In the journal article “Fostering ‘Connectedness to Nature’ through U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Education and Outreach Programming: A Qualitative Evaluation” by Stefan Theimer and Julie Ernst, the relationship between youth and outdoor education is examined. In this study, a comparison is made between students from three separate USFWS environmental education programs. The research questions examined were “Do the participants perceive that their program is influencing their connectedness to nature?” and “If so, what aspect of the program do they associate with influencing their connectedness to nature?” In this study, “connection to nature” was defined as evidence of ‘emotional connection or affinity to the natural world’.
The first program (named “Program 1”) is a club consisting of 5th grade students from the pacific region which meets every two weeks. The program focuses on activities such as biology, fishing, knot-tying, teambuilding and orienteering. The only outdoor activity in Program 1 is orienteering.
“Program 2” is an alternative high school program in the pacific region, made of high school students who struggle to succeed in a normal school setting. The school takes place on a fish hatchery complex, with hatchery staff mentoring the students through many relevant lessons and activities. The students receive both outdoor and indoor instruction from teachers, and have frequent access to natural areas around the facility.
“Program 3” is a field-based middle school program, located on a USFWS waterfowl production area. Certain classes of 4th and 5th grade students spend half of their school days at the site. The program lends students a hands-on learning experience, including duck banding, water sampling, long-distance expedition excursions, free-writing regarding their environmental studies, various outdoor pursuits, and repeated quiet observation activities.
Researches collected data by having volunteer participants participate in focus group interviews. Questions asked were focused around 9 different themes regarding nature: comfort, emotion, exploration, knowledge, observation, stewardship, wildlife curiosity, wildlife sensitivity and wildlife sharing. Results suggested that students from Program 3 scored significantly higher in each category.
This research could show a simple indication for the future of outdoor and environmental education: When teaching natural systems, outdoor exposure and hands-on learning is essential to forming a connection with nature.