A Systematic Review Protocol to Identify the Key Benefits and Efficacy of Nature-Based Learning in Outdoor Educational Settings

Abstract

Outdoor Learning in natural environments is a burgeoning approach in the educational sector. However, the evidence-base of research has not kept pace with teacher perceptions and increased practitioner usage. Anecdotal evidence and formal research suggest the significant health and wellbeing benefits of nature connection. Offering low-cost, non-invasive pedagogical solutions to public health challenges—particularly around mental health, wellbeing, physical literacy, and increasing physical activity–the pedagogical benefits of Outdoor Learning are yet to be fully enunciated. The proposed systematic review will search for studies across eight academic databases which measure the academic and socio-emotional benefits of Outdoor Learning, with a focus on school-aged educational settings. Using the inclusion criteria set out in this paper (and registered with PROSPERO: CRD42020153171), relevant studies will be identified then summarised to provide a synthesis of the current literature on Outdoor Learning. The goal of this review is to document the widespread international investigation into Outdoor Learning and its associated benefits for development, wellbeing, and personal growth. The systematic review will provide insights for teacher-training institutions, educational policy makers, and frontline teachers to improve the learning experiences of future students.

Getting Out of the Classroom and Into Nature: A Systematic Review of Nature-Specific Outdoor Learning on School Children's Learning and Development

“…Figure 1 describes the screening process. Nine databases (ERIC, ProQuest, PSYCInfo, PubMed, Sage, Scopus, Taylor and Francis, Web of Science, Wiley) were accessed by the international review team, yielding 17,886 hits with a keyword in the each of the three categories (education outside the classroom, learning, and wellbeing) and published between 2000 and 2020, outlined in our protocol paper ( 10 ). Duplicates were removed in Endnote, and 13,148 unique records were copied to an online screening tool, Rayyan ( https://www.rayyan.ai/ ).…”

“…A detailed description of inclusion and exclusion criteria is covered in Mann et al ( 10 ). The criteria for inclusion in this systematic review were:…”

“…These checklist tools require a rating of +1, 0 or −1 for each of 11 and 10 questions, respectively, and were adjusted to produce a score between −10 and +10. The full list of rating items and checklist references are included in Mann et al ( 10 ).…”

“…This paper presents an examination of the literature on nature-specific learning outside the classroom (NSLOtC) and the types of benefits and/or impacts such opportunities have on children. Our scoping paper ( 10 ) used the term “outdoor learning”, however we have chosen the more precise term of NSLOtC. Following Atencio et al ( 11 ), NSLOtC includes practical and experiential learning activities conducted outside in school grounds and other locations such as parks, forests, residential camps/centers or on expeditions.…”

The Tree Performance and Physical Attributes Determination for Outdoor Student Education Learning Centre Project Proposal

“…The findings of this study are consistent with the outcomes of previous research. Many studies from the literature review consider existing physical elements, including campus trees, a significant subject for outdoor learning centres (Abdullah et al, 2022;Maheran et al, 2017;Mann et al, 2021;Mirrahmi et al, 2011).…”