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Identifying Obstacles That Hinder Outdoor Learning Opportunities for Our Middle School Students

Identifying Obstacles That Hinder Outdoor Learning Opportunities for Our Middle School Students. Action Research: Implementation and Assessment for Restoration-Based Environmental Education. Grant Middle School Educator Dawn Stickney.

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Identifying Obstacles That Hinder Outdoor Learning Opportunities for Our Middle School Students

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  1. Identifying Obstacles That Hinder Outdoor Learning Opportunities for Our Middle School Students

  2. Action Research: Implementation and Assessment for Restoration-Based Environmental Education Grant Middle School Educator Dawn Stickney

  3. “Is education possibly a process of trading awareness for things of lesser worth? The goose who trades his is soon a pile of feathers.” – Aldo Leopold

  4. Earth Partnership for Schools Summer 2012

  5. INTRODUCTION What is of interest to ME? I just kept wondering about:

  6. Problem Formulation Research questions?

  7. What is keeping teachers from taking their students outdoors?

  8. Some teachers do not attempt projects that involve outdoor experiences for their students

  9. FEAR or What?

  10. PROBLEM IDENTIFIED:What is getting in the way of teachers taking their students outside to conduct their lessons? Why don’t more teachers try to involve students in place-based learning?

  11. Literature Research • McEzvan, A.E. (2012). Time and Teaching. Education Forum, 76(1), 81-89. • Shooter, W., Paisley, K., & Sibthrop, J. (2010). Trust Development in Outdoor Leadership. Journal of Experiential Education, 33(3), 189-207. • Mills, A. (2009) Early-Childhood Education Takes to the Outdoors. Edutopia, retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/early-childhood-outdoor-education- waldkindergarten.

  12. Research tells us that we should enter into projects that get students outside

  13. A few MORE good resources to motivate educators and administrators

  14. E D U C A T O R S N G E A R – U P A G E ngagement M E N get outdoors! T

  15. Green Play Settings Reduce ADHD Symptoms

  16. Data Collection and Findings • Survey (25 participants) MSTA • Focus Group (6 participants) • Post focus group interviews (3 participants)

  17. MSTA SURVEY QUESTION? • I would take my students outside more often if I had:

  18. More information about how colleagues use outdoor lessons and curriculum Agree (24) Disagree (1) • Clear rules and consequences for student misbehavior outside Agree (20) Disagree (5) • Training and materials on how to integrate outdoor activities (Fun and exciting activities) into all subject area curricula Agree (25) Disagree (0) • More qualified adult support (Co-teacher/ teacher aid/ para-professional/parent volunteers) * NA=1 Agree (21) Disagree (3)

  19. APPENDIX C: MSTA SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE

  20. FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS GRANT MIDDLE SCHOOL MAY 8, 2012

  21. Do you take your students outdoors for classroom experiences as often as you would like to? What would the perfect outdoor learning experience look/sound like?What are some reasons that teachers don’t take students outside more often?

  22. RESULTS OF FOCUS GROUP MATRIX OF THEME CODING

  23. WE NEED: • TRUST • RESOURCES • TIME

  24. APPENDIX D: MATRIX OF RESULTS OF FOCUS GROUP (BY THEME)

  25. TRUST Teacher to: Teacher Student Administration Community

  26. Find a mentor / support group

  27. TIME • Time to Plan and Organize • Time to Process and Learn • Time for “Teachable /unexpected Moments”

  28. Insecurity? Or TIME ISSUES?

  29. RESOURCES: CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS

  30. Don’t we need to support NCLB? We do need to comply with standards!

  31. INTERVIEWS “What could I do that will help you get outside before the end of the school year?

  32. RESPONSES • “Encourage me and relate more resources!” • “Help me find a ‘Climate-change’ lesson for outside.” • “I would enjoy a joint lesson for writing and/or reading that takes us outside.” • I want to read the book you mentioned, “No Child Left Inside”.

  33. These FEARS are REAL! Until you: Make a decision

  34. ACTION PLAN • Promote: EXPAND PLCs to include one dedicated conversation about CURRICULUM each month. • I think that I could share the results of my focus group with our school and administration as a means to gather additional interest in taking kids outdoors during the next school year.

  35. CRITICAL FRIENDS - TEAM Small group Large group – class Colleagues Partners

  36. What if I think…. I am alone?

  37. PROVIDE TIME • Time to listen • Time to share • Time to process and create

  38. Search for System of support Come prepared and be respectful Use tuning Protocol Tackle more when you can

  39. FINAL REFLECTION • Action Research is valuable • Consequently, I am feeling like my small actions are having some benefits to students as well as my community of colleagues.

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