Teachers’ Guide

3.3. Outdoor Learning

Institute for Outdoor Learning describes Outdoor Learning as a broad term that includes: outdoor play in the early years, school grounds projects, environmental education, recreational and adventure activities, personal and social development programmes, expeditions, team building, leadership training, management development, education for sustainability, adventure therapy. It describes how direct experience outdoors is more motivating and has more impact and credibility. The teacher is still central in organisation. Through skilled teaching, interpretation or facilitation, outdoor experiences readily become a stimulating source of fascination, personal growth and breakthroughs in learning.

In Outdoor Learning participants learn through what they do, through what they encounter and through what they discover – it is active learning outside the classroom. Participants learn about the outdoors, themselves and each other, while also learning outdoor skills. Outdoor Learning can help to bring many school subjects alive while also providing experiential opportunities for fulfilling an aim "to enable pupils to respond positively to opportunities, challenges and responsibilities, to manage risk and to cope with change and adversity."

Online Resources

• Outdoor LearningOutdoor Learning is a broad term that includes: outdoor play in the early years, school grounds projects, environmental education, recreational and adventure activities, personal and social development programmes, expeditions, team building, leadership training, management development, education for sustainability, adventure therapy ... and more. Outdoor Learning does not have a clearly defined boundary but it does have a common core. It is a mode of active learning that brings education outside the classroom to the outdoors.
• National Curricula and Respect for Outdoor LearningDfES & QCA, 1999: The National Curriculum Handbook for Secondary Teachers in England.