A research report from Common Sense Media found that U.S. teens spend an average of more than seven hours per day on screen media for entertainment alone. As a result of the pandemic, screen time among tweens and teens increased by 17%, while school-related screen time increased by 11%.
Technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in classrooms. This can be demonstrated by the 70% of schools that use technology for educational purposes.
However, beyond the traditional classroom walls lies a vast world of learning opportunities, outdoor education. This educational approach found on campus in the Lifetime Recreation and Outdoor Education class helps provide students with an increased sense of curiosity, personal development, and environmental awareness.
In the 1940s, educator Kurt Hahn and businessman Lawrence Holt formed the Outward Bound program. Through the program, British youth were taught survival skills in natural settings and given real-world opportunities to practice them. Today, outdoor education can take many different forms. However, the general concept remains the same: the course helps students gain a better understanding of their environment and themselves. Through outdoor activities, educators encourage students to think deeply about and interact with life outdoors.
According to research conducted by the University of Virginia, students are not curious in school which has a detrimental effect on motivation and learning. However, outdoor education provides students with the curiosity necessary to succeed. A study conducted by Psychology Today concluded that participants in a nature-based learning class demonstrated curiosity towards their environment. Those who feel connected to nature become curious about it. As a result of this curiosity, students will explore, learn, and appreciate the beauty of nature, leading to a deeper sense of awe and wonder.
Curiosity is critical for success because it leads to creativity and discoveries. The immersive experience of being outdoors offers an endless source of inspiration, boosting creativity. Exposure to natural environments can also stimulate the brain and increase cognitive function making students more focused and productive.
Personal development skills improve someone’s quality of life and allow them to be the best versions of themselves. Schools put an emphasis on formal education rather than focusing on personal development. Schools do not teach students how to deal with many of the challenges they may face in life. Instead, they promote uniformity, and standardized environments that distort and negatively impact personal development.
Outdoor education, on the other hand, helps students develop important life skills and enables them to reach their full potential. Outdoor activities and challenges raise awareness of participants’ capabilities and potential. Students become more confident in themselves, allowing them to build self-esteem.
A study from the National Center for Science Education found that 75 percent of public school science teachers do cover climate change. Another 2016 survey of 1,500 middle and high school teachers found that they only devoted one or two hours to climate change during the entire academic year.
Schools that do briefly cover environmental issues such as climate change only do so through textbooks or presentations. However, understanding environmental issues requires more than reading about them. By engaging in outdoor education, students witness environmental phenomena firsthand while strengthening their relationship with the planet.
Using many senses to gain information helps learning to be more meaningful and useful. As students walk through a guided lesson about environmental awareness, they can utilize their senses to gain a deeper understanding of ecological principles. Learning about environmental awareness helps students understand the importance of conserving natural resources, reducing waste, and protecting the environment. It also helps to foster a sense of stewardship and responsibility among students.
Amidst technology’s dominance, outdoor education stands out as a vital tool that ignites curiosity, encourages personal growth, and promotes environmental awareness.
