Patchen Amie K, Edwards Amanda, Rakow Donald A, Meredith Genevive R
Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States.
Public Health Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States.
Front Public Health. 2024 Dec 4;12:1483862. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1483862. eCollection 2024.
Time in nature supports cognitive, psychological, academic, and health benefits. Outdoor time during school can provide young people with equitable access to these benefits, however, there are within-school constraints. Understanding if and how teachers can frequently and consistently incorporate outdoor time in the schoolyard into their classroom activities can inform broader implementation.
A mixed-methods observational study was conducted with 17 teachers from five elementary schools. Teachers reported on how they incorporated outdoor time into their classes over an eight-week period. Data on outdoor time, activities, locations, barriers, motivations, and facilitators were collected through surveys on 15 randomly pre-selected days, and through a post-survey.
On the 15 randomly selected days surveyed, classes went outside 78% of the time, ranging from 6-15 outdoor days per class, and 0-285 min per day. Time, activities, locations, motivations, barriers, and facilitators varied across classes and days. The most common activities were free play ( = 138) and intentional engagement with nature ( = 57). Health benefits ( = 68) and having time ( = 58) were the most common motivations teachers reported for incorporating outdoor time.
Consistent outdoor time in the school day can support students' wellbeing and academic success. Encouraging free play, highlighting the health benefits, using a systems approach, and flexible implementation may help teachers increase their use of outdoor time during the school day.
Teachers consistently incorporated outdoor time, but implementation varied across classes and days. Implementation findings from this district could help inform practices at other schools.
接触自然的时间对认知、心理、学业和健康有益。在校期间进行户外活动能让年轻人平等地获得这些益处，然而，学校内部存在一些限制因素。了解教师是否以及如何能够频繁且持续地将校园户外活动纳入课堂教学活动，可为更广泛的实施提供参考。
对来自五所小学的17名教师进行了一项混合方法的观察性研究。教师报告了他们在八周时间内如何将户外活动纳入课堂教学。通过在15个随机预先选定的日子进行调查以及在调查结束后进行的调查，收集了有关户外活动时间、活动内容、地点、障碍、动机和促进因素的数据。
在随机调查的15天里，78%的课程进行了户外活动，每节课的户外活动天数在6至15天之间，每天的户外活动时间为0至285分钟。时间、活动内容、地点、动机、障碍和促进因素因课程和日期而异。最常见的活动是自由玩耍（n = 138）和与自然的有意接触（n = 57）。教师报告将户外活动纳入教学的最常见动机是健康益处（n = 68）和有时间（n = 58）。
在校期间持续进行户外活动有助于支持学生的幸福和学业成功。鼓励自由玩耍、强调健康益处、采用系统方法以及灵活实施可能有助于教师增加在校期间对户外活动时间的利用。
教师持续纳入户外活动时间，但实施情况因课程和日期而异。该地区的实施结果可为其他学校的实践提供参考。
