The evidence for outdoor learning

There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the benefits of outdoor learning in all areas of education. Much of this is now available to schools and individuals to help them make the best decisions about effective approaches and good value interventions. Devon has an active outdoor and adventure education research community extending from the counties’ universities out to the wider community of schools and practitioners. To find out more and get involved with research projects, join the Peninsula Research in Outdoor Learning hub coordinated by Marjon and Plymouth universities.

Effective outdoor learning

• Ofsted’s view of Learning Outside the Classroom.
• Educational Endowment Foundation, The impact and cost of Outdoor Adventure Learning – evidence summary.
• Natural Connections Demonstration Project. Final report (pdf)

Research collections

• Institute for Outdoor Learning. Collected research reports, evaluations, magazine and journal articles from the UK.
• Children and Nature Network. US based online library of peer reviewed research into childhood nature connection.

Reading to get started

• Learning through Landscapes – Lesson Plans
• TES – outdoor learning ideas for primary school
• 10,000 top outdoor learning ideas
• Outdoor learning – teaching outdoors
• Institute for outdoor learning resources
• Field Studies Council – Learning resources
• National Association for Environmental Education
• Education Outside – American based website with applicable ideas

Books:

• There’s no such thing as bad weather
• The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris and the associated Explorers Guide John Muir guide
• 101 Things Kids Do Outside
• Dirty Teaching – A Beginners Guide to Learning Outdoors
• Educating Outside – Curriculum linked learning for teachers