‘traditional’ well-known approaches with interpretative differences, new and innovative approaches which have been uncovered by this exploratory research for evidence and ‘adventurous and exploratory’ pedagogies which appear to have no referential touchstone. Personal reflection considers the incentive dimension of the submission together with the excitement and reward of the enhancement of professional practice and the encouragement for others to follow this pathway.
Do w nlo a d e d fro m: h t t p://i n si g h t. c u m b ri a. a c. u k/i d/ e p ri n t/ 2 2 2 9/ ... more Do w nlo a d e d fro m: h t t p://i n si g h t. c u m b ri a. a c. u k/i d/ e p ri n t/ 2 2 2 9/ U s a g e o f a n y i t e m s f r o m t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f C u m b r i a' s i n s t i t u t i o n a l r e p o s i t o r y 'I n s i g h t' m u s t c o n f o r m t o t h e f o l l o w i n g f a i r u s a g e g u i d e l i n e s .
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