Developing approaches to outdoor education that promote sustainability education

Social, economic, and environmental issues facing 21st century societies compel a transformative shift towards sustainability in all spheres of life, including education. The challenges this holds for outdoor education programs and practices is significant. If outdoor education theory and practice is to make a greater contribution to sustainability education it must explore both alternatives and alterations to approaches based on adventure pursuit activities and personal development doctrines. For over a decade there have been calls from across the world to include greater emphasis on human/nature relationships, place, social justice, and ecological perspectives in outdoor education. This article adds to those calls through advocating for a pedagogical approach to outdoor education that promotes sustainability education. Drawing from recent doctoral research this article introduces a model which describes a change process towards sustainability focused pedagogy. The model suggests change can take place in three areas for educators: first, in philosophy, values, and understandings, second, in infrastructure, resource use, and programming, and third, in teaching and learning strategies. It is at the nexus of these three areas that the most effective pedagogical change can be found.