Outdoor Education Commons^™

Kev's Dinghy Boat Workshops, Ruiyang Xiao

Masters Theses

In a culture where convenience replaces process, this project argues that making — even when inefficient, imperfect, or unnecessary — enables forms of engagement that buying cannot.

Technologies and Services nowadays are able to fulfill human’s desire to travel and explore at ease. However, this convenience proposes a mode of engagement based only in deeper knowledge of context and thus our experience with the world around us is hence diminished. Our engagement with the world becomes heavily mediated, regulated and controlled.

This project investigates how hands-on engagement with water can reintroduce + restore our sense of joy, curiosity, consequence, and …

Enhancing Kindergarten Readiness, Aileen Z. Chavarin-Beleche

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many parents of young children are unaware of successful ways to prepare their child for Kindergarten. Without preparation, children might struggle in their daily academics and fall behind their peers. Parents who learn more about Kindergarten readiness are more likely to create structured learning environments and help their child build skills to successfully transition to Kindergarten. In order to address this need, I have created a one-hour presentation for parents of children attending the Cabrillo College Children Center and Lab School in Aptos, California.

Should The Illiberal Arts Be Servile In A Classical Christian Education, Nadine B. Kong Mrs.

Master of Arts in Classical Studies

The purpose of this thesis is to research the role and position of the illiberal arts in a classical Christian education (CCE).  The current climate of growth for CCE makes it a fitting moment to consider what bearing the illiberal arts should have on paideia formation.  To answer this question, the historical context of CCE and the illiberal arts is presented.  This leads to a complex issue around the various imprecise terms and historical attitudes surrounding the illiberal arts.  Some synonymous terms have demeaning connotations: ‘servile arts’ or ‘illiberal arts,’ and others less negative, such as ‘common arts’ or ‘mechanical …

Climate Change In An Educational Context: A Model Addressing Psychological Distance, Hope, And Concern, Brooke E. Kasl-Godley

Scripps Senior Theses

As the threat of climate change becomes more urgent, educators should focus on fostering climate concern and action instead of simply providing climate information. These studies present a novel model of climate education where locally-framed and action-oriented curriculum increases students’ environmental concern through the mechanisms of psychological distance and hope. This curriculum was taught over two years to sixth-grade students at a school in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. Study 1 examines students’ environmental concern and sense of responsibility before and after delivery of the curriculum. Study 2 is a proposed follow-up study, that will address limitations of Study 1 …

Clear Skies, Avery C. Munn

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Air quality impacts public health, environmental sustainability, and quality of life. However, accurate and easily accessible short-term air quality forecasting is challenging to find. This project, Clear Skies, presents a machine learning–based system for forecasting next-day Air Quality Index (AQI) levels across regions in Ohio. By using historical pollutant data with variables such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and atmospheric pressure, the system finds relationships that traditional statistical models often don’t show.

Machine learning models are evaluated alongside AI techniques to find the environmental factors that influence AQI predictions. This helps reduce the “black box” nature of many AI systems …

Play-Based Learning In Private International Preschools In Cairo: Teachers' Perspectives, Kesha L. Stovall

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how play-based learning is practiced and contextualized in private, international preschools in Cairo, Egypt through the perspective of teachers. It calls upon both historical and contemporary theories of play and play pedagogies ranging from the times of Plato and Al-Farabi to the 21st century with Montessori and Dewey. Using a contemporary theory of play presented by Stuart Lester and Wendy Russell as a guiding framework, it examines how play and play-based learning are implemented, shaped and even challenged in a Cairene context. These contexts include sociocultural factors such as parents’ expectations and aspirations, institutional barriers, teacher development …

Exploring Engagement With The Ecoschools Platform: An Interactive Display Board Exploratory Evaluation, Kaitlyn E. Ashmore

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study explores strategies to enhance engagement with EcoSchools Canada, an online sustainability platform used across Canada. Through an exploratory case study involving two Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) schools, the research evaluates the effectiveness of interactive tools such as an Interactive Display Board (IDB) and action cards in fostering student engagement, self-efficacy, and action competence in sustainability initiatives. Through examining user experiences and feedback from Eco-teams and staff, the findings aim to identify if and how these interventions serve as valuable complements to EcoSchools activities. Although not a standalone solution, these tools facilitate deeper involvement when integrated within …

The Life Significance Of Summer Outdoor Program Employment During Emerging Adulthood, Austin M. Souto

All Dissertations

Seasonal employment in outdoor programs—encompassing camps, guiding services, and similar organizations—plays a vital role in delivering structured outdoor experiences, yet little research has explored its enduring effects on staff over the course of their lives. This dissertation examined the long-term significance and influence of seasonal outdoor work during emerging adulthood. Guided by Significant Life Experience and Life Course Theory, an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was used. In the qualitative phase, interviews revealed that seasonal work influenced life trajectories by contributing to identity formation, career discovery, ways of relating to others, and the navigation of trade-offs. Seven mechanisms—opportunities for growth, connection …

Do Themes Improve Visitor Outcomes In Interpretive Programs?, Amber K. Hawes

All Theses

Thematic interpretation is widely promoted as being integral to an effective interpretive program. Some studies have suggested that thematic interpretation may enhance visitor outcomes; however, park visitor demographics have changed over the last decade, and others have suggested alternative approaches. In this study, we systematically observed live interpretive programs at 330 programs at 52 National Parks across the United States, monitored the extent and characteristics of theme usage, and collected visitor surveys immediately following each program. We used these data to determine the influence of the presence and characteristics of themes and theme questions on visitor outcomes. The results suggest …

Why Are Parents Choosing Forest Preschool? A Look Into Parent Choice And Outcome Expectations In A Forest Preschool Setting., Victoria M. Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As interest in alternative early childhood education settings continues to grow, Forest Preschools—programs emphasizing immersive outdoor, nature-based learning—have gained increasing attention from parents across the United States. This qualitative research study explores the underlying motivations and decision-making processes that lead families to choose Forest Preschool settings. Guided by Kurt Lewin’s Field Theory, which examines behavior as a function of person and environment, the study investigates the dynamic interplay of personal beliefs, social influences, and contextual factors that shape parental choice. Specifically, this study addresses four key research questions: (1) How do families who choose Forest Preschools gain information about preschool …

Field Journal: The Excluded Middle, Carrie E. Kouts

Masters Theses

What does it look like to engage with organisms and landscapes at the periphery of anthropocentric value structures? How does one break the internalized myth that the “built” environment is excluded from the natural world? When does a hyper-mobile and hyper-commodified society confront the exponential crisis of animal death? Within this series of journal entries, field notes, collection observations, weird prose, and sensory musings, one will find questions on the nature of being human and the complex narratives of care we encounter in a world shared with more-than-humans. Each handwritten vignette and photograph from daily life weaves a non-linear and …

“We All Have Our Boulders To Pass, And This Was One Of Mine”: Ethnoculturally Diverse High-School-Aged Youth And Their Reclamation Of Nature, Andrew T. Turchon

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative, ethnographic, youth-centered study explored how ethnoculturally diverse urban high-school-aged youth express their relationships to nature. Participatory and youth-centered methodologies and data sources, including Photovoice, photo-elicitation interviews, and classroom artifacts, centered the voices of a diverse group of urban youth and their experiences in local forest reservations. Diverse urban youth are typically marginalized from environmental education, place-based learning, and representation in outdoor-related research. Therefore, it is critical that educational researchers include the voices of these students in conversations about nature to broaden the sociocultural framework around what “nature” is, how it is experienced, and by whom. This theoretical framework …

Birds Of A Feather: An Integrated Outdoor-Based Bird Study P-3 Curriculum Guide, Erin A. Buzza

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

In a post-pandemic world that places technology at the at the forefront, educators are searching for ways to help students connect with the natural world. This project aids teachers in tackling this challenge by using the study of birds as a motivation to engage students with the outdoors and local wildlife. To demonstrate how ornithology topics can be used as an integrated thematic unit, research regarding components of ecological literacy is presented. They include nature-based learning, outdoor learning, environmental education, and wildlife education. In addition to these pedagogies, the benefits of incorporating interdisciplinary learning within the classroom are also provided …

The Benefits Of Experiential Outdoor Learning For Elementary School Students, Jillian R. Witt

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone research project aims to delve deeper into the benefits of experiential outdoor learning that contributes to the growing body of knowledge and practical applications of this dynamic educational approach of elementary school students. Through the use of literature review, interviews with program workers and school administrators and survey with educators and past students, the result findings indicated that experiential outdoor learning benefits elementary school students despite some cost challenges, but provided them with more opportunities to learn from outdoor activities to increase their academic achievement, improve their cognition, and enhance their social skills with a deeper sense …

Engaging Scientific Sense-Making: An Analysis Of Participation Within Informal Science Interaction, Spencer Barbier

Honors Theses

While science learning in formal educational settings has been extensively examined using frameworks such as Bloom’s Taxonomy, its application to informal science educational environments remains underexplored. Informal science education—occurring outside traditional classrooms—presents unique challenges for evaluation due to its unstructured nature and diverse audiences. This action research study aimed to address this gap by developing and testing a framework that categorizes learner responses into high-order and low-order answers, based on Bloom’s six cognitive domains. The study was conducted at the Hattiesburg Zoo, where a docent volunteer presented two separate docent boxes, or mini science lessons, to members of the public. …

Perceptions Of Unstructured Recess And Classroom Behaviors In Elementary School Settings., Allison Shockley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The priority on core curriculum areas such as math and reading has resulted in limited physical activity and regular recess routines. With the increased time spent on core curriculum, teachers and administrators have shifted their focus towards standardized student testing achievement. This focus has resulted in limiting or doing away with unstructured recess with the hopes that students will gain more core curriculum knowledge. This dissertation will focus on educators' perceptions of elementary school student behavior with varying recess time structures. This study began by examining the history of recess while analyzing the trickled- down historical inequities elementary students experience …

Forest School Educators’ Approaches And Perceptions Of Teaching, Learning, And Children's Behaviors: A Qualitative Multiple-Case Study, Saundra Stiles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative multiple-case study explored five forest schools in the East Tennessee region of the United States. The aim of this research study was to further the understanding of forest schools. The purpose of this study was to understand and describe forest school educators’ approaches and perceptions to teaching and learning in relation to behavior management, the environment, and challenging behavior, as well as the ways in which forest school educators engage children in learning. This multiple-case study utilized a demographic survey, observations, photographs, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews to collect data. Data were analyzed using two-cycle coding, which revealed …

Promoting Student Success Through Outdoor Orientation Programs, Jessica Stehouwer

Masters Projects

This project explores the significance of Outdoor Orientation Programs (OOPs) in aiding the successful transition of first-year students into higher education. Despite the recognized challenges faced by students during this transition, including academic, social, and personal adjustments, many institutions lack adequate support systems. Drawing on Schlossberg’s Transition Theory and existing literature, this study advocates for the adoption and implementation of OOPs as transformative interventions with providing a model OOP that institutions can utilize. OOPs offer immersive experiences in natural settings, fostering community, personal growth, and resilience. Through the design of an implementable OOP model, this project aims to address the …

Seasonal Wages And Program Outcomes In Wisconsin’S Non-Profit Outdoor Education Industry, Michael H. Schneck

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Non-profit outdoor education is an important tool that helps participants build meaningful relationships and positive perspectives of the natural world. Many non-profit outdoor education programs in Wisconsin rely on seasonal staff to fulfill the mission and vision of their programming through meaningful and tedious work. Because these staff are asked to help facilitate ideal program outcomes, it is important to analyze how seasonal wages for these roles influences staff effectiveness. This case-study analyzes the relationships between wages and program outcomes through the lens of human capital and workforce development and equity theory to better understand what most notably influences seasonal …

Perceptions Of School Garden Programming And Their Communities: A Mixed-Methods Research Study, Briana Lafratte

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

School gardening has been connected to improving student nutritional knowledge (Landry et al., 2021; Leuven et al., 2018), academics (Eugenio-Gozalbo et al., 2020), and pro-environmental attitudes (Zelenika et al., 2018; Chang, 2015). Caring for plants in the garden fosters a positive and caring relationship with plants, allowing students to see themselves as a part of the natural world and promoting environmentally active stances in adulthood (Kalvaitis & Monhardt, 2012; Chawla, 2007). This exploratory sequential mixed methods study explored the scope of how school gardening programs are being utilized across a county in Pennsylvania to promote student community involvement, how food …

Perceptions, Limitations, And Impacts Of An Outdoor Learning Garden On Elementary-Age Students In A Rural North Carolina District, Kimberly M. Smith

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Outdoor learning gardens are environments where science meets the wonder of a child as they cultivate crops within the boundaries of their schoolyard. When students have opportunities to leave the four walls of their classroom and move outdoors, their minds are awakened and they can explore, analyze, and synthesize information. This mixed methods research investigation took place in a rural North Carolina district on an elementary school campus. The study sought to consider the perceptions of teachers and parents of outdoor learning and the limitations that prevent teachers from including experiential learning opportunities for students. The methodology for the research …

Beyond The Bin: Transforming Relationships With Waste Through A Collaborative Inquiry-Based Environmental Education Curriculum, Kaylee V. Morris

Pitzer Senior Theses

This thesis presents Beyond the Bin, a collaborative inquiry-based environmental education curriculum designed to transform how young learners understand and interact with waste. Motivated by the limitations of current downstream waste education—focused primarily on consumer behavior and individual disposal practices—this project argues for an upstream approach that identifies the underlying cause of these prevalent systems of disposability. Grounded in environmental education theory, affective learning, and ecological literacy, the curriculum encourages students to rethink waste as a material with creative potential rather than something to discard. Through creative engagement, experiential learning, and community-based initiatives, the curriculum fosters collaboration between students, teachers, …

“Nice To See You”: Addressing Plant Awareness Disparity With Locally Specific Ecological And Cultural Plant Education, Cecilia Muecke

Pomona Senior Theses

Plants form the basis of life on Earth. However, due to the phenomenon of plant awareness disparity, a self-perpetuating cycle whereby plants are overlooked on an individual and global level ensues. Lack of plant awareness leads to a lessened emphasis on plants in sustainability and conservation as well as biology education, resulting in negative impacts on biodiversity and food security. The severity of plant awareness disparity is dependent on cultural context, and Indigenous and/or traditional societies are less likely to experience plant awareness disparity because of they are typically more connected to plants for their everyday needs. Native plants are …

The Everyday Scientist: Down In The Weeds In The Heart Of The South, Pamela Zendt

Master's Projects

The Everyday Scientist: Down in the Weeds in the Heart of the South is a creative nonfiction capstone project that was released as a book. The narrative documents my two-year journey as a community scientist and explores how ordinary people contribute meaningfully to scientific research in the natural world. Rooted in my desire to connect my passion for the outdoors with the goals of the Master of Arts in Professional Writing program, this project illustrates that environmental science is not only for trained professionals. Instead, it thrives on the curiosity, dedication, and participation of volunteers who follow established protocols, collect …

Beyond The Possible: Climate Justice, Global Citizenship, And Classrooms – Speculative Essays, Amanda C. Fanelli

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the potential of speculative essays as pedagogical tools to inspire K-12 educators to integrate climate justice education within their classrooms, utilizing the framework of Global Citizenship Education (GCE). While climate change is often presented in schools as a scientific or technical issue, the literature on environmental justice demonstrates that climate change is inextricably linked to systemic inequities rooted in race, gender, colonialism, and economic oppression (Bullard, 2000; Shiva, 1988; Whyte, 2017). Yet educators frequently lack accessible, integrative frameworks for addressing these intersections in their teaching without overhauling existing curricula. This study addresses that gap by triangulating ecopedagogy, …

Educating Outdoors: A Qualitative Case Study On School Readiness Development In A Nature-Based Preschool, Lauren Lefevre

Theses and Dissertations

Play is widely considered one of the most crucial activities for healthy early childhood development, yet many current early childhood education (ECE) programs prioritize academics at the expense of this critical activity. Despite this focus on math and literacy skills, a significant number of children arrive at kindergarten unable to demonstrate proper school readiness. Nature-based early childhood education (NbECE) is a growing alternative education option that prioritizes risky play, loose parts play, and nature play, potentially providing children with countless opportunities for school-readiness development through play. Guided by the biophilia hypothesis (Wilson, 1984), which suggests that humans are innately drawn …

Decolonial Possibilities For Non-Indigenous Environmental Educators, Emeric Bisbee

Master's Theses

Non-Indigenous environmental educators must incorporate Indigenous knowledges and worldviews to successfully teach about contemporary environmental problems such as sustainability. However, there are several barriers for non-Indigenous environmental educators to incorporate Indigenous knowledges, such as (a) Western science as the primary epistemology of environmental education, delegitimizing Indigenous ways of knowing, (b) non-Indigenous peoples’ reliance on the privileges gained by settler colonialism which works to erase and replace Indigenous peoples and knowledges, and (c) the historical and current injustices experienced by Indigenous peoples in schools because of settler colonialism. This study explored how experienced non-Indigenous environmental educators who incorporate Indigenous knowledges and …

In Kinship With The World: Developing A Novel Instrument To Assess Human-Nature Relational Values, Kimberly Post

Educational Studies Dissertations

In the nascent field of human-nature relational values, there is a growing body of literature suggesting their transformative potential in sustainability education. The ability to analytically distinguish relational values from other valuations can both inform pedagogical approaches and help to identify how people understand and value their relationships with the living and more-than-living biospheric inhabitants. To address this need, an overarching question was posited: Can a relational values-specific assessment instrument be designed and validated for use in post-secondary sustainability education? Through a survey of the literature, thematic analysis of validated human-nature connection instruments, and multi-method qualitative research, a pilot instrument …

Evaluation And Improvement Of The Design 4 Every Drop Course, Kenzy Fogle

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Utah and the greater Intermountain West are experiencing a water crisis. Many factors are contributing to this situation, including an arid climate exacerbated by climate change, rapid population growth, and a high-water-demanding landscape typology. Landscapes currently consume an estimated 60-80% of Utah’s potable water, representing a significant opportunity for water savings. However, changing the traditional water-dependent landscape typology requires educating the public regarding water-wise landscape design processes, best practices, and implementation approaches. Utah State University is the land grant university for Utah and home to one of the oldest Landscape Architecture departments in the Intermountain West. Utah State University’s community …

The Impacts Of Authentic Learning On Student Outcomes, Evan Sheppard, Cameron Conner

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the evolving American education system, emphasizing the role of authentic learning in bridging the gap between schooling and employment, especially in the context of the modern post-pandemic student. Authentic learning, characterized by hands-on activities and real-world applications, is posited as a solution to the skilled labor shortage impacting the economy. This study delves into the history and current practices of authentic learning, examining various programs and strategies implemented in educational settings. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, qualitative data was collected through interviews with recent high school graduates to assess the impact of authentic learning on their post-secondary trajectories. …