Do Experiences With Nature Promote Learning? Converging Evidence of a Cause-and-Effect Relationship

Date Published: 

Friday, February 1, 2019

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Paper Summary/Abstract: 

Do experiences with nature – from wilderness backpacking to plants in a preschool,
to a wetland lesson on frogs—promote learning? Until recently, claims outstripped
evidence on this question. But the field has matured, not only substantiating
previously unwarranted claims but deepening our understanding of the cause-and-effect
relationship between nature and learning. Hundreds of studies now bear on this
question, and converging evidence strongly suggests that experiences of nature
boost academic learning, personal development, and environmental stewardship. This
brief integrative review summarizes recent advances and the current state of our
understanding. The research on personal development and environmental stewardship
is compelling although not quantitative. Report after report – from independent
observers as well as participants themselves – indicate shifts in perseverance, problem
solving, critical thinking, leadership, teamwork, and resilience. Similarly, over fifty studies
point to nature playing a key role in the development of pro-environmental behavior,
particularly by fostering an emotional connection to nature. In academic contexts,
nature-based instruction outperforms traditional instruction. The evidence here is
particularly strong, including experimental evidence; evidence across a wide range of
samples and instructional approaches; outcomes such as standardized test scores
and graduation rates; and evidence for specific explanatory mechanisms and active
ingredients. Nature may promote learning by improving learners’ attention, levels of
stress, self-discipline, interest and enjoyment in learning, and physical activity and
fitness. Nature also appears to provide a calmer, quieter, safer context for learning; a
warmer, more cooperative context for learning; and a combination of “loose parts” and
autonomy that fosters developmentally beneficial forms of play. It is time to take nature
seriously as a resource for learning – particularly for students not effectively reached by
traditional instruction.

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One Health

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One Health