Frames in Outdoor Environmental Education Programs: What We Communicate and Why We Think It Matters

Abstract

This paper discusses the application of frame analysis as a method of designing and evaluating outdoor environmental education programs. In particular, it investigates what frames are communicated in these programs, why and how program leaders focus on communicating particular frames, and how students interact with these frames. Five outdoor environmental education programs for elementary school students were analyzed. We used a qualitative approach that combined field observation, interviews with program leaders (N = 15), qualitative findings based on questionnaires collected from the participants after completing the programs (N = 365), and interviews with some of the students (N = 10). According to the results, while the leaders intensively applied various surface frames to attract student interest and organize the program activities, the deep frames aimed for in the main program messages connected with the program goals often remained implicit and were not recognized by the students.

We love them anyway: outdoor environmental education programs from the accompanying teachers’ perspective

“…In the context of the paradox that the teachers appreciate the experiential learning process but question its educational effect, it may mean that, for teachers, the significance of experiential learning lies in providing a transformative experience rather than in developing students’ environmentally-related competence. This corresponds with the interpretation of experiential learning expressed by some of the program leaders, too (Činčera et al, 2020 ).…”

The Study Tour in China: An Emerging Mode for Practical Education

“…Since the last century, as an important form of education, outdoor education has gained fruitful research in western countries. The research themes usually focus on environment, outdoor sports, outdoor adventure, and environment-related values, history, culture, energy and nature [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. In terms of objective, outdoor education is always settled on transmitting environmental consciousness and values, exploring the landscape and the wild, and understanding natural resources and sustainability [16,17,21,23].…”