Exploring the impact of formative outdoor education experiences on young people entering higher education outdoor education programmes in Australia
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22425280 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Lauren A Petrass (0000-0003-1985-034X, Federation University Australia, corresponding author), Ian A Neville (0000-0002-7092-3762, Victoria University), Alex Prins (0000-0002-3524-3753, Federation University Australia) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-13 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-20 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1472-9679 • E-ISSN: 1754-0402 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14729679.2026.2618233 |
| OpenAlex | W7124905422 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 34 |
Despite its recognised benefits, school-based outdoor education (OE) varies considerably in practice and purpose. While outdoor experiences can influence adults’ environmental engagement, it remains unclear whether early OE exposure: (i) encourages interest in OE teaching careers, or (ii) affects students’ entry-level knowledge and competence in university OE programs. This study examined the impact of prior OE exposure on first-year undergraduates (n = 58) knowledge, attitude and perceived competence using a validated questionnaire. Over half (56.9%) had school OE experience, with many engaging in outdoor activities independently. Overall OE knowledge was low (M = 46.21 ± 12.95), although participants perceived themselves as competent in applied skills. No significant effects were found for school OE completion, activity engagement, or gender on knowledge or competence (p > 0.05). These findings highlight the need for diagnostic assessments in higher education to identify students’ prior knowledge and skills, enabling more targeted and responsive instruction.
Adventure Education · Environmental education · Formative assessment · Higher education · Outdoor activity · Outdoor education · Qualitative research · Geography Education and Pedagogy · Indigenous and Place-Based Education · Outdoor and Experiential Education
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |