School-based outdoor learning in Alberta:  Examining K-9 teachers’ success through mixed methods research
Creators: Kiers, Kevin
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2023

<p>While Western Canada’s landscape is diverse in outdoor teaching environments (Henderson &amp; Potter, 2001; Ho et al., 2017), there is a lack of data identifying school-based outdoor learning (OL) experiences (Fägerstam, 2012; Landy, 2018) in K-9 classrooms. This research examines factors that contribute to successful OL experiences among teachers. For this research, a school-based OL location is defined as a space where teachers and students have experiences that would not usually occur indoors (Dillon et al., 2005), such as school grounds, natural environments in close proximity to the school, and outside classrooms (Fägerstam, 2012). This research contributes to a broader community of practice, including informing future professional development of outdoor teaching strategies among teachers. Using the works of Dewey (1938) and Kolb (2015) as theoretical frameworks establishes a pragmatic and fundamental understanding that OL is based on real-life experiences. Students regularly exposed to outdoor experiences encounter numerous benefits (Benefield, 2006; Fiennes et al., 2015; Foran, 2006; Harper et al., 2019; Louv, 2008). Methodologically, an explanatory sequential mixed methods research (MMR) design (Creswell &amp; Plano Clark, 2018; Poth, 2018; Tashakkori &amp; Creswell, 2007) was used, which involved first collecting quantitative data and then explaining the quantitative results with in-depth qualitative data. In the first quantitative phase of the study, an online questionnaire collected data from voluntary participant K-9 teachers (N=140) in Alberta that was assessed with Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) data analysis. The data was established through bivariate correlations, of which a single-tailed Pearson Correlation proved statistically significant results (P=&lt;.001 to .035). The second qualitative phase was conducted using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Nvivo Data analysis software as a follow-up to the quantitative results to help explain, in more depth, teachers’ experiences (N=6) with OL. Nine themes and 24 sub-themes emerged from the data. As integration is fundamental to the MMR design (Uprichard &amp; Dawney, 2019), data strands from both the quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed via a side-by-side joint data display diagram. This data integration helped to confirm and explain aspects of the collected data (Guetterman et al., 2015), including six key factors for successful OL. The key factors for successful OL are (1) believing that OL has benefits, (2) having the needed resources, (3) feeling comfortable with students’ behaviours when outside, (4) feeling comfortable teaching outside, (5) having had positive outdoor experiences during childhood, and (6) having school administrators who support OL. These six key factors are the foundation of my draft framework aimed at increasing the success of K-9 teachers’ OL experiences. <br>
Keywords: outside classroom, school-based outdoor learning, data integration, mixed methods research</p>