National Outdoor Education Conference spotlights need for more outdoor focus in schools

Outdoor learning, education and recreation enthusiasts from across all Australian states and territories were on the same page when it came to discussing the future of the industry at the National Outdoor Education Conference held in Leura, in the NSW Blue Mountains at the end of September.

All 250 attendees, partners and sponsors commended the organisers on the opportunity to have the hard-hitting discussions and unite with a common voice about what is required to see change for the betterment of future generations.

The benefits of Outdoor Education continue to be better understood and more research and data were revealed at the conference. Pymble Ladies College was one of the case studies discussed at the event and how the ‘resilience scale’ indicated clear improvement for attendees post the educational program. A program delivered over eight weeks across four primary schools in Western Australia, had exceptional results in resilience, connection to nature, connection to the outdoors and increased students’ collaboration and imagination skills.

So why don’t all children have access to this opportunity?

An overwhelming majority of the attendees at the national conference were from private schools with Lori Modde, Event Organiser and Chief Executive of Outdoors NSW & ACT noting “It seems that everyone is on the same page… why is it that only the privileged have access to the benefits that outdoor education provides.”

Education improvement is on the agenda in most states and territories and there is an answer to many of the challenges they are trying to solve that’s right under their nose.

Peter Kent from Birrigai Outdoor School in the ACT advised “In addition to Outdoor Education let’s broaden our thinking to Education in the Outdoors or Outdoor Learning so we get better engagement by teachers in schools. Most learning can be taken into the outdoor classroom where students have the opportunity for improved learning by leveraging all the proven benefits of connecting to a natural environment.”

The Nature School in Port Macquarie NSW has taken this to the next level and adapted a whole child’s primary school journey and connected it to nature. So successful that they now have a waiting list and commencing Year 7 in 2023 with the aim to have a Kindergarten through to Year 10 by 2026.

Catherine Shaw, Principal of The Nature School shares “teachers are breaking under the weight of paperwork and an overcrowded curriculum. I understand when they say they can’t fit the outdoors into their already-full timetables, but so much of the curriculum can be taught in nature! It’s not an add-on. It’s an alternative space alive with learning opportunities.”

Shaw was awarded the Outdoor Education Service Award for 2022 and her school was the NSW winner for Program of the Year and a finalist in the National Outdoor Education Program Awards.

In addition to the access to these educational opportunities, the conference highlighted the movement and progression toward gender balance, diversity, equity, aboriginal connection and inclusion.

This year an ‘Ignite’ session was introduced, born out of the desire to make a positive difference in the profession in terms of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

Tonia Gray, co-convener and Professor at Western Sydney University explains “the session involved a three-minute time slot for five panellists to throw a metaphorical ‘hand grenade’ into the audience. Designed to shed light on the injustices or blind spots in the outdoor profession. The session had an impact leaving people and tears and standing ovations. We hope the field moves from complacency to action when we meet in two years for the next National Conference.”

The content called for diversity and inclusion in the sector, while showcasing the experiences of leaders and how they want to help make a path for further improvements by calling out their challenges.

Conference convenors were pleased with the attendance and level of engagement in all topics.

However, Modde, Chief Executive of Outdoors NSW & ACT and host of this year’s event rendered this one parting thought - “it feels like we are preaching to the converted, and we have a whole nation out there that needs to understand the impacts of outdoor education on our future generations because it’s a solution to many problems in our society and everyone deserves an opportunity to be better”.

The Australian Outdoor Education Awards were announced at the conference and the winners are listed below;

Outdoor Education Emerging Practitioner
Lindsay Blinco, Queensland

Outdoor Education Practitioner
Emma Beveridge, Queensland

Service to Outdoor Education
Jamie Bennett – Western Australia
Andrew Boyle – Queensland
Carol McIntosh – Queensland
James McIntosh – Queensland
Graeme Dawes – New South Wales
Catherine Shaw – New South Wales
Chris Hodgson – South Australia

Outdoor Education Fellowships
Catherine Carpenter – Victoria
Steve McMurturie – Victoria
John Quay – Victoria
Sandy Allen-Craig – Victoria
Mark Brackenreg – New South Wales
Jon Hodges – Queensland
Rob Hogan – South Australia

Outdoor Education Program
Overall Winner – Trinity Anglican School, Queensland
Finalist from WA, St Mark’s
Finalist from NSW, The Nature School
Finalist from VIC, Firbank Grammar School
Finalist from NT, St Phillips College
Finalist from TAS, Guilford Young College

Image: National Outdoor Education Conference 2022