Affordances in nature: Australian primary school children identify learning opportunities

Abstract

The Forest School practice in the United Kingdom (UK) is increasingly becoming popular. Denmark's udeskole (outdoor school) model applied in early childhood education, itself influenced by the Scandinavian philosophy of friluftsliv (free air life), inspired the beginnings of Forest School idea. Within the UK, Forest School education has responded both to school curriculum and connection to nature with nature-based activities and play pedagogy. In an environment of demonstrating learning outcomes in the achievement of expected numeracy and literacy standards, Forest School gets school children out into the woods. Challenges exist-for example, can every child be outdoors, feel comfortable, and appreciate the woods? Forest School appears to have become normalised and a copyrighted product. Also, the pedagogy of Forest School lacks a solid theoretical underpinning that guides its practice responding to the diversity of contexts and clients escaping degenerated formula-type marketisation. We present an ecological dynamics framework focused on affordances and the person-environment scale of analysis, to guide future design and implementation of activities. From this approach, benefits obtained are about realising and attuning to affordances which have sociocultural and individual connotations, and respecting local cultures and their community resources (for example, Australian indigenous). The role of the Forest School facilitator becomes more specific to guide clients towards the perception of affordances in nature for perceived benefits. The Forest School concept, with its ethos of facilitating experiences for well-being purposes, will provide better opportunities for diverse populations.

Student Voice and Participation in Intercultural Education

“…These results are in tune with those obtained by many other researchers focused on the voice of students who highlight the importance of participatory processes involving students and schools (Bourke & Loveridge, 2018;Fletcher, 2005;Sharma-Brymer et al, 2018). Special attention is given to intercultural learning and to the development of an ethic of alterity and care, based on self-reflective and intersubjective processes and built on the interaction with others (Abdallah-Pretceille, 2005;Diaz-Aguado, 2004;Fleuri, 2003;Loo et al, 2019;Meunier, 2014;Rego et al, 2007).…”

“…Concepts such as intercultural education and empowerment are interconnected, allowing the voice of students to be heard and acted upon (Rud-duck & Flutter, 2004). This is a path with a transformative power (Sharma-Brymer, Davids, Brymer, & Bland, 2018) to facilitate dialogue between individuals and cultures where values, intentions, conceptions, and worldviews are exchanged and reconstructed. This may affect the construction of relationships and mutual affection, the transformation of the modes of knowledge production, the empowerment of individuals and groups, and the development of more equitable, inclusive, and democratic communities.…”

“…Studies have reported positive effects for students including engagement in active and critical citizenship, the development of autonomy, responsibility, creativity, reflexivity, and social leadership, along with stronger communication skills (Sharma-Brymer et al, 2018), as well as enhanced cooperation and negotiation (Bourke & Loveridge, 2018;Fielding, 2016Fielding, , 2018. Active participation in the learning process is related to a consequent sense of control (Mitra, 2018) and educational success (Cook-Sather, 2018).…”

The impact of music making outdoors on primary school aged pupils (aged 7–10 years) in the soundscape of nature from the perspective of their primary school teachers

“…Nevertheless, much of the research appears to show the value of agency for the learner and creative freedom provided by outdoor learning (Flannigan and Dietze 2017;Gustafson & van der Burgt 2015;Maynard et al 2013;Sefton-Green 2006). Research also highlights the apparent cognitive benefits of the outdoor environment (Ampuero et al 2015;Dillon et al 2005;Ulset et al 2017;Wyver 2017) and the beneficial results to one's wellbeing when in contact with nature (Adams and Beauchamp 2020;Capaldi et al 2015;Mayer et al 2009;Pritchard et al 2019;Sharma-Brymer et al 2018). Despite these research findings, it has been argued that children are not being given enough opportunities to learn outdoors (Waite 2017).…”

Reconsidering McKenzie’s Six Adventure Education Programming Elements Using an Ecological Dynamics Lens and Its Implications for Health and Wellbeing

“…Ecological Dynamics conceptualizes an individual as a complex system influenced by surrounding environmental characteristics [74,87]. Within the person-environment interplay, the physical and social environments shape opportunities for individual responses.…”