| dc.description.abstract | While emergent research notes an increasing awareness regarding the importance of time spent in nature for personal well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic, recent literature describes children's disconnection from the natural environment. Education is a determining factor in shaping a child’s perception of nature, however, research highlights that Irish primary school teachers lack knowledge and confidence in bringing children outdoors to learn. Forest School, a semi-structured approach to learning and teaching outdoors, guided by six underpinning principles, can provide pedagogical guidance for educators. Previous studies outline social, emotional, and academic learning outcomes during Forest School, however, research in the context of the Irish Primary School Curriculum is limited. Therefore, the aim of this research was to critically examine if this approach to learning and teaching outdoors is appropriate to deliver the vision, aims, principles, broad objectives, subject content objectives, concepts and skill development, and assessment of the Irish Primary School Curriculum. An exploration of educational theory and pedagogical processes underpinning both the Irish Primary School Curriculum and Forest School approach promote developmental approaches to learning which occur in stimulating environments that correspond with the child’s learning needs. In addition to this, both approaches highlight the need for a balance of child and adult-led assessment methods, high standards of qualification, participation in continuing professional development, acknowledgement of school policy and procedures, careful planning and preparation, and emergent, experiential problem-, and inquiry-based learning opportunities that allow for child-led discoveries and questions. However, the Irish primary school curriculum provides mixed messages regarding its child-centredness, while the unstructured, play-based, and child-led nature of Forest School results in mixed opinions regarding how this approach should be delivered. Thus, this research sought to capture the lived experience of participants and uncover their reality of learning and teaching outdoors during Forest School within the vision, aims, principles, broad objectives, subject content objectives, concepts and skill development, and assessment of the Irish Primary School Curriculum. Semi-structured, non-participant observations of sixty-eight children and semi-structured journey interviews were conducted with fifty-five children in four primary school class levels over the course of an academic year. These in-depth semi-structured interviews incorporated children’s pedagogical documentation to promote stimulated recall with five class teachers. Themes of Learning with, in and through the Environment during Forest School, Challenges of Learning and Teaching Outdoors in the Context of the Irish Primary School Curriculum, and Inclusion for Children with Special Educational Needs during Forest School emerged through deductive thematic analysis. Although the findings commend child-led choice through adult-facilitated teaching in emergent, play-based learning during Forest School, challenges in achieving the many curricular subject content objectives within the Irish Primary School Curriculum were apparent. While the forthcoming restructured curriculum, currently in draft format, aims to address this through the provision of broad learning outcomes, professional collaboration between class teachers and forest school leaders and the incorporation of child-led assessment methods to create inclusive approaches to learning and teaching is required to ensure rich learning experiences for children. Moreover, a need to overcome financial and access issues must also be addressed to successfully incorporate Forest School into the Irish Primary School Curriculum. | en_US |
