Grant Linney

Bio: Grant Linney is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Outdoor education & Higher education. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 4 publications receiving 9 citations.

COEO's Landmark Research Summary: "Reconnecting Children through Outdoor Education".

Abstract: Over the past year, Andrea Foster (our first full-time employee thanks to funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation) reviewed a wide array of current and international research into the multiple, powerful and lasting outcomes produced through utilizing outdoor and experiential education (OEE) as a key learning methodology. As co-authors, Andrea and I produced an 80-page document that reports the findings according to COEO’s four stated values, namely, education for curriculum and community, character, wellbeing, and environment.

Evaluating a Constructivist and Culturally Responsive Approach to Environmental Education for Diverse Audiences

Abstract: The NorthBay Adventure Center offers five-day residential programs that meld environmental and character education using experiential techniques and multi-media messaging This article explores the influences of these programs on urban and non-urban middle-school participants in three areas: character development and leadership; environmental responsibility, and attitudes toward school The authors found significant positive short-term effects on all outcomes of interest Three-month delayed posttests indicate retention of significant gains in character development and leadership and environmental responsibility, while gains in school-related outcomes faded Urban students responded more positively to the NorthBay program than did students from suburban and rural areas

Development and Validation of Scales to Measure Environmental Responsibility, Character Development, and Attitudes toward School.

Abstract: This investigation examines the use of structural equation modeling (SEM) procedures to develop and validate scales to measure environmental responsibility, character development and leadership, and attitudes toward school for environmental education programs servicing middle school children. The scales represent outcomes commonly of interest to environmental education programs and also to after‐school and positive youth development activities. First, we developed the scales using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and then we used multi‐group longitudinal CFA to cross‐validate the model with data collected before participation in the environmental education program, immediately after the program, and three months later. The results support a three‐factor model, producing three scales that appear to be valid and reliable.

Ontario Outdoor Integrated Curriculum Programs: More than "just a fun semester"

Abstract: Integrated curriculum programs (ICPs) in Ontario consist of two to four secondary course credits taught by a single instructor to a cohort of students for a semester. ICPs often have a focus on outdoor and environmental education, and emphasize experiential and integrated learning. Despite challenges that such programs face (such as instructor burnout and limited administrative support), their prevalence has grown, with about 100 programs as of 2015 compared to 30 in 2000. While research provides evidence to suggest positive outcomes of outdoor ICPs with regard to the student experience, it has primarily focused on current students. Research investigating the long-term impacts of ICP experiences, and across multiple programs, is limited. Thus the purpose of this study is to explore further the long-term influence of a variety of outdoor ICPs on students’ lives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight former Ontario ICP students (4 to 13 years post-program) representing six different programs. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using an inductive approach. The findings suggest that former students representing a variety of outdoor ICPs recall their experiences positively, even years later. During their programs, former students valued the sense of community they experienced, the educational approach, their personal growth throughout the semester, and the instructor. Outdoor ICPs also resonated with participants beyond their respective semesters, leaving them with a lasting connection to the program, influencing their academic and career goals, and driving them to enact environmental consciousness.

An Historical Geography of Ontario School-Board-Operated Outdoor Education Centres

Abstract: School facilities are not passive containers, but designed spaces that project particular systems of values. Prior to the development of the idea that separate school facilities should be built to provide students with outdoor learning spaces, classroom teachers commonly used outdoor spaces within their local communities as pedagogical resources. Across Ontario, Canada’s most populated province, it is commonly perceived by several scholars, news media, and many classroom teachers that school-boardoperated outdoor education centres are one of the few spaces where students can learn about nature. In 2012, the Ontario Ministry of Education announced $20 million in funding “to support outdoor learning activities for students provided by school boards or by third party organizations, such as not-for-profit or community groups,” while restricting school boards from using this funding for “costs associated with board outdoor education facilities” (Gallagher & Clarke, p. 1). Little is known about the history of Ontario school-board-operated outdoor education centres. This dissertation asked the following research question: How have Ontario school-board-operated outdoor education centres evolved since the establishment of the first facility in 1960? Although school facilities are often assumed by researchers of educational issues to be stable sociological givens, this dissertation provides empirical evidence which challenges such an assumption. This dissertation illustrates that from 1960 to 2012, the state of Ontario school-board-operated outdoor education centres underwent several waves of growth during times of economic prosperity, and decline during periods of economic recession. Based on the evidence provided in this dissertation, stakeholders interested in the operation of these facilities are recommended to consider the financial structure of school boards prior to the development of such assets. Through careful consideration of the financial structure of school boards, stakeholders can more effectively ensure the financial sustainability of these facilities during times of both economic growth and decline.