Author

Amanda Eckart

Term

Fall 2020

Capstone

Capstone Project

Degree Name

MAED: NSEE

Facilitator(s)

Trish Harvey

Content Expert

Jaime Souza

Abstract

There is no shortage in research depicting the physical, mental and social benefits that students receive when they participate in outdoor learning. However, there were many barriers preventing classroom educators from taking their lessons into local nature areas. Two of these barriers being educator’s lack of confidence teaching outside and their unfamiliarity with local state parks. This led to the creation of the research question: How can websites and blogs help educators foster a connection between outdoor education and state parks? How can this connection benefit students and state parks? The research used in an attempt to answer this question focuses on the benefits of outdoor education, state park preservation and the barriers and bridges of outdoor education. The project related to this question had to be able to connect educators across the U.S. to their state parks as well as educators who had experience with outdoor education. The creation of a website was the only viable solution. This project’s website contains helpful information regarding outdoor education and state park conservation as well as a blog section to encourage teacher to teacher communication. Just one educator has the power to encourage their fellow teachers to participate in outdoor education. The goal of this project is to encourage educators to use their local state parks for outdoor education.

Project Type

Website Creation

Keywords

Community Building, Environmental Studies, Learning Styles, Teachers/ Teaching

dc_type

text

dc_publisher

DigitalCommons@Hamline

dc_format

application/pdf

dc_source

School of Education Student Capstone Projects

Included in

Education Commons

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