Every Kid in the Woods: The Outdoor Education Experience of Diverse Youth

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate the experience of underserved fourth-grade students participating in the National Park Service's Every Kid in a Park (EKIP) initiative through the Into the Redwood Forest (IRF) education program at Muir Woods National Monument. The project's aim was to understand the experience of underserved diverse students (i.e., race and ethnicity, gender, and Title I schools) participating during the 2015–2016 school year. The study included six teacher interviews and document review procedure of 60 student journals. The findings reveal that the EKIP exposed students to parks, the inquiry-based learning proved effective for outdoor learning, and the impact of the nature experience encouraged environmental stewardship. Implications and recommendations for further implementation of both the EKIP initiative and IRF at Muir Woods are discussed.

Taking Stock of Interpretation Research: Where Have We Been and Where are We Heading?

“…Four measured outcomes within a week of the experience. Only two conducted measurements beyond 1 week after the program (Montero et al, 2018;Ren & Folta, 2016). The final study measured the impressions of local residents about interpretive programs in general rather than collecting data from program audiences directly (Smaldone & Rossi, 2019).…”

“…The results of this effort appear in a series of four articles published as a special issue in the Journal (2013-18(2)). Their study provided empirical Barrett et al (2017), Beck et al (2015), Benton andSinha (2011), Bixler et al (2015), Bourque et al (2014), Britt (2017), Burris (2019), Douglas et al (2018), Gilson and Kool (2019), Hall et al (2010), Ham (2013), Henker and Brown (2011), Knapp and Forist (2014), Lawhon et al (2017), Macklin et al (2010), Montero et al (2018), Morgan and Hwang (2014), Moss et al (2010), Ogle (2016), Stern (2013a, 2013b), Price et al (2018), Rahaman and Kian (2017), Reese (2013), Ren and Folta (2016),…”

“…Some studies revealed the importance of providing sufficient scaffolding to support the experiences of individuals who might not be familiar with interpretive spaces. For example, additional pre-visit preparation might be particularly important to set appropriate expectations and to ensure students are both physically outfitted and mentally prepared for their on-site experiences (Montero et al, 2018;. On-site, visitor-centered approaches, including inquiry-based exploration and extended time for acclimation can also enhance experiences (Montero et al, 2018).…”

“…For example, additional pre-visit preparation might be particularly important to set appropriate expectations and to ensure students are both physically outfitted and mentally prepared for their on-site experiences (Montero et al, 2018;. On-site, visitor-centered approaches, including inquiry-based exploration and extended time for acclimation can also enhance experiences (Montero et al, 2018). Other recommendations included ensuring universal design principles, the representation of diverse individuals, perspectives, symbols, and language in design elements, and bilingual and authentic interpreters to tell stories about the groups they represent (Pease, 2015;Smaldone & Rossi, 2019).…”

Exploring Conceptions of Creativity and Latinidad in Environmental Education Through the Lens of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy

“…Montero and colleagues (2018) undertook a qualitative study of student experiences as part of the National Park Service’s Every Kid in a Park and Muir Woods National Monument’s Into the Redwood Forest education program focused specifically on underrepresented youth. The program highlighted its use of inquiry-based learning for encouraging student participation, ostensibly connecting it to culturally relevant pedagogy in its inclusion of cultural-historical content.…”