Not phones; teachers taking the learning environment outdoors can develop inherent student engagement mitigating potential boredom. Reading at a desk or reading under a tree? Does it matter where we read?

“Teachers should present interesting, meaningful, and challenging content to their students, motivate students to engage actively in the learning activity.” (Van den Branden, 2012)

Graham et al (2015) reinforce this idea as both students and teachers develop as active learners finding ‘sensory development as an aspect of physical functioning… closely related to learning success. Students smell, touch, hear and see as they actively participate in school learning,’ (Graham et al., 2015) to enhance their holistic ecological progress.

Educationalists have been exploring benefits in outdoor learning to enhance retention, engagement and unique kinaesthetic connection to theory employing a variation of Von Restorff’s Isolation Effect (Jensen, 1962) but rather than remembering different objects, learners remember theory from different moments outdoors.

Natural bonding occurs in unique settings (e.g. school camps). An outdoors class can be both memorable and a well-modelled enmeshment of Graham et al.’s (2015) ecological view with Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory (Leonard, 2011), seeing classmates interacting with teachers, possibly introducing parent helpers and/or local community or business providers supporting students (e.g. building a garden or as Subject-matter-expert) combining Community, Educational setting and Family.

Many of my best hospitality or English class moments happened outside the classroom. Competitions or movement in the fresh air (afternoons) can stimulate longer-lasting memories than ‘another’ day in class and often are remembered in feedback. I coined the phrase, based on the traditional Think/Pair/Share of Chalk/Walk/Talk. Once I have introduced a concept, I pair participants up and send them out to walk, discuss and practice what they’ve just learned. I find learners more willing to return and learn more upon re-entering the classroom and best of all, learners are willing to talk to me.

 

Doctor James Levine has famously suggested…“Sitting is more dangerous than smoking… We are sitting ourselves to death.” (Huffington, 2014)

“The majority of families now live in cities, where traffic and urban land-use patterns have changed…and children are less likely to have access to outdoor play spaces in natural environments.” (Hewes, 2014)

‘Unfortunately, many schools do not provide an adequate indoor environment.’ (Grun & Urlaub, 2015. P.2) ‘A substantial body of research indicates that an outdoor learning environment with diverse natural elements advances and enriches all of the domains relevant to development, health, and wellbeing’ (Cooper, A. 2015, p.86)

Some facilitators remain in the ‘we’ve always done it this way’ rut which may not support optimal learning or support health benefits

By planning well, simply relocating the learning environment can make ‘seemingly boring same-old’ attractive;

• Science? Microscopes or cut photocopied textbook strips and on the oval.
• Digital Art? Paper aeroplane competitions or Drone flights.
• Math? Tape measure, string and stakes outdoors to measure  A2 + B2 = C2 if A = 15 m
• Food Technology? Plant herbs. Visit the market.
• English? Poetry. Grammar lists – yep, outdoors
• Architecture? Head outside to look around

“Most educators will ask ‘what learning needs to take place amongst students?’ This is an important question, which begs probing: What changes, what learning, needs to take place amongst policy makers, senior management [and us] teachers…?” (Sterling, 2008)

Having taught low-literacy adults offshore, I know firsthand of classroom educational challenges. Some of these challenges were mitigated by learners participating outdoors.

Facilitating kinaesthetic theory up off the chairs by standing, walking, kicking, throwing or competing outdoors rejuvenates learners and allows retention of information. As educators, we may use that to our learners’ advantage.

Welcome to the outdoors, an old learning environment made new.

References:

·       Graham, L., Berman J., Bellert, A.. (2015). Sustainable Learning – Inclusive practices for 21st century classrooms. Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. 3, 88

·       Dahitule, K. (2012, September 5) Nature is our greatest teacher: Rajendra Singh. Retrieved from http://www.dnaindia.com/pune/report-nature-is-our-greatest-teacher-rajendra-singh-1737053

·       Sheets-Johnstone, M. (2012). Kinesthetic memory. University of Oregon. John Benjamins Publishing Company. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285906398_Kinesthetic_Memory

·       Cooper, A. (2014). Nature and the Outdoor Learning Environment: The Forgotten Resource in Early Childhood Education. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 3 (1). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1108430.pdf

·       The Active Times (2014, September 29). Sitting is the new smoking: Ways a sedentary lifestyle is killing you. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-active-times/sitting-is-the-new-smokin_b_5890006.html

·       Grün, G., Urlaub, S., 2015. Impact of the indoor environment on learning in schools in Europe. Fraunhofer-Institut für Bauphysik, IBP. 2, 5. (Figure 10, p. 5)

·       Simon Finlay. (2012). Take a tour of the classroom with a pond in it. Retrieved from http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/education/take-a-tour-of-the-classroom-with-a-pond-in-it-1-3645172 (Figure 6)

·       Nten88 (2009, March 31). Dead Poem’s Society [sic] Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpJtEXT_T9k

·       Van den Branden, K., 2012. Sustainable education: basic principles and strategic recommendations, School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 23:3, 290

·       Jensen, A.R., (1962). The Von Restorff Isolation Effect with minimal response learning. University of California: Journal of Experimental Psychology, Vol. 64, No. 2: 123

·       Stephen S. 2008. Sustainable education – towards a deep learning response to unsustainability, Perspectives.

·       Goss, P., Sonnemann, J. 2017. Engaging students: Creating classrooms that improve learning. Grattan Institute.

·       Sanson, A. 2015. What leads to a happy, healthy and productive life? Looking back over a 32-year longitudinal sty and forward to future generations. InPsych 2016/Vol 38

·       Hewes, J. 2014. Seeking Balance in Motion: The Role of Spontaneous Free Play in Promoting Social and Emotional Health in Early Childhood Care and Education. Faculty of Health and Community Studies, MacEwan University.