Project Investigator(s): Hartley Banack, Lecturer, Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy
Project Description
Much literature indicates that time spent outdoors (TSO): 1) is healthy for us, 2) develops key environmental practices, and 3) enhances learning. However, most learning experiences, in K-12 and post-secondary, predominantly take place indoors. This project considers shifts in student-teacher outdoor learning perceptions and practices through UBC Education courses emphasizing outdoor learning. Participants shall: 1) track and reflect on where their learning experiences occur, 2) design outdoor lessons/unit plans, and 3) attend focus-group discussions around outdoor learning. The project aims to understand how outdoor teaching and learning experiences during UBC courses impact student-teacher perceptions and practices of curriculum and pedagogy.
Research Questions
1) How do teacher health and wellbeing perceptions and practices shift through a TSO intervention during a UBC course? 2) How do teacher pro-environmental behaviour perceptions and actions shift through a TSO intervention during a UBC course? 3) How do teacher learning experiences perceptions and actions shift through a TSO intervention during a UBC course? Currently, teaching and learning theory considers health/wellbeing impacts, pro-environmental behaviours/actions, and quality of learning experiences through curriculum and pedagogy lenses. This work suggests that outdoor learning through TSO impacts learning three in significant ways, with broad implications for UBC teaching/learning theory and practice.
Impact on teaching and learning at UBC
If, according to the literature, TSO offers benefits to learning experiences, fosters pro-environmental behaviours, and improves health and wellbeing, then this work may 1) inform development, implementation and assessment of outdoor learning practices in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP) courses, particularly in the Physical and Health Education (PHE) and Science Education areas and 2) may impact teaching and learning, through outdoor learning, in various courses across UBC, particularly those leading Bachelor degrees in K-12 subject disciplines (i.e. Art, English, Geography, History, Science, etc.) which are pre-requisites to Teacher Education at UBC.