No Cover Image

Journal article 1073 views 33 downloads

Curriculum-based outdoor learning for children aged 9-11: A qualitative analysis of pupils’ and teachers’ views

Emily Marchant Orcid Logo, Charlotte Todd Orcid Logo, Roxanne Cooksey Orcid Logo, Sam Dredge, Hope Jones, David Reynolds, Gareth Stratton Orcid Logo, Russell Dwyer, Ronan Lyons Orcid Logo, Sinead Brophy Orcid Logo

PLOS ONE, Volume: 14, Issue: 5, Start page: e0212242

Swansea University Authors: Emily Marchant Orcid Logo, Charlotte Todd Orcid Logo, Roxanne Cooksey Orcid Logo, Sam Dredge, Hope Jones, David Reynolds, Gareth Stratton Orcid Logo, Ronan Lyons Orcid Logo, Sinead Brophy Orcid Logo

  • 50516.VoR.pdf

    PDF | Version of Record

    © 2019 Marchant et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.

    Download (529.29KB)

Abstract

The relationship between child health, wellbeing and education demonstrates that healthier and happier children achieve higher educational attainment. An engaging curriculum that facilitates children in achieving their academic potential has strong implications for educational outcomes, future emplo...

Full description

Published in: PLOS ONE
ISSN: 1932-6203
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2019
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa50516
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Abstract: The relationship between child health, wellbeing and education demonstrates that healthier and happier children achieve higher educational attainment. An engaging curriculum that facilitates children in achieving their academic potential has strong implications for educational outcomes, future employment prospects, and health and wellbeing during adulthood. Outdoor learning is a pedagogical approach used to enrich learning, enhance school engagement and improve pupil health and wellbeing. However, its non-traditional means of achieving curricular aims are not yet recognised beyond the early years by education inspectorates. This requires evidence into its acceptability from those at the forefront of delivery. This study aimed to explore headteachers’, teachers’ and pupils’ views and experiences of an outdoor learning programme within the key stage two curriculum (ages 9–11) in South Wales, United Kingdom. We examine the process of implementation to offer case study evidence through 1:1 interviews with headteachers (n = 3) and teachers (n = 10) and focus groups with pupils aged 9–11 (n = 10) from three primary schools. Interviews and focus groups were conducted at baseline and six months into implementation. Schools introduced regular outdoor learning within the curriculum. This study found a variety of perceived benefits for pupils and schools. Pupils and teachers noticed improvements in pupils’ engagement with learning, concentration and behaviour, as well as positive impacts on health and wellbeing and teachers’ job satisfaction. Curriculum demands including testing and evidencing work were barriers to implementation, in addition to safety concerns, resources and teacher confidence. Participants supported outdoor learning as a curriculum-based programme for older primary school pupils. However, embedding outdoor learning within the curriculum requires education inspectorates to place higher value on this approach in achieving curricular aims, alongside greater acknowledgment of the wider benefits to children which current measurements do not capture.
College: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Funders: This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council [grant number ES/J500197/1]- EM- https://esrc.ukri.org/ and National Centre for Population Health and Wellbeing Research. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Issue: 5
Start Page: e0212242