Children with autism spectrum disorder demonstrate challenges in socialization that can interfere with their participation in common childhood activities and can persist or worsen if not addressed. The purpose of this study was to assess whether individualized education program (IEP) social goals could be targeted by a supervised paraprofessional…

Many barriers restrict children's access to nature resulting in negative consequences, including a lack of opportunities to learn and engage with the natural environment. Fortunately, environmental education programs offer participants an opportunity to counteract these challenges. While the benefits of environmental education as measured by…

The last quarter of the nineteenth century witnessed a new but rapidly spreading perspective on the link between education and nature: middle-class philanthropists joining together to provide summer vacations in the countryside for poor, sickly, urban children. Drawing on numerous examples of such work in Europe and the United States, this essay…

The purposes of this study were to propose a model of cognitive learning outcomes in outdoor education and examine their relationships with two antecedents (quality of support resource and involvement) and one consequence (satisfaction). A total of 343 physical education student teachers in Singapore completed a questionnaire upon completion of a…

"Active ingredients" are one way to describe the elements of a program that are responsible for the targeted change in behavior, skill, attitude, or belief (Li & Julian "American Journal of Orthopsychiatry," 82(2), 157-166, 2012). This term assumes a connection between program elements (ingredients) and participant…

Make a Difference (MAD) is a sustainability leadership program for high school students in Auckland, New Zealand. It offers a residential camp and follow-up activities. This article documents a participatory, utilization-focused evaluation of MAD, based on a Theory of Change approach. We ran workshops with MAD coordinators and students and…

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of four US music educators during and after a 3-week adult choir camp in South Africa. Findings reveal that the camp positively influenced music teacher understandings and practices, both during and after the exchange. Throughout the camp, participants navigated race, privilege and prejudice…

Campus Kitchen provides an environment that is ripe for community-based, experiential-learning experiences, especially on the topic of Eco-Justice. Student volunteers have substantive opportunities to investigate and promote various food justice and hunger advocacy initiatives, as well as form meaningful personal relationships with those whom they…

In this exploratory study, we looked at the effect adding a choreographed song to camp had on middle-school aged campers' retention of two concepts: order of the planets with increasing distance from the Sun, and phases of the Moon listed in the correct order. We conducted pre- and post-assessments on these questions for multiple years of the…

Physical educators seek ways to motivate students to engage in lifelong physical activity. Research demonstrates that autonomy-supportive climates improve motor skills and competence in children. Although substantial research exists on the benefits of autonomy-supportive climates on children's motor skills, little is known regarding the…

This study aimed to explore the implementation of project-based learning (PBL) principles in informal STEM education, focusing on the experiences of Underrepresented Racially Minoritized (UUREM) girls during a week-long residential STEM summer camp. Utilizing a single case study design, the researchers investigated how PBL facilitates engagement…

Females' participation in outdoor recreation is often limited for a variety of reasons including social gender norms, a lack of exposure, and fear. Research has uncovered a wide range of positive outcomes for those females who do participate ranging from enhanced self-esteem and confidence to improved body image, indicating the importance of…

The aim of this research is to investigate the effects of outdoor learning environments such as space camp on the perceptions of secondary school students about astronomy, career choices, and development of 21st century skills. Izmir space camp trip was organized in 2019. Qualitative study was conducted with secondary school 5th grade students…

The twofold purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate various moderators that might influence the effect of participation in an outdoor orientation program on first-year college students' relationships with the natural world and to examine the potential influence of instructors on participants' biophilic expression. The theory of…

Children's connection to nature increasingly is of interest in education, psychology, urban planning, and other related fields. Research findings emphasize the central importance of early connections due to resulting benefits for environmental awareness, knowledge, social-emotional learning, health, and wellbeing. To more clearly conceptualize the…