Participate and share: Poster 
Streaming Session
Recorded Session
Presented Virtually
It is important that teachers get their students outside and learning more often as there are numerous research-supported benefits to children and adults participating in outdoor learning. Students do better physically, psychologically, socially/behaviorally, academically, and effectively when they spend an increased amount of time outdoors. One way to enhance those outdoor learning experiences is through the use of different forms of technology that support student learning.
Teachers can utilize technology such as Google Suite, digital cameras, smartphones, Chromebooks, iPads, and so much more to engage students in various effective learning opportunities while teaching outside. One such example is to create a “Digital Nature Journal” in which students use a digital template to complete nature journal entries as they are learning about the outdoors. Those digital journals can then easily be shared or combined to create a class nature journal that allows students to display and take pride in their work. These can also be shared with administrators, parents, and the community in a way that engages all of the stakeholders involved and celebrates the students and their hard work.
Participants will:
- Understand the importance of getting children outside and learning more often.
- Explore some management strategies for taking students outside and making sure that they are safe and learning.
- Gain some strategies for how to teach effectively in the outdoors.
- Engage in how to get students using technology in the outdoors to participate in digital nature journaling.
In a Poster session, the presenters would follow this outline:
- 5 min - Presenter Introduction/Sharing session materials
- 10 min - Presenter background in outdoor education and building connections with outdoor spaces in our school communities. Exploring research outlined in this proposal.
10 min - Explore the concept of a digital nature journal, its benefits, and constraints in most schools. Explore the question of why a digital journal while being outside. How the presenters have used digital journals within their school.
15 min - Explore the technology used within our digital journals including Google, Nearpod, and Adobe to create innovative learning experiences with and for our students. Explore how using cameras on devices like Chromebooks, iPads, or phones helps unlock a lot of potential for exploring the natural world in our community.
5 min - Closing remarks/Q&A
Children and Nature Network. Helping Children Thrive - Outside | C&NN. https://www.childrenandnature.org/. Accessed 30 Sept. 2022.
“Home | North American Association for Environmental Education.” North American Association for Environmental Education, naaee.org/node/1. Accessed 30 Sept. 2022.
Joy, David. Hitting the Trail: An Exploration of an Outdoor Educational Experience at Intermountain West Junior High School Experience at Intermountain West Junior High School. Utah State University, Dec. 2020. DigitalCommons@USU, Crossref, https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118901731.iecrm0011.
Laws, John Muir, and Emilie Lygren. How to Teach Nature Journaling. Heyday Books, 2020.
Louv, Richard. Last Child in the Woods. Algonquin Books, 2008.
“Partners | North American Association for Environmental Education.” North American Association for Environmental Education, naaee.org/about/partners. Accessed 30 Sept. 2022.
Robertson, Juliet. Dirty Teaching. Crown House Publishing, 2014.
Sampson, Scott D. How to Raise a Wild Child. Mariner Books, 2016.
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