LEARNING TO LEARN
students are done in an outside environment , many of them are controlled studies involving showing trial participants pictures of nature in an indoor setting to replicate the outdoors . Hence , it can be assumed that even regularly showing students pictures , videos , and sounds of a natural environment whilst in the classroom can have beneficial background impacts . Thus when there are barriers to accessing the natural environment it is important to note that these strategies can enable students to gain these benefits .
Planned benefits :
Planned benefits arise when the aims of the session ( context , location , and provider dependent e . g Duke of Edinburgh Award ) are met . For example , for the Geography IB trip to Devon it is to learn data collection techniques and successfully collect data for the completion of coastal fieldwork for the Internal Assessment . For Duke of Edinburgh award expeditions , it is to abide by the ‘ 20 conditions ’ and ‘ to develop initiative and a spirit of adventure and discovery by planning , training for , and completing an adventurous self-sufficient journey as part of a team ’ ( DofE , 2023 ). For a Royal Navy CCF Field Day it may be to learn to successfully navigate a motor boat from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight . For an outdoor adventurous trip it might be for students to improve their confidence by successfully abseiling down a cliff . The planned benefits will very much depend on the type and nature of the activity being undertaken .
Bonus benefits :
Bonus benefits are the additional value students receive from participating in the experience , by chance . For example , when taking year 7 ’ s into Knole Park to teach about field sketches , some students , especially those who lived in London , had never been into Knole before or seen a deer as they were within their first few weeks at Sevenoaks . Likewise , the bonus benefits of residential Geography fieldtrips range from including seeing seals in Devon to experiencing the culture of Morocco .
A bonus benefit that may arise , but that has only been noted from anecdotal evidence from Sevenoaks teachers as opposed to peer-reviewed research , suggests that lessons that take place in an outdoor environment generate more ‘ real and authentic ’ responses from students during discussions that students might not be prepared to mention in an indoor setting . This is a very interesting factor and one that needs further research . Linked to this , Dillon ( no date ) highlights how outdoor education can facilitate extended conversations with students . This can not only be beneficial in building relationships , as mentioned above as a background benefit , but is also exceptionally useful in enabling identification of those students undergoing higher level
Practice expedition for the Silver Duke of Edinburgh ’ s Award in the New Forest
learning as they often verbally demonstrate greater nuanced understanding of the taught environment when taking part in discussions in the field .
When reflecting on their time at school , ex-students can often recall trips better than classroom experiences . For example , a study by Dierking and Falk ( 1997 , cited in Dillon et al ., 2006 ) found that 96 % of a group of 128 children and adults could recall field trips taken during their early years at school . They recalled the bonus benefits but could not recall the planned benefits ( i . e . the intended outcomes ) of the outdoor education experience . Hence , it must be questioned whether these ‘ bonus benefits ’ could outweigh the other benefits and are the most pivotal ( despite the background benefits , which students are possibly not aware they are exposed to ), and are the foundational reason as to why students often remember outdoor education experiences and recall them fondly years later .
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