Kelly, Orla
ORCID: 0000-0001-9139-7792, Whelan, Joan and Coulter, Maura
ORCID: 0000-0001-9406-2349
(2025)
A pedagogy of outdoor learning in the primary school – Insights from outdoor educators in Ireland.
Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning
.
pp. 1-19.
ISSN 1754-0402
Abstract
Despite extensive research on outdoor learning during formal schooling,
there remains a lack of clarity about outdoor learning as a pedagogy, and
consequently ambiguity regarding its contribution to education policy
and curriculum enactment. The aim of this qualitative study was to
synthesise the views of experienced outdoor learning educators in
Ireland regarding the pedagogy of outdoor learning and to consider the
possibilities offered by outdoor learning towards enacting the policy
vision for primary education. Thematic analysis of 10 semi-structured
interviews identified five interlinked components of outdoor learning
pedagogy. These include experiential learning, learner agency, equity,
relationality beyond-the-human and inclusive. Four conditions to implement this pedagogy were also identified, as follows: leadership, professional learning, explicit policy support and teacher agency. Findings
highlighted how enacting outdoor learning pedagogy and making the
outdoors a normative learning environment is a challenging and complex
task, requiring systemic change.
Metadata
| Item Type: | Article (Published) |
|---|---|
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Outdoor learning; pedagogy; primary school; curriculum enactment; systemic change |
| Subjects: | Social Sciences > Education Social Sciences > Teaching |
| DCU Faculties and Centres: | DCU Faculties and Schools > Institute of Education DCU Faculties and Schools > Institute of Education > School of Arts Education & Movement |
| Publisher: | Routledge |
| Official URL: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14729... |
| Copyright Information: | Authors |
| ID Code: | 32032 |
| Deposited On: | 19 Dec 2025 15:00 by Tom Feeney . Last Modified 19 Dec 2025 15:00 |
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