Using discussion to inform action: Formative research on nature-based physical activity as a means of fostering relatedness for girls in physical and health education

Abstract

The long-standing challenges and issues associated with girls’ disengagement from secondary school physical and health education (PHE) are serious and well documented. This disengagement has provided the incentive for the examination of alternative strategies to facilitate girls’ engagement in PHE. This paper discusses the first phase in a formative research process designed to develop a resource manual to help teachers utilize nature-based physical activity (NBPA) as a means of fostering relatedness for girls in PHE. Participating teachers collaborated and generated specific NBPA ideas and pedagogical strategies during an all-day planning session. Four focus groups with the teachers ( N = 20) were used to identify ways to develop NBPA interventions. Five broad topics are reported: (a) defining NBPAs, (b) specific NBPAs to use in PHE, (b) how NBPA can foster relatedness, (d) how NBPA in PHE differs from outdoor education, and (e) barriers to implementing NBPA in PHE. This paper emphasizes the valuable contribution of formative research to the integrity and fidelity of an intervention as well as to quality practice in the implementation of theory-based PHE initiatives.

Incorporating Nature-based Physical Activity in Physical and Health Education

“…However, as with all programming, it makes demands upon teachers, students, schools and other stakeholders (e.g., parents, communities). A few barriers for PHE teachers, in particular, include lack of teacher confidence and competence, safety concerns and risk management; lack of support, funding, transportation, and accessibility issues, student beliefs that physical activity in nature does not 'fit' PHE, and an inflexible school structure (Gruno & Gibbons, 2021). In addition, many educators and parents may feel uncomfortable with the idea of outdoor learning, possibly fearing that teachers will not be able to the address the curriculum in a suitable manner (Nelson, 2012).…”

“…There are still many effective PHE based outdoor education programs in British Columbia and Canada. However, because these programs tend to draw students who already have experience in the outdoors, often have a fee associated with them, and have "…a focus on planning for trips and building skills" (Gruno & Gibbons, 2021), they only reach a select few students and are not a part of any student's long-term education. It has been proposed that NBPA in PHE is a means of realizing the numerous benefits of being active in nature because it can reach the majority of students in the K-12 school system (Gruno & Gibbons, 2020, 2021.…”

“…NBPA has been found to be one such success (Gibbons et al, 2020;Gruno & Gibbons, 2021;in review). Fleming et al (2011) highlighted the importance of integrating the formal curriculum with activities and experiences beyond the classroom in order to maximize positive and relevant impact on young people: "schools have the opportunity to focus on both academic and nonacademic outcomes, including promoting multiple areas of competence, character, connections to others, caring, and contributions to society.…”

“…The researchers then identified the "least used relatedness strategies" (service learning strategies and use of technology) and invited the teachers to design projects that focused on one of these strategies to implement in their schools. The teachers shared these projects with one another, and two were disseminated to a larger audience through journal articles (Gruno, Gibbons, & Baker, 2018;Gruno, Gibbons, Condie, et al, 2018).…”

“…For example, teaching indoors can make teachers feel that they have more control over students' learning as they can determine, to a certain extent, the students' movement, the temperature in the room, and safety hazards. Teachers have previously identified many challenges to teaching outdoors including a lack of teacher confidence and competence, safety concerns and risk management, lack of support, funding, transportation, and accessibility issues, student beliefs that physical activity in nature does not 'fit' PHE, and an inflexible school structure (Gruno & Gibbons, 2021). In addition, many educators and parents may feel uncomfortable with the idea of outdoor learning, possibly fearing that teachers will not be able to address the curriculum in a suitable manner (Nelson, 2012).…”