Can an outdoor learning environment improve children’s academic attainment? A quasi-experimental mixed methods study in Bangladesh
Outdoor learning can enhance the academic achievement of students in developing countries
Outdoor learning is receiving increased attention in research and practice, especially in developed countries. Related research documents positive outcomes for children including improved academic attainment, engagement, and behavior. This study examined possible benefits of outdoor learning in relation to both outcome and process and did so in a developing country.
Three classes of students from two primary schools in Bangladesh participated in this study. One class of 29 children (the treatment group) participated in math and science classes in a transformed outdoor area every school day over a period of four months. Prior to this study, the outdoor area consisted of barren ground. Another class of 32 students from this same school (the comparison group) participated in math and science classes indoors but used the transformed outdoor area for free play during recess over the same four months. A third group of 62 children, from a different school, served as a control group with no outdoor classes and no access to a transformed outdoor area. The transformed school grounds at the intervention school included seven behavior settings: a natural learning area, a water learning area, an area with loose materials, an amphitheater, a play area, gardens, and huts. The outdoor area at the control school consisted of barren ground. Pre- and post-treatment measures were used to investigate the influence of the transformed school ground on children’s academic performance in math and science. Six focus group discussions were also used to investigate children’s perceptions of opportunities for exploration and collaboration in the indoor and outdoor settings. A total of 28 students (some from each group) participated in the focus groups.
Pretest results showed no difference between the groups in terms of math and science attainment. After 4 months, the group receiving outdoor instruction had significantly higher levels of academic attainment than the other two groups. Focus group results indicated that students – whether or not they were engaged in formal learning outdoors — perceived the transformed school grounds as having far more opportunities to explore and to collaborate with others than indoor classroom (however, quantitative survey data supported only the group differences in exploration, not collaboration). Also emerging from the focus group discussions were some insights into why differences between the groups occurred. For example, children in the outdoor learning group reported that being taught outside helped them better understand math and science concepts.
These results indicate that “an outdoor space designed with purpose and bearing educational opportunities can enhance the academic achievement in developing countries.” While these results are consistent with other research, some findings from this study are inconsistent with the general perception of some researchers that even playing in a transformed school ground can have a positive impact on children’s academic performance. The results of this study call for further research on a larger scale. One area to be explored relates to what elements of outdoor learning (e.g., pedagogical approach, outdoor environment, novelty of the new setting) have the greatest impact on the academic attainment of students.
Citation
Khan, M., McGeown, S., Bell, S., (2019). Can an outdoor learning environment improve children’s academic attainment? A quasi-experimental mixed methods study in Bangladesh. Environment and Behavior
