Outdoor Environmental Education in the Contemporary World (International Explorations in Outdoor and Environmental Education, 12)

This edited volume explores the role of outdoor environmental education in the contemporary society. It identifies some of the opportunities and challenges of this educational area, particularly in the growing digitalization of the contemporary society and the distancing between people and nature. Furthermore, it seeks to answer why outdoor environmental education is essential for developing students’ environmental citizenship competencies or developing their relationship with nature. The book also introduces the various approaches existing in the field, discusses their relevance, and highlights their unique features. The book finishes with an overview of the practice of outdoor environmental education in selected countries from North America, Europe, and Asia. Series Editors’ Foreword References Acknowledgments Contents Contributors Chapter 1: Introduction References Part I: Outdoor Environmental Education in the Contemporary World Chapter 2: Outdoor Environmental Education: Grounding a Tradition Within Environmental Education 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Outdoor Education and Environmental Education: A Story of Dynamic Fields 2.3 OEE: Linking EE to OE 2.3.1 Contemporary Challenges of EE 2.3.2 Situating OEE in Contemporary Educational Theory 2.4 OEE in the Contemporary World 2.4.1 OEE and Environmental Citizenship 2.4.2 Ongoing Challenges for OEE References Chapter 3: Is Policy the Whole Story? International Trends and Perspective in Policy Making and Enactment in Outdoor Environmental Education 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Methodology 3.3 Outdoor Education Policy Worldwide 3.4 Challenges from Theory to Practice: Discrepancies Between Education Policy and Its Implementation in the Field 3.4.1 Discrepancy Between Policy Makers and Implementation in the Field: Obstacles in Implementation 3.4.2 Discrepancies Within the Education Policy: Promoting Achievement by Means of Testing as Opposed to Promoting Outdoor Education 3.4.3 Culture-Based Gap: Outdoor Education Policy Facing the Cultural Characteristics of Target Audiences 3.4.4 Discrepancies in the Source of the Policy: A “Bottom-Up” and “Top-Down” Policy 3.4.4.1 Top-Down 3.4.4.2 Bottom-Up 3.5 Summary and Conclusions References Chapter 4: Connectedness to Nature Through Outdoor Environmental Education: Insights from Psychology 4.1 Connectedness to Nature Through Outdoor Environmental Education: Insights from Psychology 4.2 Insights from Psychology 4.2.1 Definitions of Connectedness to Nature 4.2.2 Overview 4.2.3 Situational Contexts that Influence Connectedness 4.2.3.1 Experiences with Nature First-Hand Contact with Nature Characteristics of Nature Childhood Contact with Nature Applications to OEE: First-Hand Experiences with Nature Mediated Experiences with Nature Applications to OEE: Mediated Contact 4.2.3.2 Activities Activities as Part of Nature Experiences Applications to OEE: Activities in Nature Activities Without Nature Meditation Reflection Applications to OEE: Activities Without Nature 4.2.4 Psychological States that Influence Connectedness 4.2.4.1 Mindfulness Applications to OEE: Mindfulness 4.2.4.2 Psychological States Related to the Self Negative Impacts of the Self on Connectedness Positive Influences of the Self on Connectedness Applications to OEE: The Self 4.2.4.3 Affect and Motivation Applications to OEE: Affect 4.2.5 Individual Differences that Influence Connectedness 4.2.5.1 Demographics Age Gender Other Applications to OEE: Demographics 4.2.5.2 Personality Applications to OEE: Personality 4.2.5.3 Worldviews Applications to OEE: Worldviews 4.3 Empirical Psychological Research on Environmental Education and Connectedness 4.4 Discussion 4.4.1 Planning 4.4.2 Evaluation 4.5 Conclusion References Chapter 5: How Education Can Be Leveraged to Foster Adolescents’ Nature Connection 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Importance and Relevance of Nature Connection for Adolescents 5.2.1 Health 5.2.2 School Performance 5.2.3 Environmental Citizenship 5.3 The Potential Role of Education in Nature Connection 5.4 Thresholds and Levers in Secondary Education 5.4.1 School Policy Level 5.4.2 The Learning Environment 5.4.3 Thresholds and Levers for Adolescents 5.5 Recommendations for Policy and Practice References Chapter 6: Outdoor Environmental Education in the Anthropocene: Beyond In/Out 6.1 Introduction: Anthropocene Perspectives on Outdoor Environmental Education 6.2 Two Sides of the Anthropocene Story 6.3 OOE as Supplementary to Mainstream Education 6.4 The Outdoors as a Spaceship 6.5 The Outdoors as a Life-Critical Zone 6.6 Two Levels of Deconstruction 6.6.1 Transhuman OEE 6.6.2 Posthuman OEE 6.7 Trust in a Spaceship or Trust in a Wider Life 6.8 Conclusion References Part II: Approaches to Outdoor Environmental Education Chapter 7: Environmental Interpretation 7.1 Roots of Interpretation 7.2 Tilden’s Principles 7.3 Environmental Interpretation 7.4 Thematic Approach 7.5 Program Development 7.6 Criticism 7.7 Discourse 7.8 Conclusion References Chapter 8: Earth Education: Magical Learning Adventures for Living More Lightly 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Programmatic Approach 8.2.1 Magical Learning Adventures 8.2.2 Structure 8.3 Learning Frameworks 8.3.1 Conceptual Learning 8.3.2 Developing Feelings 8.3.3 Personal Actions and Behaviors 8.4 Vignette: A Program in Action 8.5 Research 8.6 Conclusion References Chapter 9: Place-Based Education: Dynamic Response to Current Trends 9.1 Introduction 9.2 The Ongoing Evolution of Place-Based Education 9.3 Making a Better World by Learning in Place 9.4 Rebuilding the Connection Between Community and Education 9.5 Investigating the Intersection of Domination and PBE 9.6 How One Teacher Integrates the Three Camps of PBE 9.7 PBE Affordances and Challenges 9.8 Conclusion: A Responsive Model References Chapter 10: Forest School – The UK Context: How This Nature-Based Outdoor Education Became a New ‘Term’ in the UK and What Challenges Does it Face in 2022? 10.1 Introduction 10.2 What Is a Forest School 10.3 Evolution of the Term Forest School (in the UK) 10.4 Ethos, Values and Principles of Forest School 10.5 How Effective Has the Forest School Programme Been in Delivering the Above Principles and Realizing the Aspirations I Have Outlined Here? 10.6 Bramblewood Forest School Case Study 10.7 Conclusion References Chapter 11: Long Before, Before, Within and Around, After, and Long After the Program: Using Environmental Socialization Strategies to Amplify Programming Effects 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Aversion to Wild Nature 11.3 Significant Life Experiences 11.4 Environmental Socialization—What Is It and Known Components 11.5 Specific Environmental Socialization Strategies 11.6 Vignette: A Week in the Life of a Nature Center Educator Working with an Environmental Socializer Strategic Philosophy 11.7 Challenges 11.8 Conclusion References Chapter 12: Wild Pedagogies, Outdoor Education, and the Educational Imagination 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Wild Pedagogies 12.3 Problems in Education 12.3.1 A Call for More Radical Change 12.3.2 The Need for an Expanded Educational Imagination 12.4 Pedagogical Understandings of the Outdoor Educator 12.4.1 Broadening What Counts as Knowledge 12.4.2 The Role of Uncertainty and Risk 12.4.3 Transforming Identity: What it Means to Be Human in a Less Alienated World 12.5 Beyond Logic and Language 12.6 Some Closing Thoughts References Chapter 13: Childhoodnature: Applying a Sympoietic Approach to Child-Outdoor-Nature Encounters 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Assembling Theories: Childhoodnature, Anthropocentrism, Sympoiesis 13.3 Enchantment: Storying Childhoodnature 13.3.1 Enchantment as Childhoodnature 13.3.2 Enchantment Is a Gift 13.3.3 Enchantment Is Sensorial 13.4 Childhoodnature as Challenging Pedagogical Re-turnings 13.5 Conclusions References Part III: Outdoor Environmental Education Programs as a Worldwide Phenomenon Chapter 14: Field Ecology: Learning the Nature of Science in Outdoor Environmental Education 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Context 14.3 The Learning Approach Applied 14.4 The Field Ecology Program 14.5 Experience and Evaluation 14.6 Conclusion References Chapter 15: The Maple Ridge Environmental School a Case Study: Ten Years as an Outdoor Public Elementary School and What We Think We Know Now 15.1 Opening, a Hopeful Glimpse 15.2 Introduction, the Maple Ridge Environmental School Project 15.3 Transformations: “Why Does it Have to Be So Brutally Slow?” 15.4 Traumas: Building Relationships While Naming the Trouble 15.4.1 Layer 1: Trauma-Informed Practice 15.4.2 Layer 2: School as Traumatizing 15.4.3 Layer 3: Nature as Colonized and We Are the Colonizers 15.5 Teachers: Undoing and Redoing 15.6 Conclusion References Chapter 16: Embracing Nature, Meaningful Experiences for Teaching and Learning Endeavors: Lessons from the Northern Gulf of California 16.1 Introduction 16.2 The Northern Gulf of California: The Perfect Setting for Outdoor Education 16.3 The CEDO Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans: An Epicenter for Outdoor Education in the Northern Gulf of California 16.4 Field Science Education 16.4.1 CEDO as a Field Station and Promoter of Field Academic Education 16.4.2 NaturArte by CEDO: Ecotourism Experiences 16.5 Conservation Education 16.5.1 Youth Towards a Sustainable Northern Gulf of California 16.5.2 The Environmental Contest 16.6 Citizen Science for Sustainable Management 16.6.1 Beach Clean Ups: Promoting Collective Action 16.6.2 Citizen Monitoring: Generating Knowledge and Stewardship 16.6.3 Citizen Science 16.7 Lessons Learned in 43 Years 16.8 Conclusions References Chapter 17: The Bronte Creek Project: Outdoor Environmental Education in a High School 17.1 Introduction 17.2 Political, Economic, Cultural, and Social Contexts and Conditions 17.3 What Shapes the Program 17.4 Program Description 17.4.1 Integrated Disciplines 17.4.2 Service Learning 17.4.3 Environment 17.4.4 Community 17.4.5 Educational Approaches 17.4.6 Rituals 17.4.7 Reflection 17.4.8 Adventure Wilderness Trips 17.4.9 Flexibility 17.4.10 How to Build a Program 17.5 Experience and Evaluation 17.5.1 The Bronte Creek Project Experience 17.5.1.1 Articles About BCP 17.5.1.2 Testimonials from Former Students 17.5.1.3 Testimonials from Parents 17.5.1.4 Testimonials from Former Staff 17.5.1.5 What Could Have Been Done Differently? 17.6 Conclusions References Chapter 18: Walk with the Formosa Macaque 18.1 Introduction to the Promotion of Environmental Education Act in Taiwan 18.2 Background and Content of Taiwan’s Outdoor Education Promotion 18.3 Case Study of Environmental and Outdoor Education in Taiwan 18.3.1 Program Background and Implementation Surroundings 18.3.2 Walk with Formosa Macaque Outdoor Program 18.3.3 Program Evaluation 18.4 Conclusion Appendix 1: Observation Chart References Chapter 19: The GLOBE Pulchra Program: Blurring the Boundaries Between Indoor and Outdoor, Science and Society, and Onsite and Online in the COVID World 19.1 Introduction 19.2 Context 19.3 The Pulchra Program Description 19.4 Experience and Evaluation 19.4.1 The Process of the Pulchra Program Implementation: Dealing with a Lockdown 19.4.2 The Learning Effects of the Pulchra Program: Empowerment and Motivation for a Change 19.5 Conclusion References Chapter 20: Conclusion: Emerging Trends in Outdoor Environmental Education in the Post-COVID World 20.1 What Is the Role of OEE in the Contemporary Society? 20.2 Dilemmas and Questions Regarding OEE 20.2.1 OEE Mission in the Context of Formal Education 20.2.2 Human–Nature, Outdoor–Indoor Questions 20.2.3 The Question of Power and Content 20.3 Conclusion: How Should OEE Adapt to the Needs of Our Fragile and Uncertain Times? Index