24 February 2010
Scots children can connect with nature using Australian model
A Dundee postgraduate student has received funding of £4750 to allow her to tour Australia and examine how outdoor education can help Scottish children reconnect with nature whilst improving their health, wellbeing and understanding of sustainability.
Fiona Wood (24), a PhD student at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, part of the University of Dundee, will visit schools and outdoor education schools in Sidney, Perth and Victoria after being awarded a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship to allow her to undertake the six-week research trip in late July this year.
Her research, which is being carried out at DJCAD’s Centre for the Study of Natural Design, explores how outdoor education allows children to embrace nature and learn about sustainability. Australia currently leads the world in the field of outdoor education and has a proven track record of developing children's understanding of sustainability.
Whilst Down Under, Fiona will work with the organisations, observing their activities and methods, and examining how they can be applied to outdoor education in the UK.
As well as featuring as part of her thesis, the trip will also form the basis of a collection of evaluated designs and recommendations for outdoor activities that Fiona will submit to the Scottish Outdoor Education Centres (SOEC) organisation. She has been working at SOEC’s Belmont Centre in Meigle as part of her studies.
Fiona, who obtained her undergraduate Product Design degree from DJCAD, explained that the motivation behind her work was to help children to reconnect with nature.
'I spent a lot of time outdoors when I was a child, and this meant I have a real connection with nature,' she said. 'Because of this I know how beneficial it is for children to spent time outside and how a connection to nature makes them aware of issues like sustainability.
'The fact is that children are consumers now, and they’re distracted by gadgets that parents sometimes use as electronic babysitters. The result is that they don’t get the social interaction they need. Outdoor activities can help children to build confidence, learn team building, and social and citizenship skills.
'As we face ecological catastrophe, it’s vital we help kids understand how important nature is to their lives. If they spent too much time indoors then they might not have the connection, desire or understanding to help the environment.
'Many parents these days try to protect their children too much and, whilst it is understandable for them to be concerned, it’s worrying that children are getting the message that nature can hurt them rather than being encouraged to enjoy it safely and responsibly.
'There has to be an environment where parents feel confident about the safety of their child playing there. Getting schools involved is key, because they are the organisations which are in daily contact with pupils, and that are best placed to get them involved in outdoors activities.
'I can’t wait to go to Australia because they really are the leaders in encouraging people to experience and enjoy outdoor activities. I’ll be looking at how they design these activities and keep the children’s interest going when the leave the activity centre.'
Fiona grew up in Guernsey and moved to Dunkeld when she was 12. She now lives in Dundee and hopes to work in influencing educational policies for a future sustainable society after completing her PhD.
The former Breadalbane Academy pupil hopes her research will allow international debate on how outdoor education can be used as a tool for developing sustainability and improving the health and welfare of children. She has recently returned from India, where she participated in a conference on Children’s Play and Learning and plans to hold several seminars discussing her work, and her experiences in Australia upon her return.
Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowships enable UK citizens to gain a better understanding of other people’s lives and cultures so that this knowledge can be used to benefit their local communities when they return.
Each year, the Trust awards some 100 Travelling Fellowships to individuals from all over the UK, and from all walks of life, regardless of educational achievement or professional qualifications.
DJCAD’s Dean of Research for Art & Design Steve Partridge said, 'The Winston Churchill Fellowship are extremely prestigious,and recognise exceptional talent. All of Fiona’s colleagues, both staff and students, congratulate her on her success and we know she will spend her time productively.'
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