Outdoor adventure in promoting relationships with nature

Place-responsive pedagogy: learning from teachers’ experiences of excursions in nature

“…Being present in and with a place We found that planning with place in mind was easier for teachers who had spent time accruing a deeper relationship with the natural places visited, a view supported by Martin (2004). More expert outdoor teachers were able to explain how they did this more comprehensively, while novice outdoor teachers found they needed to learn new dispositions or orientations to place.…”

Learning from leisure: Developing nature connectedness in outdoor education

“…For example, the provision of student choice and options about the extent and intensity of participation may help to cater for more skilled students for whom 'high adventure' experiences enable positive connection with nature (Martin, 2004). It may also accommodate students who, like some women in this study and students in other research (Martin, 2004(Martin, , 2005, find that nature takes a backseat in attention in times when personal skills and sense of safety are overly tested.…”

“…For example, the provision of student choice and options about the extent and intensity of participation may help to cater for more skilled students for whom 'high adventure' experiences enable positive connection with nature (Martin, 2004). It may also accommodate students who, like some women in this study and students in other research (Martin, 2004(Martin, , 2005, find that nature takes a backseat in attention in times when personal skills and sense of safety are overly tested. With "…comfort with nature and desire to be in nature" considered to be necessary precursors for developing "ecologically literacy" (Martin, 2008, p. 37), shaping outdoor education experiences so that diverse students enjoy themselves and comfortably build skills is clearly important.…”

“…Martin (2004) for example, suggests that for some tertiary outdoor education students, adventurous outdoor activities are central to their enjoyment of nature and their motivation for continued involvement and may be "…one of the most effective educational tools available for developing positive relationships between humans and nature, particularly when blended with opportunities for reflection" (p. 26). Andkjaer (2010) has similarly stated that adventure activities may represent and allow for a more "bodily sense of place" (pp.…”

“…In this regard, attention has been drawn to a number of points including the importance of affective and sensory learning in promoting environmental sensitivity or place connectedness (for example Martin, 2004Martin, , 2007Martin, , 2008Wattchow, 2008); the need for extended periods in outdoor environments (for example Martin, 2005;Rickinson, Dillon, Teamey, Morris, Mee Young, Sanders, & Benefield, 2004) and/or repeated time in a specific place (Hill, 2010b;Martin, 2004). Payne and Wattchow (2008) have suggested the value of a "slow pedagogy" for "'placing' education in nature" (p. 25) and Brookes (1994) similarly emphasised the importance of gaining an intimate, localised tacit knowledge of particular environments.…”