Outdoor education

New research from academics at the University of the Sunshine Coast shows that maths and science educators can use visual cues in nature like animal trails and patterns to explore both simple and complex mathematical concepts with students. 

Emu Gully Adventure Education offers a unique and transformative approach to education that takes students out of the classroom and into the great outdoors, using adventure and challenge as powerful tools for growth and development. Whether you’re a teacher seeking a one-day experience or a multi-day adventure camp, Emu Gully offers options that can be customised to fit the specific goals and objectives of your class.

Excursions, camps and incursions are a great way for teachers to tap into external expertise and learning experiences to support needs and complement what you’re doing in the classroom. Just like your regular lesson activities, you’ll need to plan well to get the most out of them.

Looking for a school camp to provide your students with learning breakthroughs and memories they’ll cherish for years to come? There are lots of things to consider when deciding on a school camp, so to help make it a little easier, here are some things you need to know to make an informed decision.

In this edition of Researching education: 5 further readings, we’re sharing 5 pieces of content on the topic of outdoor and environmental education. In the below resources, you can read about the experience of one Australian school introducing a hybrid model for year 7 camp, access an open-access book offering practical advice for teaching outdoor education, and more.

Good communication is vital for achieving success in both your academic and personal life. PGL Adventure Camps offer a wide variety of adventurous activities, specifically designed to get students working collaboratively and communicating effectively. 

Having access to outdoor spaces at school is great for break times, but it also opens up a whole host of curriculum-linked learning possibilities that extend beyond PE lessons. However, a new study from University of South Australia researchers has found schools may not be making the most of the outdoor areas they have when it comes to curriculum delivery.

Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education at Southern Cross University, joins The Research Files this month to talk about the Childhood Nature Play study. We’ll be chatting about the different types of nature play, and the teaching and learning resources that have been co-designed as a result of the research project.

‘What can we learn from one school that is showing the way in supporting sustainable education using a whole-school approach throughout its entire systems and operations?’ Julie Bosevska and Dr Jeana Kriewaldt, from the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, share four ‘lighthouse practices’ to help schools strengthen their approach to sustainability.

In this reader submission, teacher Martin Poeder makes a case for why Steiner education’s imaginative curriculum delivery is well positioned to meet the future demands of a transforming world, sharing practical examples of students’ engagement with the natural world from his own school in Bairnsdale, Regional Victoria.