Potential of academic field trips in developing students’ environmental education

Case of Mokala National Park

Bibliographic Data

ID22167396
AuthorsTolulope Ayodeji Olatoye (0000-0002-2249-9258, Sol Plaatje University), Wiets Botes (Sol Plaatje University), R N Fru (0000-0002-0507-5269, Sol Plaatje University)
Year2026
Volume11
Publication date2026-05-28
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2504-284X • E-ISSN: 2504-284X
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/feduc.2026.1771490
OpenAlexW7162633261
LanguageEN
References cited54

In an era of escalating ecological crises, reimagining environmental education is both pedagogical and planetary imperative. This study confronts a critical problem: the persistent theory-practice gap in sustainability education, which often leaves graduates underequipped to address complex socio-ecological challenges. Grounded in the Experiential Learning Theory, Critical Place-Based Education, and Decolonizing Pedagogy, this pedagogical and ecological study utilized a mixed methodology by combining PRISMA-based systematic literature review and empirical field work undertaken by 45 Final-Year Undergraduate and Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students at a South African university. The academic field trip was organized through a formal partnership between the South African University and Mokala National Park (MNP), involving structured pre-trip briefings, a compulsory three-day residential program with guided ecological and astronomical activities, and integrated post-trip reflective assignments aligned with the course curriculum. Resultsreveal that field-based activities like quadrat sampling and stargazing catalysed a shift from abstract knowledge to applied, systems-level understanding. Participants reported deepened ecological literacy, with one noting, “The data we collected made biodiversity a tangible story, not just a term.” The experience also fostered pedagogical creativity, empowering pre-service teachers to design culturally responsive, place-based lessons. The study concludes that such academic field trips are indispensable for developing ecologically literate and pedagogically agile educators. The study advances university-park partnerships that embed experiential learning within national teacher training curricula, thereby contributing to South Africa's National Biodiversity Strategy and building vital capacity for a sustainable future

Certificate · Environmental education · Experiential learning · Field trip · General partnership · National park · Quadrat · Sustainability · TRIPS architecture · Geography Education and Pedagogy · Indigenous and Place-Based Education · Outdoor and Experiential Education

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access