The Forest School impact on children: reviewing two decades of research

Dabaja, Ziad F.

doi:10.1080/03004279.2021.1889013

Cited by 27 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Hence, targeted interventions that expose youth to nature and increase their connection to it is a potential initiative to help young people move beyond intentions to behaviour change. These interventions could also incorporate educational elements as a way to increase climate knowledge about effective actions they can take (Boyd and Scott, 2022;Dabaja, 2022;Turtle et al, 2015). Considering the multiple benefits of spending time in nature (Alcock et al, 2014;Carlin et al, 2016;McCurdy et al, 2010), identifying ways to promote engagement among the minority who rarely visit local amenities is reasonable.…”

Section: Importance Of the Local Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Youth Knowledge and Perceptions of Climate Mitigation

Andersson¹,

Timmons²,

Lunn³

2022

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The mission of the Economic and Social Research Institute is to advance evidencebased policymaking that supports economic sustainability and social progress in Ireland. ESRI researchers apply the highest standards of academic excellence to challenges facing policymakers, focusing on 12 areas of critical importance to 21 st Century Ireland.The Institute was founded in 1960 by a group of senior civil servants led by Dr T.K. Whitaker, who identified the need for independent and in-depth research analysis to provide a robust evidence base for policymaking in Ireland.Since then, the Institute has remained committed to independent research and its work is free of any expressed ideology or political position. The Institute publishes all research reaching the appropriate academic standard, irrespective of its findings or who funds the research.The quality of its research output is guaranteed by a rigorous peer review process. ESRI researchers are experts in their fields and are committed to producing work that meets the highest academic standards and practices.The work of the Institute is disseminated widely in books, journal articles and reports. ESRI publications are available to download, free of charge, from its website. Additionally, ESRI staff communicate research findings at regular conferences and seminars.The ESRI is a company limited by guarantee, answerable to its members and governed by a Council, comprising 14 members who represent a cross-section of ESRI members from academia, civil services, state agencies, businesses and civil society. The Institute receives an annual grant-in-aid from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to support the scientific and public interest elements of the Institute's activities; the grant accounted for an average of 30 per cent of the Institute's income over the lifetime of the last Research Strategy. The remaining funding comes from research programmes supported by government departments and agencies, public bodies and competitive research programmes.

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Section: Importance Of the Local Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Youth Knowledge and Perceptions of Climate Mitigation

Andersson¹,

Timmons²,

Lunn³

2022

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“…We conducted electronic searches for the present review in January 2021 using Scopus (one of the largest abstract and citation databases of research literature and quality web sources), JSTOR (a database targeting educational and pedagogical sciences), and PsycInfo (a resource devoted to peer-reviewed literature in behavioral science and mental health). In addition, bibliographies from previous reviews on forest school and retrieved articles were hand searched (e.g., Dabaja, 2021;and, as recommended, Horsley et al, 2011). Two authors (FP and EB) first constructed the search strategy and then refined it with the other authors.…”

Section: Search Strategy For Study Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is also acknowledged that exposure to nature leads to improvements in health and well-being in children (e.g., Mason et al, 2022;Tillman et al, 2018;Vella-Brodrick & Gilowska, 2022). Children experiencing nature for a long period can reap benefits to their well-being, as well as social and academic performance and physical and psychological competencies (Becker et al, 2017;Cooper, 2015;Dabaja, 2021;Harris, 2017). Despite the known benefits of being in contact with nature and outdoor learning/play activities for children's health, there are some concerns about the increasing tendency of children not to spend time outdoors in the natural environment.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…A nature-based school, where a natural space is specifically designed to promote children's physical and learning activities (Cooper, 2015), seems to produce more health and psychological benefits for children attending it (e.g. Dabaja, 2021;Johnstone et al, 2022;Mann et al, 2021;Vella-Brodrick & Gilowska, 2022) than indoor school.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The forest school approach integrates nature into its philosophy, curriculum, and/or overall environment, and children typically spend the majority of their day outdoors in immersive nature experiences. In particular, forest schools aim to provide an alternative learning process to a traditional school based on constant contact with nature through regular sessions, rather than one-off or infrequent visits; encourage children' nature connectedness in a woodland or natural environment to create a relationship between the learner and the natural world using learner-centered processes; and promote holistic development to foster self-esteem, confidence, independency, and creativity (Cooper, 2015;Dabaja, 2021;Harris, 2017). Surprisingly, to our knowledge, no reviews have been conducted to examine whether these forest school programs could be beneficial for preschool children.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Psychological Benefits of Attending Forest School for Preschool Children: a Systematic Review

et al. 2023

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Forest school is a form of outdoor learning that takes children into regular and repeated learning experiences in natural settings. Being based on a comprehensive experience with nature, it is assumed to be beneficial for learning and to promote restorative effects on cognitive and emotional function in preschool children. This review aimed to examine the available evidence on the benefits of forest school compared to indoor school activities in children aged 3 to 6 years. We searched for studies on forest school for preschool children in PsycInfo, JSTOR, and Scopus, with no restriction on publication year. The risk of bias was assessed using Joanna Briggs’s criteria for quasi-experimental design. Of the 190 articles identified, 16 studies were reviewed (N = 1560). Higher benefits were found in children attending forest school compared to those attending indoor school in various areas of child development: cognitive function, motor coordination and balance, connectedness to nature, and health and well-being outcomes. There is, however, still a shortage of empirical evidence, and the methodological quality of most studies was limited. The literature on forest schools for preschool children in general supports positive effects in a wide range of variables that promote child health and development, but more evidence is needed to assess their effectiveness. Due to the methodological weaknesses of the reviewed studies, one should interpret their findings with caution.

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The development of an interdisciplinary theoretical framework for Forest School in the United Kingdom

Knight,

Coates,

Lathlean

et al. 2023

British Educational Res J

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A growing evidence base has demonstrated the value of Forest School as an outdoor learning approach which supports a range of benefits including improved physical, social and mental wellbeing, increased confidence and self‐esteem and the development of problem‐solving skills. However, critics of Forest School have argued that a lack of theoretical coherence and detail risks the misinterpretation of Forest School and its pedagogy by both practitioners and researchers. This paper responds to these concerns, establishing a comprehensive and detailed theoretical framework for Forest School. Through a thorough examination of evidence supporting Forest School delivery, we examine the theoretical keystones of this pedagogical approach to inform an interdisciplinary theoretical understanding of Forest School. We argue that Forest School is a particular socially constructed approach to outdoor education, which is informed by social constructivist experiential learning theory. This is driven by two core components. First, play‐pedagogy, which includes the opportunity to experience risk and be creative. Next, biophilic interaction, which examines the human innate desire to be in nature. This is informed by the cultural origins of Forest School development as underpinned by Nordic notions of friluftsliv and by theories of place attachment. Taken together, this theoretical framework considers the breadth of knowledge that underpins Forest School and recognises its growing evidence base, which positions it as a rich and valuable pedagogical approach.

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The Forest School impact on children: reviewing two decades of research

Cited by 27 publications

References 45 publications

Youth Knowledge and Perceptions of Climate Mitigation

Youth Knowledge and Perceptions of Climate Mitigation

Psychological Benefits of Attending Forest School for Preschool Children: a Systematic Review

The development of an interdisciplinary theoretical framework for Forest School in the United Kingdom

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