In the past, I have always considered technology and the outdoors as being completely separate from each other. I may even sometimes have considered technology as something which prevents people from exploring the outdoors! However, after my experiences this week my thinking has been transformed and I have learned that technology and the outdoors can go hand in hand. The children of today, most of whom are digital natives, can use their knowledge of and comfort with technology to go outdoors and to learn about what they don’t yet know with confidence and enjoyment. As part of Tuesday’s tutorial, my colleagues and I undertook three tasks. One of these was a treasure hunt around the university campus, which could have been done outdoors but the weather was typical of Scotland in March (it was snowing). This treasure hunt required us to answer questions in the form of multiple choice and if we got all of the answers correct, the letters would make up a word related to the questions. To find out what the questions were we used a QR reader app, this allowed for the questions not to be accessible by anyone who may be walking by the clue. Another task consisted of us using the Photo Booth app to take pictures of mini-beasts with the thermal setting to explore their inner body heat and of taking pictures of the landscape using the mirror image setting to explore symmetry in real life situations. Finally, we used Pic Collage to create various collages of the different types of pictures we had taken of certain aspects of the outdoors, such as representations of the two times table using outdoor objects, and pictures of different types of leaves. I particularly like the idea of using this app to help visual learners to make a sort of fact files of pictures, for example in the early years, when looking at the concepts of conservation and abstraction of number, this app could be used as a collection of photographs and pictures of things which represent that number.

These experiences of outdoor learning made me see how exciting it would be for young learners to be allowed to explore their surroundings and how well it shows off learning as something with purpose and which is applied in real-life. As discussed by teachers in a YouTube video about outdoor learning in a school on an American island, children have been shown to become more interested and to see learning not as a chore, but as a duty to their society and to the world. Incorporating outdoor learning with technology allows learners to share what they have discovered with the world! By giving them this sense of achievement and contribution to the knowledge of the world, they are more likely to take pride in their work and will see its importance. Outdoor learning with technology has, for this reason, been shown to increase the standard of learners’ work.

Furthermore, in the Cfe document on outdoor learning, many more benefits of outdoor learning are identified. It is stated that outdoor learning can raise attainment, improve behaviour in the classroom and reduce cases of ADHD. This is most likely due to the fact that the children are being given time to use their energy by being active while learning outdoors, meaning that when they return to the classroom they can settle down more easily and are ready to sit down and maybe have some quiet time. I can see how this would be the case after my experience this week as after the excitement of going out in the fresh air, I felt less mentally drained when I returned indoors and felt revitalised and ready to settle down for a while. In addition, this document discusses the use of residential trips. This is something which I remember fondly about my last year of primary school and which allowed me to bond with my peers and teachers in a way which I had never previously experienced. It also allowed me to gain more independence as I had to ensure that I did some things for myself. These are precisely some of the reasons that the document discusses as for how residential trips are a fantastic way to get young people ready for the transition from primary to secondary school. They are also said to provide individuals with a sense of responsibility. From a teachers point of view, I feel these kinds of trips would be beneficial for me as it would allow me to really get to know my pupils and by learning more about them as individuals I would be able to tailor lessons to suit their needs. It would also allow me to become a better support for them should they need my advice or help with problems other than those concerned with the academic aspects of school.

Outdoor learning can be used for any curriculum topic, as well as for helping children to develop life skills and for encouraging enthusiasm for learning, discovery and adventure. In a blog post by Jackie Gerstein, some different ways of using digital technology outdoors are suggested. She suggests the use of GPS, which can be done using the QR reader app, the use of video and audio recordings, as well as taking photographs, the use of mobile networking, scanning, and accessibility features. The list is arguably endless as any of the apps explored inside the classroom could be used outdoors if it was thought that they would enhance learning if used in this way.

I loved the topic of outdoor learning and I anticipate that it is something which I will make good use of when I have my own class! It can happen anywhere, from the playground to a local park to the middle of a city! It has been suggested that repeat visits to certain places throughout a learners time spent in school can be very beneficial as it each time the learner visits, they have gained new understandings and so will take away something new. I love the idea of outdoor learning integrating so many different types of learning together it really does provide a strong argument against the myth that the use of technology means a lack of time spent outdoors.

I think that it is extremely important that, as educators, sometimes we take a step back and remember that we are not teaching these children to pass exams. We are preparing them to take on the world, and more often than not, digital technologies and outdoor learning are perfect ways to do this!