Research on Obstacles and Barriers to Outdoor Learning
Barriers and Strategies for Utilizing School Outdoor Spaces: Exploring the Experiences of High School Teachers in the Southeastern U.S.
Erin Waddell Western Carolina University. Andrew J. Bobilya Western Carolina University, W. Brad Faircloth UNC Asheville, Brad Daniel 2nd Nature TREC (Training, Research, Education, Consulting), Ashley Hoffman Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance
Vol. 16 No. 4 (2024): Special Issue: 2024 Coalition for Education in the Outdoors: Research in Outdoor Education
| OPEN FILE: waddell_2024.pdf |
Abstract
School outdoor spaces provide many mental and physical benefits for students. Yet, teachers may not have the opportunity to conduct lessons in these outdoor spaces due to personal or systemic barriers. While K-8 teachers’ perceptions of barriers have been well explored, there is currently a lack of research investigating high school teachers’ perceptions. This study used an online survey to explore the barriers and strategies of 154 high school teachers in using their schools’ outdoor spaces. These results showed that there were differences between barriers from previous studies that could affect how high school teachers overcome them. Knowing these barriers and some strategies teachers have used to overcome them can play a major role in increasing the use of school outdoor spaces to meet the needs of today’s high school students.
School outdoor spaces provide many mental and physical benefits for students. Yet, teachers may not have the opportunity to conduct lessons in these outdoor spaces due to personal or systemic barriers. While K-8 teachers’ perceptions of barriers have been well explored, there is currently a lack of research investigating high school teachers’ perceptions. This study used an online survey to explore the barriers and strategies of 154 high school teachers in using their schools’ outdoor spaces. These results showed that there were differences between barriers from previous studies that could affect how high school teachers overcome them. Knowing these barriers and some strategies teachers have used to overcome them can play a major role in increasing the use of school outdoor spaces to meet the needs of today’s high school students.
Support Factors and Barriers to Outdoor Learning in Elementary Schools: A Systemic Perspective
Eva Oberle, Megan Zeni, Fritha Munday & Mariana Brussoni (2021)
American Journal of Health Education, 52:5, 251-265, DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2021.1955232
| OPEN FILE: support-factors-and-barriers-for-outdoor-learning-in-elementary-schools-a-systemic-perspective.pdf |
Abstract
Background: Outdoor learning offers clear physical, cognitive, social-emotional and academic benefits for children and yet, it is considered a grassroots approach to teaching and learning in elementary schools.
Purpose: We examined teachers’ perspectives on barriers and supports for outdoor learning in public elementary schools. Methods: Thirty-six teachers in (urban and rural) British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario (all female; Mean age = 43.84, SD = 10) participated in one of five virtually administered, semi-structured focus groups. Questions/prompts facilitated a discussion on teachers’ experiences with barriers and supports for outdoor learning. Thematic analysis was used to identify main themes.
Results: Four interrelated themes and further sub-themes were found:
Background: Outdoor learning offers clear physical, cognitive, social-emotional and academic benefits for children and yet, it is considered a grassroots approach to teaching and learning in elementary schools.
Purpose: We examined teachers’ perspectives on barriers and supports for outdoor learning in public elementary schools. Methods: Thirty-six teachers in (urban and rural) British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario (all female; Mean age = 43.84, SD = 10) participated in one of five virtually administered, semi-structured focus groups. Questions/prompts facilitated a discussion on teachers’ experiences with barriers and supports for outdoor learning. Thematic analysis was used to identify main themes.
Results: Four interrelated themes and further sub-themes were found:
- Teacher characteristics: interest/motivation to teach outdoors, preparedness, confidence in handling risks;
- Systemic factors: principal support, school/district policies, funding/resources, curriculum, school schedule;
- Culture: school culture, societal beliefs about education, family backgrounds;
- Environmental factors: weather, built/natural environment, hazards.
SEEA eeLandscape Analysis Data on EE and Outdoor Learning in 8 Southeastern States
What Educators Say: slide presentation (Georgia version - 2023)
Growing Fear of Nature: Study Reveals Causes of Rising Ecophobia
Access Study: https://neurosciencenews.com/biophobia-neuroscience-30018/
Summary: An increasing number of people experience fear, discomfort, or disgust toward nature—a phenomenon known as biophobia. The findings reveal that negative emotions form through both external factors such as urban environments and media portrayals, and internal factors like health and emotional traits. Limited contact with nature can reinforce avoidance, reducing exposure to well-known mental and physical health benefits. Researchers suggest that early positive experiences with nature and greener urban spaces may help reverse this growing trend.
Key Facts
Student Behavior, Focus and Attention in Outdoor Learning
Frontiers in Psychology 03 January 2018 Sec. Educational Psychology
Abstract
Teachers wishing to offer lessons in nature may hold back for fear of leaving students keyed up and unable to concentrate in subsequent, indoor lessons. This study tested the hypothesis that lessons in nature have positive—not negative—aftereffects on subsequent classroom engagement. Using carefully matched pairs of lessons (one in a relatively natural outdoor setting and one indoors), we observed subsequent classroom engagement during an indoor instructional period, replicating these comparisons over 10 different topics and weeks in the school year, in each of two third grade classrooms. Pairs were roughly balanced in how often the outdoor lesson preceded or followed the classroom lesson. Classroom engagement was significantly better after lessons in nature than after their matched counterparts for four of the five measures developed for this study: teacher ratings; third-party tallies of “redirects” (the number of times the teacher stopped instruction to direct student attention back onto the task at hand); independent, photo-based ratings made blind to condition; and a composite index each showed a nature advantage; student ratings did not.
This nature advantage held across different teachers and held equally over the initial and final 5 weeks of lessons. And the magnitude of the advantage was large. In 48 out of 100 paired comparisons, the nature lesson was a full standard deviation better than its classroom counterpart; in 20 of the 48, the nature lesson was over two standard deviations better. The rate of “redirects” was cut almost in half after a lesson in nature, allowing teachers to teach for longer periods uninterrupted. Because the pairs of lessons were matched on teacher, class (students and classroom), topic, teaching style, week of the semester, and time of day, the advantage of the nature-based lessons could not be attributed to any of these factors. It appears that, far from leaving students too keyed up to concentrate afterward, lessons in nature may actually leave students more able to engage in the next lesson, even as students are also learning the material at hand. Such “refueling in flight” argues for including more lessons in nature in formal education
Access Study: https://neurosciencenews.com/biophobia-neuroscience-30018/
Summary: An increasing number of people experience fear, discomfort, or disgust toward nature—a phenomenon known as biophobia. The findings reveal that negative emotions form through both external factors such as urban environments and media portrayals, and internal factors like health and emotional traits. Limited contact with nature can reinforce avoidance, reducing exposure to well-known mental and physical health benefits. Researchers suggest that early positive experiences with nature and greener urban spaces may help reverse this growing trend.
Key Facts
- Basophobia Identified: Fear and discomfort toward nature are rising across age groups and cultures.
- Multiple Causes: Urbanization, media narratives, personal traits, and reduced exposure all contribute.
- Health Impact: Negative emotions toward nature limit well-being benefits and hinder conservation efforts.
Student Behavior, Focus and Attention in Outdoor Learning
Frontiers in Psychology 03 January 2018 Sec. Educational Psychology
Abstract
Teachers wishing to offer lessons in nature may hold back for fear of leaving students keyed up and unable to concentrate in subsequent, indoor lessons. This study tested the hypothesis that lessons in nature have positive—not negative—aftereffects on subsequent classroom engagement. Using carefully matched pairs of lessons (one in a relatively natural outdoor setting and one indoors), we observed subsequent classroom engagement during an indoor instructional period, replicating these comparisons over 10 different topics and weeks in the school year, in each of two third grade classrooms. Pairs were roughly balanced in how often the outdoor lesson preceded or followed the classroom lesson. Classroom engagement was significantly better after lessons in nature than after their matched counterparts for four of the five measures developed for this study: teacher ratings; third-party tallies of “redirects” (the number of times the teacher stopped instruction to direct student attention back onto the task at hand); independent, photo-based ratings made blind to condition; and a composite index each showed a nature advantage; student ratings did not.
This nature advantage held across different teachers and held equally over the initial and final 5 weeks of lessons. And the magnitude of the advantage was large. In 48 out of 100 paired comparisons, the nature lesson was a full standard deviation better than its classroom counterpart; in 20 of the 48, the nature lesson was over two standard deviations better. The rate of “redirects” was cut almost in half after a lesson in nature, allowing teachers to teach for longer periods uninterrupted. Because the pairs of lessons were matched on teacher, class (students and classroom), topic, teaching style, week of the semester, and time of day, the advantage of the nature-based lessons could not be attributed to any of these factors. It appears that, far from leaving students too keyed up to concentrate afterward, lessons in nature may actually leave students more able to engage in the next lesson, even as students are also learning the material at hand. Such “refueling in flight” argues for including more lessons in nature in formal education
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