Mapping and Measuring Healthy Outcomes in Learning in the Natural Environment
Author(s):
Jennie Aronsson (submitting) Sue Waite (presenting) Naomi Wright
Conference:
ECER 2016
Network:
18. Research in Sports Pedagogy
Format:
Paper (Copy for Joint Session)

Session Information

18 SES 14 JS, Physical Activity, Health and Outdoor Education

Joint Paper Session NW 08 and NW 14

Time:
2016-08-26
15:30-17:00
Room:
OB-H2.32
Chair:

Contribution

‘The Natural Choice: securing the value of nature’ (HM Government, 2011), emphasises reconnecting people and nature through, for example, removing barriers and increasing schools’ abilities to teach outdoors. The Naturally Healthy Schools Devon Project (NHSD) involves teachers and their pupils in southwest England. It has a focus on how Learning In Natural Environments (LINE) can support healthy outcomes in schools in areas of high multiple deprivation. In addition to evaluation of the scale, scope and perceived impact on pupils and teachers of LINE, a method for assessing potential physical health outcomes from LINE was developed through the ‘Mapping and Measuring Healthy Outcomes in LINE’ (MMHO) study.

The aim of the MMHO research was to pilot and triangulate measurement methods of physical activity to develop an easy tool for schools to implement. The objectives were:

  • to review current Healthy Child Quality Mark indicators (Plymouth City Council, 2012) for ones that LINE could address;
  • to carry out a small pilot project using accelerometers, pedometers, teacher perceptions and  self-report to assess the reliability of self report or teacher perceptions as an evaluation tool for increased physical activity;
  • to examine whether LINE increases physical activity levels to moderate and vigorous activity that has a positive impact of health

Contemporary educational research requires consideration of public health issues such as rising childhood obesity levels and the burden of mental illness on individuals and populations. The MMHO study tested ways of evaluating the integration of health promotion and curricular learning. Taking a cross-disciplinary approach between education and health, this study addressed current public health policy (Department of Health, 2012) through measuring the impact of an intervention in schooling (LINE).

Method

Choosing an appropriate methodology is pivotal within research management, not only because a specific research problem is best addressed by a certain methodology; the methodology that is used or developed also dictates the structure and content of the inquiry (Brew, 2001). The MMHO project aimed to evaluate health benefits within the educational sector with an emphasis on partnership working with the local authority (City Council). As the research problem was anchored in real world practice, an action research methodology was adopted. Action research concerns problem-solving in a specific context, and aims to improve practice through collaboration between researchers and practitioners (Robson, 2011). The Research Assistant role included supporting the delivery of LINE whilst carrying out the research, which meant working closely with school staff. Such involvement requires reflexivity; an awareness of the researcher’s position within, and possible influence on, the research (Robertson, 2000). A questionnaire was devised to evaluate various health benefits of LINE. This pupil self-report was validated for acceptable PA assessment through comparison with quantitative measurements using pedometers and accelerometers in two year 4 classes (children aged 8-9), one already receiving LINE and one being a waiting control group that may take up the intervention, or at least deliver aspects of LINE. In addition to asking pupils about their physical activity, the questionnaire asked about their emotional well-being and offered an opportunity to draw their favourite activity; thus embracing a holistic view of health, providing indications of children’s motivations and developing an inclusive and more accessible form of evaluation.

Expected Outcomes

The outcome of the MMHO study was a user-friendly tool for measuring effects of school-based health interventions, validated through triangulation with objective quantitative measurement methods. This can now be extended to a wide range of schools offering LINE, thus promoting schools’ autonomy by enabling them to evaluate the effectiveness of their learning strategy (LINE). The interim findings about wider impacts of Naturally Healthy Schools Devon will provide context of children’s social and learning outcomes. Giving the children the opportunity to express their experience of LINE with a tool that allows for undirected writing and drawing, provides an analysis of their creative outputs and additional arts-based evidence of the child’s own view of the benefits of LINE. Additionally, the outcome of MMHO serves as a contribution to the current educational research landscape, where the public health agenda is a priority. The health promoting school approach (SHE, 2015) embraces collaboration between the health and education sectors to devise evidence-based methods to develop school health policy. Robust evaluation tools may enable outdoor learning in natural environments becoming an established method of learning in English primary schools.

References

Brew, A. (2001) The nature of research: Inquiry in Academic contexts. London: Routledge-Falmer. Department of Health (2012) Public Health Outcomes Framework 2013-2016. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/healthy-lives-healthy-people-improving-outcomes-and-supporting-transparency (Accessed 11/01/2016). HM Government (2011) The Natural Choice: securing the value of nature. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/228842/8082.pdf (Accessed 11/01/2016). Plymouth City Council (2012) Healthy Child Quality Marks. Available at: http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/srnewsitem?newsid=280245 (Accessed 11/01/2016). Robertson, J. (2000) ‘The three Rs of action research methodology: reciprocity, reflexivity and reflection-on-reality’, Educational Action Research, 8(2), pp. 307-326. Robson, C. (2011) Real world research. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Schools for Health in Europe (2015) Available at: http://www.schools-for-health.eu/she-network (Accessed 11/01/2016).

Author Information

Jennie Aronsson (submitting)
Plymouth University, United Kingdom
Sue Waite (presenting)
Plymouth University, United Kingdom
Naomi Wright
Plymouth University, United Kingdom

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