‘Almost pooped on — dislike!’: student and teacher reactions to nature-based learning and resulting practical advice for implementing in secondary schools

ABSTRACT Traditional indoor lessons, in an Australian high school, were moved outdoors. Studies exploring teacher/student perceptions of a move to nature-based classrooms are limited in mainstream schools in disadvantaged areas. The research question was: how do teachers and students perceive and experience outdoor learning environments compared to indoor environments? Forty-seven students aged 13–14 years, and 2 teachers, took part in 5-weeks of indoor and 5-weeks of outdoor lessons. Students were approached for focus groups; teachers for interviews. A phenomenological approach explored the lived experiences of participants in the outdoor classroom; thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. Teachers reported learning and engagement as comparable in the indoor and outdoor settings. Teachers required resources, school support and guidelines to capitalise on the potential of nature-based learning. A practical ‘how to’ for teachers and schools looking to move outside is included. This study suggests guidelines for weather, class size and lessons content/styles.