Educators and recreation stakeholders call for more outdoor focus in schools

Important shifts in education that will improve the well-being and development of Australian children are among a range of issues to be considered at the 21st National Outdoor Education Conference next week.

Being held in the NSW Blue Mountains from 26th to 29th September, the three-day conference will see 250 outdoor educators bring knowledge, skills, research and experience to the table to discuss how more of our community can benefit from outdoor education.

Introducing the event, Lori Modde, host of the National Outdoor Education Conference, explains “starting out as CEO of Outdoors New South Wales and ACT in 2020, I was astounded to learn how many schools do not value or embed outdoor education in their methods.

“The Outdoor Education providers have the antidote for the challenges associated with mental health, resilience and other things life throws you and thanks to the challenges of the last few years the time is now for schools to listen to the research.”

Modde points to how King Charles III spent 2 terms at Timbertop, Geelong Grammar School’s campus, where the value of outdoor education has been embedded in their practices for over 60 years.

However, with practices often exclusive to private education, the outdoor education sector is calling on the states and territories to embed outdoor education into the government schools so that it’s not just the privileged that benefit.

Conference co-convenor Professor Tonia Gray of Western Sydney University notes “outdoor learning is not new but newly important.

“The evidence-based research has clearly shown the physical, psycho-social, educational, and emotional benefits. As an urgent priority, we call on our federal and state governments to embed Outdoor Education into the government schools, now.”

The Outdoor Youth Programs Research Alliance in 2018 found that youth anxiety and mental health challenges can be improved through participating in outdoor programs. Students improved confidence, self-efficacy and increased belief to achieve their goals after the participation in outdoor programs.

Data and findings produced by this alliance was endorsed by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

Modde emphasises that that it is not just secondary or primary school children that benefit , pointing to Professor Pasi Sahlberg, who will be at the conference presenting two sessions.

Professor Sahlberg will be presenting on ‘Nature Play & Outdoor Learning’ and a keynote address where he will bring his immense experience of being an educator, scholar, thought leader and author to the discussions on ways to improve our education system.

Modde adds “and here is a hint … it involves outdoor education”, going on to say “with the movement towards educational improvement it’s now the time to start embedding outdoor education in every school, for every student in the country.

“Who doesn’t want more of our kids with better mental health, skills for life and more resilience when facing life’s challenges?”

Click here for more information on the National Outdoor Education Conference next week in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.