Teachers’ Views on Outdoor Learning

Summary of Borsos, Bencéné Fekete, & Boric (2023)

Background & Existing Knowledge
The pandemic disrupted traditional classroom routines and reduced student contact with nature. Teachers in Serbia, Croatia, and Hungary were surveyed on whether the pandemic shifted their attitudes and implementation of outdoor education.

New Insights from This Study
✔ Across 372 respondents, most saw outdoor classes as vital for physical and psychological development.
✔ Many intended to increase outdoor lessons, but systemic constraints (time, facilities, policies) limited implementation.
✔ Comparing data before and after the pandemic, teacher support for outdoor learning increased significantly.

Practical Applications: How Educators Can Use This Research
Behavior Management
📌 Engage students in designing simple outdoor lesson routines. Clarify expectations to ensure safe, structured outdoor interaction.

Teacher Support
📌 Organize advocacy workshops to raise administrative awareness of outdoor pedagogy.

Inclusive Teaching
📌 Use local green settings to link curriculum to student experiences.

Conclusion
Teacher enthusiasm for outdoor education increased post-pandemic, yet practical constraints persist. Institutional support and flexible school structures are necessary to turn intention into action.

Key Words
teacher attitudes, outdoor education, pandemic impact, implementation barriers, biology teaching

Reference
Borsos, E., Bencéné Fekete, E., & Boric, E. (2023). Have teachers’ opinions about outdoor education changed after the pandemic? Journal of Biological Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2023.2192730

Suggested Citation
Ross, E. M., & Malar, D. B. J. (2025). Teachers’ Views on outdoor learning. Excellent Educator, 2(14), 2.