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COEO’s Landmark Research Summary:
Reconnecting Children through Outdoor Education
by Grant Linney
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.
Reconnecting Children through Outdoor
Education also highlights “OEE in Action”
descriptions of particular programs such as
secondary school interdisciplinary studies,
wilderness adventure pursuits, and urban-
based activities including the exploration of
local neighbourhoods and school ground
greening projects. The publication features a
professional layout and numerous great colour
photographs of students powerfully
connecting with themselves, others and their
natural surroundings through outdoor
learning. In addition to outlining exemplary
examples of government leadership in
establishing and making effective use of OEE,
it also provides a number of evidence-based
recommendations to the Ontario government
as well as to Canadian postgraduate schools.
This is a landmark publication whose time has
come. It is clear that OEE is needed now more
than ever before. However, OEE will only
assume its rightful place in educating for our
future if we can convince our political leaders
and many others of its value through the
promotion of solid outcomes-based research.
We hope that, through its widespread
distribution, Reconnecting Children through
Outdoor Education will contribute significantly
to current discussions about making today’s
youth more active and comfortable in the
outdoors, more confident about themselves
and their interactions with others, and more
connected through their hands, heart and
mind to the natural life support systems of
this planet.
Executive Summary of Reconnecting
Children through Outdoor Education
Outdoor and Experiential Education (OEE) is
a vital learning methodology for today’s
children and young people. Its provision of
safe, educator-framed and hands-on
experiences in outdoor settings provides
unique, vital and lasting benefits in terms of
education for curriculum and community,
education for character, education for
wellbeing and education for environment.
This document is a compelling synthesis of a
wide variety of current outcomes-based
research. It offers concrete evidence as to why
OEE should become an essential and publicly
funded part of education for the future.
OEE relates curricula to real-life situations.
Research shows that students using OEE and
the local environment as a comprehensive
focus and framework for curricula
demonstrate
• increased engagement with and
enthusiasm for learning
• improved academic performance,
including better language skills
• greater sense of pride and ownership in
accomplishments
• a variety of substantially increased critical
thinking skills.
OEE promotes lifelong physical, emotional
and spiritual wellbeing. A growing body of
studies suggests that
• contact with nature is as important to
children as good nutrition and adequate
sleep
• time spent outdoors correlates with
increased physical activity and fitness in
children
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• exposure to green space reduces crime and
increases individuals’ general wellbeing
and ability to focus
• children as young as five have shown a
significant reduction in the symptoms of
Attention Deficit Disorder when they are
engaged in outdoor activities in natural
settings.
OEE educates for character. It provides
powerful opportunities for extensive personal
and interpersonal growth, particularly when
trained outdoor educators are involved in all
aspects of the program. Major research studies
have found that
• many character traits are significantly
enhanced as a result of OEE experiences,
including creativity, enthusiasm, self-
motivation, self-understanding,
assertiveness, maturity, independence and
self-confidence
• many social skills are also enhanced
through OEE experiences, including
cooperation, effective communication,
decision making, problem solving, task
leadership and social competence
• OEE promotes marked improvements in
behaviour for special populations such as
at-risk youth. Retention and continued
growth in these areas is also evident as a
result of such hands-on experiences.
Finally, and in COEO’s opinion most
importantly, OEE directly exposes children
and youth to the natural environment in
ways that develop powerful, knowledgeable
and lifelong connections essential for a
healthy and sustainable future. Leading
Canadians such as Robert Bateman, Thomas
Homer-Dixon and David Suzuki all strongly
agree and are quoted in this document.
Research also shows that
• children who have early, sequenced and
repeated experiences in the outdoors
develop a kinship with nature that can
evolve into an informed, proactive and
lifelong stewardship of the natural
environment
• there are great benefits in the use of
outdoor education methodologies for
environmental education purposes
• children love to be part of the solution —
especially when they are able to see the
effects of their positive interaction with
nature first-hand.
As a result of these findings, The Council of
Outdoor Educators of Ontario (COEO) urges
government, parents, volunteer leaders and
other community members to actively reclaim
the outdoors as a safe, fulfilling and essential
part of growing up in this province and
beyond.
COEO also makes the following major
recommendations to the Ontario government:
1. Formally recognize the value of OEE as a
unique and powerful learning
methodology that particularly addresses
the pressing need of education for
environment as well education for
character, wellbeing and curriculum.
2. Develop a comprehensive across-all-grades
sequence of school-based outdoor
activities that addresses the four values of
OEE and particularly education for
environment.
3. Provide funding to school boards so that
every student is assured a minimum of
two one-day OEE programs and one five-
day OEE program at recognized outdoor
education centres.
4. Mandate that OEE is a recognized area of
specialization at Primary, Junior,
Intermediate and Senior levels in all
Ontario faculties of education.
Postgraduate schools of Canadian universities
are also urged to promote further Canadian-
based research into the various powerful and
lasting benefits of OEE for all elementary and
secondary school students.
For more information about Reconnecting
Children through Outdoor Education, including
details about how to order single or multiple
copies, go to www.coeo.org/news.htm.
Grant Linney teaches at the Upper Canada
College Norval Outdoor School. He refuses to
retire because he is having too good a time.
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