Nature and Scope of Outdoor Education in the city-state of Singapore

This study focuses on the analysis of collective meaning associated with secondary school-teachers’ and outdoor practitioners’ beliefs about the value of outdoor education in the city-state of Singapore. Through a phenomenographic analysis framework, three conceptions were identified that detail the participants’ collective meanings of the value of outdoor education; namely (a) belief in the value of outdoor environments in providing affordances for authentic, realistic learning, (b) belief in its value in fostering social emotional growth, physical and mental robustness, and (c) belief in the value of outdoor education as preparation for students’ futures.The findings indicate that school-teachers and outdoor practitioners have strong beliefs about the value of outdoor education. This strong intrinsic belief is constructed through 'sense-making' of their own experiences in the outdoors. This suggests that there is value in investing in the continuing professional development of school-teachers and outdoor practitioners in their outdoor education practice, so that this increased capacity in their complementary roles can bring about the added value of outdoor education to students.<p>This study focuses on the analysis of collective meaning associated with secondary school-teachers’ and outdoor practitioners’ beliefs about the value of outdoor education in the city-state of Singapore. Through a phenomenographic analysis framework, three conceptions were identified that detail the participants’ collective meanings of the value of outdoor education; namely (a) belief in the value of outdoor environments in providing affordances for authentic, realistic learning, (b) belief in its value in fostering social emotional growth, physical and mental robustness, and (c) belief in the value of outdoor education as preparation for students’ futures.The findings indicate that school-teachers and outdoor practitioners have strong beliefs about the value of outdoor education. This strong intrinsic belief is constructed through 'sense-making' of their own experiences in the outdoors. This suggests that there is value in investing in the continuing professional development of school-teachers and outdoor practitioners in their outdoor education practice, so that this increased capacity in their complementary roles can bring about the added value of outdoor education to students.</p>