Simon Kennedy Beames

Professor Department of Teacher Education and Outdoor Studies

Email: simonbe@nih.no
Phone: +47 23 26 24 09

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Background and experience

Simon Beames is Professor of Friluftsliv in NIH´s Department for Teacher Education and Outdoor Studies. He came to NIH in 2019 after 14 years at the University of Edinburgh. In Edinburgh, Simon created and developed the Outdoor Journeys programme, which is a pupil-driven approach to facilitating local, cross-curricular outdoor learning.

Before getting into academia in 2001, Simon worked for 10 years as an outdoor instructor with young people, both leading expeditions and teaching skills courses in Canada, the US, and southeast Asia. His university studies include a Bachelor of Physical Education at McMaster University, a Master of Science in Experiential Education at Minnesota State University, and a PhD on Overseas Youth Expeditions at the University of Chichester.

Simon has published seven books: Understanding educational expeditions, Learning outside the classroom, Outdoor adventure and social theory, Adventurous learning, Adventure & society, Outdoor learning across the curriculum, and the Routledge handbook of mobile technology and social media.

His knowledge exchange with practitioners continues through sharing teaching resources on the Outdoor Journeys and Adventurous Learning websites; NIH’s Outdoor Studies Forum initiative; and the Outdoor Journeys app (2020-23), which facilitates learning outside the classroom using mobile phones and tablets.

Simon is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Experiential Education and the Journal of Outdoor Environmental Education.

Past and current PhD students include: Jerry Tracey, Clare Nugent, Sharifah Abdullah, Sho Shimoyamada, Rebekah Tauritz, John Pierce, Ethan Lewis, Suzy Paulus, Jack Reed, Imre van Kraalingen, Gregor Gray, and Sarah Hald.

Simon loves teaching outdoors in wild and remote settings, as well as in nearby urban ones!

Teaching

Culture, society and friluftsliv; Friluftsliv, learning and skill development; Winter expeditions

Research

Adventure and social media; technology and friluftsliv; equality, diversity and the outdoors; learning outside the classroom; social theory; adventuring sustainably; mental health and the outdoors.

Projects

Outdoor Life for Mental Health

Research groups

Friluftsliv / Outdoor Studies

Guyader, Edgar Le & Beames, Simon (2026). How Semantic Shifts in Nature and Youth Mental Health Shape Outdoor Therapies: A Narrative Review (1960–2020). Journal of Experiential Education (JEE). ISSN 1053-8259. doi: 10.1177/10538259251411249. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon & Eriksen, Jørgen Weidemann (2026). Friluftsliv: the almost nearly perfect concept. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 8. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2026.1705892. Full text in Research Archive
Varley, Peter Justin & Beames, Simon (2025). The idea of adventure: From human conquest to being-with the world. In Pomfret, Gill; Doran, Adele & Cater, Carl (Ed.), Routledge International Handbook of Adventure Tourism. Routledge. ISSN 9781032316925. p. 42–56. Full text in Research Archive
Reed, Jack; Beames, Simon & Macleod, Gale (2025). Young people's networked constructions of nature: Evidence from a qualitative multiple case study in the United Kingdom. People and Nature. 7(2), p. 463–474. doi: 10.1002/pan3.10781. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
How young people interpret and engage with nature is an important consideration within our current biodiversity and climate crises. What remains less clear are the ways in which online, networked, spaces underpin young people's relationships with nature, and what consequences these spaces may have for in-person nature interactions. Given the ubiquitousness of networked spaces in society, it has been argued that day-to-day life is increasingly ‘postdigital’, in that we may no longer distinguish meaningful differences between our online and offline worlds. Therefore, it is necessary to examine this collapsing physical-digital binary in the context of young people's in-person interactions with nature to examine the effectiveness of this theoretical perspective. Utilising ethnographically situated, participant-as-observer methods, this qualitative multiple case study generated data across three rural residential outdoor education centres in England, Scotland and Wales, with young people aged 12–17. Participants were visiting the residential centres from urban schools in England and Scotland, with each group spending 5 days at their respective centre. Reflexive thematic analysis of fieldnote data revealed that young people had previously constructed their understandings and interpretations of what nature ‘is’ through networked environments such as Instagram, TikTok and Minecraft. These networked constructions often contextualised young people's direct, in-person interactions with nature and demonstrated ways in which these online spaces influenced how nature was perceived and understood. The case is presented for interpreting the findings from a postdigital ‘networked baselines’ perspective. The findings will resonate with practitioners and policymakers concerned with the relationships between young people, networked spaces and nature connectedness. Alongside this, given the editorial discussion on the impacts of ‘nature on screen’ from Silk et al. (2021) in People and Nature, this paper provides a set of empirical findings on how young people's organic engagements with nature on-screen provided a degree of foundational knowledge about what nature is, what nature is for and how nature should be engaged with.
Pierce, John & Beames, Simon (2024). Where’s the E in OE? A critical analysis of Irish outdoor education. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education (JOEE). ISSN 2206-3110. doi: 10.1007/s42322-024-00161-9. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Very little empirical research has been conducted on Irish outdoor education practice(s). This inquiry aims to critically explore outdoor education practices in public Outdoor Education and Training Centres in the Republic of Ireland. First, an overview of the development of Irish outdoor education from the mid-twentieth century onwards is provided to locate the study within its unique cultural and historical background. Data were generated through document analysis, participant observation, and informal conversation with practitioners and management through multiple field visits. Creative non-fiction was used as a method to organise and present the data in a coherent and anonymised manner. Thematic analysis revealed three principal findings: a lack of engagement with theory, programming by logistics, and ideological dissonance. How these findings affect practice are discussed in terms of a place-based focus to practice as well as a need for more direction for practice to be informed by research and theory.
Kraalingen, Imre van & Beames, Simon (2024). Presence and (dis)connectedness – the influence of smartphones usage on human–nature and human–human interactions in outdoor studies. Frontiers in Education. 9. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1369591. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Interactions between students and nature and students and their peers are central to learning processes in outdoor studies programs. This paper draws on symbolic interactionist social theory to interpret participants’ experiences of smartphone usage and its impact on human–nature and human–human interactions. The findings are derived from a collective case study using semi-structured interviews with educators and focus group interviews with students enrolled in outdoor studies programs in Norway. Two primary themes were identified through reflexive thematic analysis: perceptions of nature and attentiveness to peers. Each of these themes illustrates the fluctuating presence and (dis) connectedness of students and the implications of this for learning out-of-doors. On the one hand, the findings suggest that the use of smartphones reduces students’ sensory perception of nature and their attentiveness to interactions with their peers. On the other hand, smartphones and their access to online networks can contribute to the continuity of learning experiences between indoor and outdoor learning, as well as beyond the formal learning environment. Taken together, this inquiry offers new insights into the challenges of tertiary level teaching and learning outdoors in spaces that are mediated (at times) by interactions with smartphones and associated media infrastructures.
Asfeldt, Morten; Beames, Simon; Høyem, Jannicke; North, Chris & Takano, Takako (2024). Journeys to Far-Away Places: Wrestling with the Sustainability of Outdoor Education in Higher Education. Journal of Experiential Education (JEE). ISSN 1053-8259. doi: 10.1177/10538259241288470. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background: Over 35 years ago, the Brundtland Report entitled Our Common Future shed light on the impacts of human behavior on the environment and raised global awareness about sustainability. Since then, sustainability has become a prominent issue influencing most spheres of life including outdoor education (OE). Purpose: This inquiry seeks to identify the necessary conditions for justifying OE travel to far-away places. Methodology: We investigated this question using practitioner inquiry and thematic analysis. Findings: The authors believe some far-away journeys can be justified and recommend that these journeys are guided by featuring learning objectives that are best learned in specific far-away places; maintaining strong connections to the students’ everyday lives; including high levels of student involvement in sustainability-related decisions; and through providing novel and unexpected experiences that are unlikely to occur locally. Finally, we believe there is a case to be made for longer rather than shorter journeys. Implications: We caution against developing a binary which pits local OE against journeys to far-away places. Rather, both local and far-away journeys have an important role to play in OE programs that aim to build a world that is more socially and environmentally just.
Beames, Simon & Reed, Jack (2023). Adventure Sports, Social Media, and Environmental Activism. In Svensson, Daniel; Backman, Erik; Hedenborg, Susanna & Sörlin, Sverker (Ed.), Sport, Performance and Sustainability. Routledge. ISSN 9781003283324. p. 33–49. doi: 10.4324/9781003283324-5. Full text in Research Archive
Pierce, John & Beames, Simon (2022). Where’s the E in OE? The McDonaldization of Irish outdoor education. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. ISSN 1472-9679. p. 1–16. doi: 10.1080/14729679.2022.2127110. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This paper presents key findings from a study that aimed to critically examine the practice of outdoor education in the Republic of Ireland. It consisted of 10 months of fieldwork across four public Outdoor Education and Training Centres (OETCs). Data were generated through participant observation, informal conversation, as well as centre websites. Findings from the thematic analysis are presented in the form of a creative non-fiction story—principally to protect the identities and centres involved. The findings were then interpreted through the theoretical lens of McDonaldization. Considering the dearth of outdoor education research in Ireland, McDonaldization provided a lens through which it was possible to more deeply understand how rationalisation has affected Irish public outdoor education practices. The discussion explores practices inconsistent with the stated Irish definitions of public outdoor education and the paper concludes with suggestions as to how the McDonaldization of outdoor education may be countered.
Kraalingen, Imre van; Hills, Dave; Reed, Jack; Beames, Simon & Munge, Brendon (2022). Digital technology and networked spaces in outdoor education: reflections upon presenting at an international webinar. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. ISSN 1472-9679. doi: 10.1080/14729679.2022.2127112. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This paper draws on a webinar on digital technology and networked spaces in outdoor education, where three researchers presented their work through responses to two discussion statements: First, ‘the use of digital technology in outdoor education is fundamentally contrary to all its values.’ Second, ‘if we accept that digital technology is embedded in outdoor education, what do we know about its potential? And what are key areas to explore more deeply?.’ Despite there being no advance planning to produce a research output from the webinar, the organisers’ basic analysis of the webinar’s frontchannel and backchannel revealed areas of the conversation that may merit targeted empirical attention. Three principal themes emerged from participants' responses during the webinar: the need to move beyond binary thinking; the importance of considering digital technology in regard to specific learning objectives and contexts; and to inform oneself about the affordances of digital technology, while thinking critically about its applications.
Reed, Jack; Dunn, Catherine; Beames, Simon & Stonehouse, Paul (2022). E‘Ride on!’: The Zwift platform as a space for virtual leisure. Leisure Studies. ISSN 0261-4367. doi: 10.1080/02614367.2022.2088836. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Virtual environments as spaces for leisure are rapidly emerging within the zeitgeist of 21st century leisure practices. One such environment is the Zwift cycling and running app which provides a series of virtual worlds where cyclists and runners can train, race, and socialise with a global community from their own home. As four authors, we are all in some way curious or engaged with Zwift as a platform for our own leisure. We therefore developed a ‘community of inquiry’ to provide an initial foray into Zwift as a virtual leisure space. We each produced a section of the paper which focused respectively on assemblage theory, micro-sociology, gender, and morality. Through critique and the spirit of collegiality, these texts were refined and are presented in the paper as separate yet interlinked narratives. Our community of inquiry then reconvened to consider the mechanics of game design and to present Zwift as exhibiting the components of an interreality. The paper concludes with implications for further research which includes considering Zwift as a third space and as a panopticon.
Beames, Simon; Høyem, Jannicke; Kraalingen, Imre van; Eriksen, Jørgen Weidemann; Vold, Thomas & Abelsen, Kristian [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2022). The Jacket: Making Sustainable Clothing Choices in Outdoor Education. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education (CJEE). ISSN 1205-5352. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Amidst a vast jungle of products, brands, materials, labels, and systems of global trade and production, it has become increasingly challenging to make consumption choices that may be considered “sustainable”. This inquiry examines the decision-making process of a team of university outdoor environmental educators, as they puzzled over the most appropriate shell jacket to purchase for their outdoor teaching. The project’s first aim was to determine the team’s most important features of sustainability with regard to clothing procurement, while the second was to interrogate these features in relation to germane literature and guidance. Driven by a practitioner inquiry approach, the team of eight interrogated their own beliefs, assumptions, and knowledge about outdoor clothing over seven months. Data were generated through four group discussions, where the content from each was thematically analyzed and then used as a platform for the following meeting. Ultimately, four factors emerged as central to informing their outdoor clothing purchases: (1) durability, (2) assurances of ecologically friendly production, (3) assurances of fair labour conditions, and (4) underlying socio-political motivators. Navigating the varied and shifting ground of eco-labels and certifications in relation to environmental sustainability and fair labour conditions is highlighted as a central challenge to making nature- and human-friendly purchases. Interrogating the drivers and surrounding information around material consumption is positioned as a valuable pedagogical enterprise in itself. Keywords: outdoor education; outdoor recreation; clothing; sustainability; eco-labels; practitioner inquiry
Beames, Simon; Mackenzie, Susan Houge & Raymond, Eliza (2022). How can we adventure sustainably? A systematized review of sustainability guidance for adventure tourism operators. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. ISSN 1447-6770. 50, p. 223–231. doi: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.01.002. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Adventure tourism operators have historically drawn upon a range of broad, multi-purpose sustainability frameworks to provide experiences that are more ecologically and socially just. However, these efforts have been hindered by the need to interpret and translate large volumes of diverse sustainability guidance, which is often unclear or prohibitively complex in terms of how it can be applied to specific adventure operations. This paper aims to address this issue by (1) identifying the primary types of sustainability guidance available for adventure operators; (2) critiquing the benefits and limitations of each form of guidance; and (3) making recommendations for research and practice. The inquiry employed a systematized review methodology, informed by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, to interrogate the various forms of sustainability guidance available to adventure tour operators. The analysis revealed three broad categories of guidance: Paid Memberships and Certifications, Guidelines and Frameworks, and Pledges and Declarations. The findings demonstrate how each of these categories brings distinct benefits and limitations to operators, depending on their size and scope of provision. Implications for practice are offered, in terms of how existing frameworks might be adopted and/or alternative approaches to integrating and monitoring sustainability initiatives developed. Suggestions for further research include examining adventure travellers' and operators' perceptions of the three different categories of guidance found in the current study, and the ways in which operators engage with this guidance.
Bortolotti, Alessandro & Beames, Simon (2021). ‘On Monday afternoons we go to discover the World!’: Understanding a traditional Italian primary schools's adaption to a student-driven approach to learning. European Journal of Education Studies. 8(1). doi: 10.46827/ejes.v8i1.3502. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Across the globe, increasing attention is being paid to curricular learning outside the classroom. While there is no Italian national outdoor learning policy, there is a growing wave of lecturers, teachers, schools, environmental education centres, who are developing this field. This paper examines one rural primary school’s attempts to incorporate learning outside the classroom into their rather conventional teaching practices. Michael Fullan’s seven premises of ‘change knowledge’ are employed to lend a deeper interrogation of the findings. Since the boundaries of inquiry were so clear, in terms of context, space-time, and people, a case study design was used. Data generation featured two principal methods and took place over a six-year period. First, there were open-ended interviews with each of the two principal educators; two focus group interviews with the entire staff team; and large focus groups with senior pupils. Field notes from participant observation and informal conversations were also used. The findings highlighted the importance of alliances between teachers, parents, and the wider community; the need for pupils to have the power to shape what is being learned; and the value of having pupil groups with different ages and abilities. The teachers stressed how crucial it was for pupils to learn how to critically refine the questions they were asking about their ‘places’. Further analysis of the data showed that Fullan’s premises of motivation and commitment, learning in context, capacity building, and persistence and flexibility were especially present.
Beames, Simon; Andkjær, Søren & Radmann, Aage (2021). Alone With Goffman: Impression Management and the TV Series. Frontiers in Communication. 6. doi: 10.3389/fcomm.2021.676555. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Alone is an American reality television series on the History Channel. The show features 10 contestants who are vying to outlast each other while living off the land. Notably, there is no camera crew, and the contestants must film themselves everyday; the production team creates a weekly program that marks the journey of each individual. This study sought to understand the degree to which participants are able to shape their public identities through the video footage they shot and that was subsequently edited in Alone’s cutting room. The research team employed an explorative case study methodology, which allowed them to watch hours of publicly available official video clips from the History Channel’s Alone YouTube channel. The analysis was driven by theory (Goffman’s The Presentation of Self conceptual framework) and an inductive thematic analysis, which took place in a cyclical fashion through interpretation meetings at the end of each of the six series that were watched. The findings first showed that the contestants were performing to multiple audiences, such as their families, the public, the producers, and even God. Second, the boundary between the frontstage and the backstage was highly blurred. Third, the contestants were able to continue shaping and “repairing” their identities through their own social media outlets after the program. Finally, the theme of gendered approaches to living outdoors shone through in ways that were very complex, overlapping, and non-binary. There is an undeniably strong “impression management tension” between the selves that participants wanted to project and the narratives that were constructed by the Alone program’s producers.
North, Chris; Beames, Simon; Stanton, Toby & Chan, Bacon (2021). The Contribution Transport Time Makes to Outdoor Programs: A Third Place? Journal of Experiential Education (JEE). ISSN 1053-8259. doi: 10.1177/10538259211019087. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background: During transport to and from outdoor education field trips, students experience a period of togetherness and minimal imposed structure. Transport time also appears to align with Oldenburg’s third places, where people spend time together without a particular agenda. Purpose: To examine educators’ perspectives on the contribution that transport time makes to OE programs through an analysis featuring the characteristics of third places. Methodology/Approach: The perspectives of 16 outdoor educators (four each from New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, and Scotland) were gathered using a semi-structured interview protocol. Data were analyzed using a deductive process based on the third place characteristics; four unforeseen themes also emerged. Findings/Conclusions: Findings highlighted the centrality of conversation between students and between students and educators; the low profile of transport time; and a sense of excitement and fun. Students controlled the intensity of their “presence” through the use of devices (where allowed) and by selecting their sitting position in the vehicle. Implications: The findings show that transport time allowed students to have a broad variety of conversations that could be variously silly and fun, deep and introspective. Educators are encouraged to more carefully consider the contribution that transport time makes to their programs.
Beames, Simon; Mackie, Christopher & Scrutton, Roger (2020). Alumni perspectives on a boarding school outdoor education programme. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. ISSN 1472-9679. 20(2), p. 123–137. doi: 10.1080/14729679.2018.1557059. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Experiences of outdoor education are believed to have significant impacts on participants, but research on the lasting influences of extended programmes is limited. Gordonstoun School, an independent residential school founded by Kurt Hahn in 1934, provides a rich legacy of outdoor education against which to explore any enduring outcomes. Drawing on data from an online survey (n = 1174) and focus group interviews (n = 50) with alumni from Gordonstoun, this research characterises the defining features of their out-of-classroom learning and investigates the long-term influences of this ‘broader curriculum’. Out-of-classroom learning is seen to have had an overwhelmingly positive impact on former pupils, with expeditions cited as the most influential experience. The expectation that all students engage in a range of challenging situations and the importance of authentic opportunities for responsibility are identified as two particularly critical elements which have lasting influences on students. These findings have strong articulation with existing research and can be used to inform effective programme design.
Quay, John; Gray, Tonia; Thomas, Glyn; Allan-Craig, Sandy; Asfeldt, Morten & Andkjær, Søren [Show all 23 contributors for this article] (2020). What future/s for outdoor and environmental education in a world that has contended with COVID-19? Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education (JOEE). ISSN 2206-3110. doi: 10.1007/s42322-020-00059-2. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This is an unusual article in that it brings together the perspectives of many on this journal’s editorial board, around the issue of contending with COVID-19. Twenty statements showcase a range of thoughts and experiences, highlighting the differences and similarities in the way the pandemic is impacting on the educational practice of outdoor and environmental education. The future is not yet written, of course, so it is worth thinking about how the current moment may impact on the months and years to come. The aim of this article is to influence and support such thinking.
Arvidsen, Jan & Beames, Simon (2019). Young people's outdoor refuges: movements and (dis)entanglements. Children's Geographies. ISSN 1473-3285. 17(4), p. 401–412. doi: 10.1080/14733285.2018.1529860. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Young people's outdoor refuges have been identified as places that provide respite from everyday pressures. Inspired by four concepts of lines, knots, meshwork and wayfaring, as defined by Tim Ingold, this paper aims to contribute with a dynamic understanding of the practices of outdoor refuging in an increasingly demanding and structured everyday life. The paper reports on photo-elicited interviews with twenty-one young people from a countryside town in Denmark. The findings suggest that outdoor refuges simultaneously serve to disentangle young people from distressing knots in their everyday lives, while fostering positive emotional and sensory entanglements with the human and non-human environment. Further, the findings highlight the significance of mobile phones in the young people's refuging practices. The findings resonate with discourses on the changing conditions for young people's spatial autonomy, and raise questions about acknowledging, protecting and promoting their opportunities for outdoor refuging.
Nugent, Clare; MacQuarrie, Sarah & Beames, Simon (2019). ‘Mud in my ears and jam in my beard’: Challenging gendered ways of being in nature kindergarten practitioners. International Journal of Early Years Education. ISSN 0966-9760. 27(2), p. 143–152. doi: 10.1080/09669760.2018.1562884. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Nature kindergartens present opportunities to foster a love of natural environments through formative early childhood experiences. Three early childhood education settings – one in Denmark, one in Finland and one in Scotland – provided insight into nature kindergarten provision that has historically attracted a high proportion of male staff. At the three cases, this qualitative study recorded observation and interview data during 53 sessions across 16 months, with each setting being visited once in each season. Work by Foucault [1976. “Truth and Power.” In Essential Works of Foucault, edited by P. Rabinow, 111–133. New York: The New Press; Foucault. 1978. The History of Sexuality. Volume I. New York: Vintage] and Connell [2005. Masculinities. Cambridge: Policy Press] permit a deeper understanding of the ways in which different environments may afford specific kinds of social interaction that privilege certain ‘ways of being’. This paper provides a nuanced consideration of how masculinities and femininities, shaped through governing socio-cultural discourses, are evident in nature kindergarten practice. The findings feature descriptions of simple, quotidian practices that have local relevance to each setting and were recognised to support nature-based learning. Such practices are influenced by practitioner-held, gendered dispositions and orientations towards nature that collectively underpin career choice and sustain contributions to the early childhood education workforce. This research adds to the developing literature regarding nature kindergartens, nature-based learning and early-childhood education and offers suggested directions for future research.
Beames, Simon & Brown, Mike (2017). Disneyization and the Provision of Leisure Experiences. In Spracklen, Karl; Lashua, Brett D.; Sharpe, Erin & Swain, Spencer (Ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Leisure Theory. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9781137564788. p. 855–871. Full text in Research Archive
Brown, Mike & Beames, Simon (2017). Adventure education: Redux*. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. ISSN 1472-9679. 17(4), p. 294–306. doi: 10.1080/14729679.2016.1246257. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This article discusses the meanings of adventure and its role in learning. An analysis of literature from the fields of education, recreation and tourism suggests that definitions of adventure are constantly undergoing reinterpretation. We highlight how ‘narrow’ views of adventure, which appeal to notions of risk and danger, are paradoxically shaped by control and predictability. A focus on activities involving risk and danger limit the pedagogical potential of adventure. We argue that current forms of adventure education practice fail to meet the needs of learners who are confronting a world of change, unpredictability and complexity. To better understand the broader social and educational landscape, we briefly outline some features of late modernity that require learners to cope with uncertainty in their everyday lives. We suggest an alternative approach to adventurous learning that embraces features of late modernity and takes as its starting point the everyday life of the learner.
Asfeldt, Morten & Beames, Simon (2017). Trusting the Journey: Embracing the Unpredictable and Difficult to Measure Nature of Wilderness Educational Expeditions. Journal of Experiential Education (JEE). ISSN 1053-8259. 40(1), p. 72–86. doi: 10.1177/1053825916676101. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Outdoor adventure education (OAE) research has long aimed to explain and understand the inner workings of its programs. However, many questions remain, and the search for sharper methodological tools with which to deepen our understanding of OAE continues. This article is a collaborative autoethnographic investigation of the unpredictable and difficult to measure nature of wilderness educational expeditions (WEEs). It is a reflexive journey of storytelling and critical analysis that demonstrates the power of story-based research as method. The findings indicate that conventional approaches to WEE research are limited in their capacity to fully understand and explain the inner workings of WEEs. We argue that practitioners need to “trust the journey” to elicit learning that comes from responding to encounters with people and place. Furthermore, we suggest that quests for a sequenced “journey recipe” are unrealistic and do not honor the philosophical and pedagogical foundations of OAE. Finally, a case is made for alternative, rigorous research approaches to be embraced to gain richer and more nuanced understandings of the wonderfully diverse experiences that make up WEEs.
Beames, Simon; Christie, Beth & Blackwell, Ian (2017). Developing Whole School Approaches to Integrated Indoor / Outdoor Teaching. In Waite, Sue (Eds.), Children Learning Outside the Classroom : From Birth to Eleven. Sage Publications. ISSN 9781473912274. p. 82–93. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2017). Innovation and outdoor education. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education (JOEE). ISSN 2206-3110. 20, p. 2–6. doi: 10.1007/BF03400997. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Within our fast-paced, fluid society, it is arguable that outdoor education needs to be innovative to play a useful role in young people’s overall educational enterprise. A critical view, however, would suggest that we must beware of accepting technological innovation for its own sake. Innovations (or improvements) in education can take the form of ideas, methods, and products. This paper discusses how outdoor educators need to recognise how some innovations may add unwanted layers of clutter that reduce direct interaction with geophysical, ecological, and sociocultural elements of the landscape, whilst lessening the quality and quantity of interaction between humans — whether with classmates or community members. It may be possible to assess the degree to which an innovative piece of equipment or educational practice is “good” by considering its ability to elicit meaningful engagement between the learner and the ideas, physical objects, and other human beings encountered.
Krasny, Marianne E.; Beames, Simon & Allred, Shorna B. (2017). Community assets. In Russ, Alex & Krasny, Marianne E. (Ed.), Urban Environmental Education Review. Cornell University Press (CUP). ISSN 9781501705823. p. 86–93. Full text in Research Archive
Telford, John & Beames, Simon (2016). Bourdieu and alpine mountaineering: the distinction of high peaks, clean lines, and pure style. In Humberstone, Barbara; Prince, Heather & Henderson, Karla (Ed.), Routledge International Handbook of Outdoor Studies. Routledge. ISSN 9781138782884. p. 617–627. Full text in Research Archive
Telford, John; Beames, Simon & Christie, Beth (2016). „Outdoor Learning“ in Schottland. Ein Überblick. In Au, Jakob von & Gade, Uta (Ed.), »Raus aus dem Klassenzimmer«: Outdoor Education als Unterrichtskonzept. Beltz Juventa. ISSN 9783779933588. p. 42–49. Full text in Research Archive
Christie, Beth; Beames, Simon & Higgins, Peter (2016). Context, culture and critical thinking: Scottish secondary school teachers’ and pupils’ experiences of outdoor learning. British Educational Research Journal (BERJ). ISSN 0141-1926. 42(3), p. 417–437. doi: 10.1002/berj.3213. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Limited research exists that considers the usefulness of outdoor learning as a legitimate pedagogical approach for the delivery of a mainstream secondary school curriculum. To address this shortcoming, we investigated the ways in which mathematics and geography teachers and students from three secondary schools in Scotland responded to the Outdoor Journeys programme, which is a school-based teaching approach that enables pupils to learn about the people and place in which they live. Data collection included participant observation, short questionnaires and interviews with approximately 150 students (11–14 years old) and 10 teachers. In most cases, pupils enjoyed the opportunity to guide their own learning experientially and beyond the familiar classroom context. Teachers acknowledged that such an approach presented an opportunity to develop pupils’ critical thinking skills and that these skills can, in some cases, be overlooked in early secondary education. Following these findings, we discuss the pedagogical implications arising from the inclusion of critical thinking as a key outcome of outdoor learning, and as part of the Outdoor Journeys programme, within a secondary school context. We continue by adding our voice to the nascent literature addressing outdoor learning approaches that seek to gain traction within the broader social ecology of established school cultures.
Nugent, Clare & Beames, Simon (2015). Cultural Transmission at Nature Kindergartens: Foraging as a Key Ingredient. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education (CJEE). ISSN 1205-5352. 20, p. 78–91. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
While nature environments afford food for human consumption, there is a dearth of empirical inquiry that considers foraging as a sustainable, seasonal practice that builds human-nature relations. This gap in the literature is particularly apparent in early childhood education literature. Drawing on observations recorded at two forest-based nature kindergartens in Finland and Scotland, the data illustrate how outdoor learning sites are richly resourced places where foraging practices are mediated by socio-cultural norms. Bourdieu’s concept of habitus (1977) is used to consider the ways in which foraging practices, in contrasting early childhood education programs, are hallmarked by “conduit” adults. These adults play a constitutive role in maintaining uncontested, “common sense,” quotidian behaviors.
Scrutton, Roger & Beames, Simon (2015). Measuring the Unmeasurable: Upholding Rigor in Quantitative Studies of Personal and Social Development in Outdoor Adventure Education. Journal of Experiential Education (JEE). ISSN 1053-8259. 38(1), p. 8–25. doi: 10.1177/1053825913514730. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Outdoor adventure education (OAE) has a long history of being credited with the personal and social development (PSD) of its participants. PSD is notoriously difficult to measure quantitatively, yet stakeholders demand statistical evidence that given approaches to eliciting PSD are effective in their methods. Rightly or wrongly, many stakeholders want evidence in numbers and not anecdote. This article examines 22 recent studies and 6 meta-analyses in the peer-reviewed literature that have made use of quantitative methods to measure PSD in OAE. The investigation revealed three recurring problem areas that are effectively weakening the body of literature: the sample, the questionnaire and its use, and management of variables. Examples of good practice are reviewed and concrete suggestions made to uphold methodological rigor.
Stott, Tim; Allison, Pete; Felter, Johannes & Beames, Simon (2015). Personal development on youth expeditions: a literature review and thematic analysis. Leisure Studies. ISSN 0261-4367. 34(2), p. 197–229. doi: 10.1080/02614367.2013.841744. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Youth expeditions are associated with a range of benefits for participants. More young people are participating in overseas expeditions than ever before as vacation and gap year choices are diversified by a rising number of expedition providers. To date, there has been no systematic research effort to draw together and evaluate the evidence that underpins the benefits or, otherwise, for youths participating in overseas expeditions. This paper reviews empirical and philosophical literature which has been published in a range of journals and themes emerging are placed into a personal growth model. This review (or mapping exercise) focused on post-1990 literature and found 35 key publications which met the criteria: youth expedition; duration exceeding 14 days, self-propelled, and based overseas or out-of-state. The 35 publications (UK 26; USA 4; Australia 3; Japan 1; South Africa 1) were subjected to a thematic analysis using Greenaway’s ‘Four Arrows’ model of personal growth. Outcomes associated with overseas youth expedition participation included (1) upward personal growth (realising potential) including increased confidence; physical and social resilience; self-reliance and ability to overcome challenges, (2) outward personal growth (learning about & relating to others), (3) inward personal growth (learning about self) and (4) downward personal growth (learning about environment). The processes that were valued in overseas expeditions and which, with some caution, may be linked with some of the aforementioned outcomes include: genuine independence; group isolation and self-sufficiency; person-centred leadership; positive responses to stress and physically demanding activity. Suggestions for areas for further meaningful research are offered.
Beames, Simon & Brown, Mike (2014). Enough of Ronald and Mickey: focusing on learning in outdoor education. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. ISSN 1472-9679. 14(2), p. 118–131. doi: 10.1080/14729679.2013.841096. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Fifteen years ago Loynes expressed concern that market-place values were detrimentally impacting on the provision of outdoor education experiences. As tertiary educators with an interest in the impact of globalization on outdoor education, we have sought to extend Loynes’ use of McDonaldization by drawing on Bryman’s conceptual framework of Disneyization in order to more deeply understand patterns of contemporary consumption. We draw on field visits to investigate the degree to which these two concepts have permeated the provision of recreational providers that serve schools. We contend that there is evidence that Loynes’ concerns remain valid, but we suggest that more recent discourses around ‘place’ may offer viable and supportable alternatives to ‘consumption-oriented’ outdoor education practice.
Christie, Beth; Beames, Simon; Higgins, Peter; Nicol, Robbie & Ross, Hamish (2014). Outdoor Education Provision in Scottish Schools. Scottish Educational Review (SER). ISSN 0141-9072. 46(1), p. 48–64. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This paper examines the frequency and nature of outdoor learning provision in Scottish schools, with specific attention paid to teachers’ approaches to learning outdoors, and it considers what further support and professional development teachers need to progress their practice. This enquiry is timely as limited data has been gathered over the past ten years (see Higgins et al. 2006 and Mannion et al. 2007) and little is known about how the policy document Curriculum for Excellence through Outdoor Learning and associated Education Scotland support has influenced outdoor learning provision. Questionnaires were administered to primary and secondary schools (n=90 returns) across four local authority areas. The results indicate that secondary schools are keen to develop outdoor learning provision and they need support to do so. Also, there is an increased use of school grounds as a context for learning within the primary school sector. In light of these findings and recent developments within national education, recommendations are made for both in-service and pre-service teacher training.
Beames, Simon & Telford, John (2013). Pierre Bourdieu: Habitus, field, and capital in rock climbing. In Pike, Elizabeth & Beames, Simon (Ed.), Outdoor Adventure and Social Theory. Routledge. ISSN 9780415532679. p. 77–87. Full text in Research Archive
Cousquer, Glen Olivier & Beames, Simon (2013). Professionalism in mountain tourism and the claims to professional status of the International Mountain Leader. Journal of Sport Tourism. ISSN 1477-5085. 18(3), p. 185–215. doi: 10.1080/14775085.2014.904246. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Mountain Guides and International Mountain Leaders (IMLs) have achieved cross-border recognition of their professional awards. This allows them to work internationally and provides a rare example of an established, state-sanctioned and respected professional group operating within the tourism industry. As it grows, this industry is increasingly looking to elements of professionalism to provide education and training programmes with the status and credibility that can sustain both industry development and public confidence. The case for professionalism amongst IMLs is examined through an in-depth study of the French and British award schemes. Despite their very different origins, histories and cultures, both schemes train and assess candidates for the IML award and have been selected here because they are the largest and oldest of their kind. This comparative study's focus on the structural elements of these two schemes allows certain aspects of the IML's claim to professional status to be evaluated. First, a framework outlining the defining features of professionalism is explicated. This framework is then used as an analytical tool to evaluate the degree to which the French and British IML schemes can be considered professional. This study concludes that the international accreditation of standards within the field of Mountain Leading, together with the monopolisation of key practices and bodies of knowledge, have contributed to the professionalisation of this area of tourism. There remains much scope, however, for the profession to develop effective and meaningful deontological codes and disciplinary procedures that can further uphold professional standards.
Beames, Simon & Varley, Peter (2013). Eat, play, shop: The Disneyization of adventure. In Taylor, Steve; Varley, Peter & Johnston, Tony (Ed.), Adventure Tourism: Meaning, Experience and Learning. Routledge. ISSN 9780415524834. p. 77–84. Full text in Research Archive
Allison, Pete & Beames, Simon (2010). The changing geographies of overseas expeditions. International Journal of Wilderness. ISSN 1086-5519. 16(3), p. 35–42. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon & Ross, Hamish (2010). Journeys outside the classroom. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. ISSN 1472-9679. 10(2), p. 95–109. doi: 10.1080/14729679.2010.505708. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
There is growing support for education that is cross-curricular, locally-relevant and involves a high degree of student responsibility. This investigation examines the perspectives of students who have participated in an outdoor learning programme that is theoretically underpinned by the above themes. Outdoor Journeys involves learning about the socio-cultural and geo-physical story of students' local landscape. The programme is hallmarked by students planning and undertaking journeys in their neighbourboods. Students generate questions, do research in order to find answers, and then share their findings with their classmates. A case study employing focus group interviews was used to explore the views of 33 participants between the ages of 8–11 years, who came from three schools in the Edinburgh area. Findings indicate that Outdoor Journeys offered a means of learning across the curriculum in a manner that was inter-disciplinary, involved a high degree of student initiative, and was heavily rooted in local history and ecology. However, issues were raised that require further attention. There appeared to be insufficient emphasis on students sharing their findings with their classmates. There are also uncertainties about how the ‘place consciousness’ of the pedagogy relates to the dominant epistemology of the official curriculum areas that were explored.
Beames, Simon (2010). Interactionism and Expeditions. In Beames, Simon (Eds.), Understanding Educational Expeditions. Brill | Sense. ISSN 9789460911248. p. 25–32. Full text in Research Archive
Bell, Brent; Beames, Simon & Carlson, Will (2010). The Expedition and Rites of Passage. In Beames, Simon (Eds.), Understanding Educational Expeditions. Brill | Sense. ISSN 9789460911248. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon & Allison, Pete (2010). Current Issues on Educational Expeditions. In Beames, Simon (Eds.), Understanding Educational Expeditions. Brill | Sense. ISSN 9789460911248. p. 113–125. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon; Atencio, Matthew & Ross, Hamish (2009). Taking Excellence Outdoors. Scottish Educational Review (SER). ISSN 0141-9072. 41(2), p. 32–45. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Scotland’s new Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) appears to support learning outside the classroom but there remains no statutory requirement for Scottish pupils to learn outdoors during their school careers. Commentators have asserted the apparently strong resonance between CfE and outdoor learning but there has been little explanatory argument to support this. This paper argues that the variable provision of schoolorganised outdoor learning in Scotland is the result of, among other things, the perceived high cost and perceived lack of curricular relevance of such learning. We go on to show how the combination of CfE and a particular kind of outdoor learning pedagogy might tackle these problems. The pedagogy is cross-curricular and place-based; we illustrate it with a case study of a low cost programme that involves pupils planning and undertaking journeys from their school grounds as a means of learning about socio-cultural and geophysical elements of their local landscape. In considering curricular relevance, we show that a historical emphasis on disciplinary subject content is one significant barrier to such outdoor learning. Curriculum for Excellence challenges this emphasis and could legitimise the kinds of outdoor learning we describe.
Beames, Simon & Pike, Elizabeth (2008). Goffman goes rock climbing: Using creative fiction to explore the presentation of self in outdoor education. Australian Journal of Outdoor Education (AJOE). ISSN 1324-1486. 12(2), p. 3–11. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Outdoor education literature has a recent history of examining its practice through a variety of sociological, philosophical, psychological, and anthropological lenses. Following this trend, this paper explores the face-to-face social interaction of a fictional introductory rock-climbing course. The analysis of this creative fiction draws on Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical framework, as described in his book The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (1959). The discussion highlights how participants and instructors on a practical skill development weekend are involved in the complex endeavour of projecting and sustaining impressions for each other. Goffman’s concepts regarding the ways in which humans conceal and reveal information about themselves may offer outdoor education instructors and researchers a helpful perspective through which they can consider how individual participants’ actions are influenced by the perceived expectations of the different audiences they encounter.
Beames, Simon & Atencio, Matthew (2008). Building social capital through outdoor education. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. ISSN 1472-9679. 8(2), p. 99–112. doi: 10.1080/14729670802256868. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Over the last 15 years, the body of literature surrounding the subject of social capital has witnessed steady growth. While sociologists have extensively discussed how social capital can be created and sustained within local communities and national contexts, there is little evidence of the social capital discourse within the outdoor education sector. Hallmarked by trust, reciprocity and voluntary associations within social networks, social capital may offer outdoor educators a helpful framework from which to conceptualise the impacts of their practice. This paper outlines the principal themes of social capital and explores outdoor education's role in building social capital within the local communities where they often operate. The notion of bridging, as articulated within the social capital concept, offers a way of exploring the recursive relationship that exists between outdoor education programmes and host communities.
Pike, Elizabeth & Beames, Simon (2007). A Critical Interactionist Analysis of ‘Youth Development’ Expeditions. Leisure Studies. ISSN 0261-4367. 26(2), p. 147–159. doi: 10.1080/02614360600898102. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Raleigh International is a British youth development charity that offers structured overseas expeditions ‘to inspire young people…to discover their full potential’. The expeditions involve three different projects: adventurous activity, community service and environmental conservation. This paper examines the experiences of a group of venturers who participated in a 10‐week expedition to Ghana. Data were collected through a series of interviews and participant observation. The analysis of the participants’ motives for engaging in the projects is informed by the interactional principles of Erving Goffman. The study participants indicated that their involvement with the organisation was primarily a form of face‐work: to enhance their credibility as they anticipated entering the adult world of employment. In particular, they were concerned with building aspects of character that resonate with Goffman’s elements of courage, gameness, integrity and composure. Raleigh International as the organisational body is seen to display elements of a ‘total institution’, providing the rules and values that govern the social encounter, during the time of which actors live in relative isolation from broader society. This study identifies two areas of concern for these young venturers. First, there was a failure to recognise that their desire for ‘risk’ to develop character was limited by the boundaries placed around their activities by Raleigh International, reflecting a broader culture of caution. And, second, their sense of ‘service’ to a developing nation contained elements of stigmatisation of the people with whom they worked.
Beames, Simon & Brown, Andrew (2005). Outdoor education in Hong Kong: Past, present and future. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. ISSN 1472-9679. 5(1), p. 69–82. doi: 10.1080/14729670585200611. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This paper examines the development of outdoor education in Hong Kong from its colonial roots to the challenges of its uncertain future. The scene is set by a synopsis of Hong Kong's geography, history, economy, and culture. Next, we trace the history of organised outdoor education from the early 1900s to the present day. This is followed by a critical exploration of issues facing youth adventure education programmes and management development programmes. The paper closes with recommendations to return to “real” outdoor courses in natural environments, to raise the standards of training available to outdoor leaders, and finally, to create a governing body that would facilitate inter-organisational learning, raise standards of programme design and delivery, and help build a body of literature that is specific to experiential learning in Hong Kong.
Beames, Simon (2005). Expeditions and the social construction of the self. Australian Journal of Outdoor Education (AJOE). ISSN 1324-1486. 9(1), p. 14–22. doi: 10.1007/BF03400808. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This paper explores how 14 British youth were influenced by a 10-week expedition to Ghana with Raleigh International. It employs a theoretical framework based on the symbolic interactionist writing of Blumer (1969), Mead (1934), and Cooley (1962, 1964). The framework helps to understand how the meanings that participants held for different physical objects, people, and abstract concepts were constantly being modified through a process of interaction and interpretation. The findings of this case study show that participants developed a certain mental resilience, became more willing to undertake challenges, and gained a greater understanding of themselves. Interpersonally, young people developed an increased facility for working and living with people they did not know before. Finally, participants gained a greater appreciation of the modern conveniences they were accustomed to and learned about the economic and democratic differences between the UK and Ghana. Symbolic interactionism was a viable framework for this study, and would appear to be similarly useful for examining how participants in other kinds of outdoor education programmes may construct meaning and identity.
Beames, Simon (2004). Overseas youth expeditions with Raleigh International: A rite of passage? Australian Journal of Outdoor Education (AJOE). ISSN 1324-1486. 8(1), p. 29–36. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This paper examines to what degree a 10-week expedition to Ghana, West Africa may be considered a rite of passage for its British participants. A case study method was adopted to interview 14 British youths two months before leaving on expedition, three times on expedition, and six months post expedition. Thematic analysis was employed to identify positive and negative indicators of van Gennep’s (1960) three stage model of rites of passage: separation, transition, and incorporation. The findings indicated that while the structure of the expedition mimics rites of passage on a superficial level, there are some aspects central to rites of passage that are missing from the overseas expedition experience. Expedition providers may consider adopting van Gennep’s model as a way to ‘re-introduce’ young people back into their communities with added responsibilities.
Beames, Simon (2004). Critical elements of an expedition experience. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. ISSN 1472-9679. 4(2), p. 145–157. doi: 10.1080/14729670485200501. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Much of the research in outdoor education has focused on participant outcomes rather than the aspects of the experience that elicited those outcomes. This study explores the key elements of a 10-week expedition to Ghana with Raleigh International. Data collection involved five rounds of interviews with 14 British participants over a one-year period, using categorical aggregation to determine five principal themes critical to the experience. The findings highlight the importance of diverse groups living in isolated environments. Changing groups and moving to a new physical setting after four weeks and again at seven weeks was regarded as a challenging but necessary feature of the programme. Finally, there is little evidence linking specific programme activities with specific participant outcomes. It is more important that the experience should emphasise self-sufficient living conditions and physically demanding activities.
Beames, Simon (2003). Overseas Youth Expeditions. In Humberstone, Barbara; Brown, Heather & Richards, Kaye (Ed.), Whose Journeys: The Outdoors and Adventure as Social and Cultural Phenomena. Institute of outdoor learning. ISSN 9781898555070. p. 289–296. Full text in Research Archive

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Beames, Simon; Higgins, Peter; Nicol, Robbie & Smith, Heidi (2024). Outdoor Learning Across the Curriculum : Theory and Guidelines for Practice. Routledge. ISBN 9780367819330. 186 p. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon & Maher, Patrick T. (2024). Routledge Handbook of Mobile Technology, Social Media and the Outdoors. Routledge. ISBN 9781003367536. 488 p. doi: 10.4324/9781003367536. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon; Mackie, Christopher & Atencio, Matthew (2019). Adventure and Society. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9783319960616. 194 p. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon & Brown, Mike (2016). Adventurous Learning : A Pedagogy for a Changing World. Routledge. ISBN 9781138831667. 146 p. Full text in Research Archive
Pike, Elizabeth & Beames, Simon (2013). Outdoor Adventure and Social Theory. Routledge. ISBN 9780415532679. 184 p. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon; Higgins, Pete & Nicol, Robbie (2011). Learning Outside the Classroom : Theory and Guidelines for Practice. Routledge. ISBN 9780415893626. 144 p. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2010). Understanding Educational Expeditions. Brill | Sense. ISBN 9789460911248. 133 p. Full text in Research Archive

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Beames, Simon; Bentzen, Marte; Bratland-Sanda, Solfrid; Harper, Nevin & Richards, Kaye (2025). Nature-Based Programs and Youth Mental Health: What Do We Know and What Do We Need to Know? Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership. ISSN 2381-0696. 17(3), p. 1–9. doi: 10.18666/jorel-2025-12627. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This paper provides commentary on two societal concerns: increasing levels of youth mental health issues, and the lack of large-scaled, widely implemented methods to respond to this concern. The authors explicate the twin problems of worsening youth mental health and the lack of large scale research examining approaches to tackle the trend, and focus on the role of nature-based programs in addressing these phenomena. Suggestions are provided for research designs which may yield vital knowledge on suitable methodologies and appropriate theoretical frameworks which can be harnessed to improve youth mental health through access to activities in natural environments.
Beames, Simon (2025). Changes in nature tourism: Networked architectures and the celebrification of the self. In Henderson, Bob & Ydegaard, Torbjørn (Ed.), Ways to Go: Reconsidering Travel as told through Two Himalya Adventures—1971 & 2023. Your Nickel's Worth Publishing. ISSN 9781778690549. p. 161–167. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
In 2023, six adventurers travelled to Nepal to visit a remote Sherpa community that lies in the shadow of the sacred mountain Tseringma, “the Mother of Long Happy Life.” The story of their journey, however, actually begins more than a half-century earlier—with three Norwegians, a 1971 “antiexpedition,” and the development of ecophilosophy, a joy-filled approach to mountaineering, to travel, and to life in general, which not only remains surprisingly relevant today, but also offers a vision of a way forward as we face an increasingly uncertain global future.
Maher, Patrick T. & Beames, Simon (2024). Introduction : Where Did We Start, and Where Will This Book Take Us? In Beames, Simon & Maher, Patrick T. (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of Mobile Technology, Social Media and the Outdoors. Routledge. ISSN 9781003367536. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Whether one uses terms such as ‘the digital shift’ or moving to ‘the postdigital’ to explain the digitization that imbues virtually all facets of human life, particularly in the global North, or one draws on concepts such as assemblage theory, socio-materialism, or the socio-technical to explain these changes, the way humans teach, guide, re-create, experience, and share experiences of, the outdoors has changed and continues to morph steadily. This chapter outlines the process of development for this entire Handbook on Mobile Technology, Social Media and the Outdoors, and provides an overview of the 38 chapters included under the sections of outdoor education, outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism, and overlappers and outliers. To conclude, the chapter offers five prompts for considering the volume’s rich variety and stimulating material.
Beames, Simon & Adams, Mary Louise (2024). Equity, social media and the outdoors. In Beames, Simon & Maher, Patrick T. (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of Mobile Technology, Social Media and the Outdoors. Routledge. ISSN 9781003367536. p. 333–344. doi: 10.4324/9781003367536-33. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon; Nilsson, Elisabeth Kjeldahl; Abelsen, Kristian; Enoksen, Elisabeth; Eriksen, Jørgen Weidemann & Høyem, Jannicke [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2024). Make it tangible. Horizons. ISSN 1487-7090. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon & Maher, Patrick T. (2024). Mobile technology, social media, and the outdoors: Stepping into the future with excitement and apprehension. In Beames, Simon & Maher, Patrick T. (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of Mobile Technology, Social Media and the Outdoors. Routledge. ISSN 9781003367536. p. 440–446. doi: 10.4324/9781003367536. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
This final chapter firmly turns our research and practice gazes toward the future. It begins by introducing Varoufakis’ idea of ‘cloud rent’, which many of us pay to a small number of increasingly powerful landlords who own the networks and whose staff create the algorithms that shape thoughts and actions. The overlapping worlds of outdoor education, outdoor recreation and nature-based/adventure tourism are manifest in the apps and platforms with which individual actors have monthly subscriptions and most often access on their mobile devices. Augmented and virtual realities and the extraordinary power of artificial intelligence tools, and the ways they are increasingly becoming intertwined with everyday outdoor practices, are also discussed. As with so many technological advances, much of their ‘goodness’ or ‘badness’ stems from how they are used by humans and with what degree of intentionality. In the years to come, how will mobile technology and social media shape how we interact with each other, natural landscapes, and the more-than-human?
Reed, Jack & Beames, Simon (2024). Mobile technology and social media in the assemblage of outdoor pursuits. In Beames, Simon & Maher, Patrick T. (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of Mobile Technology, Social Media and the Outdoors. Routledge. ISSN 9781003367536. p. 13–22. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
From social media architectures and gaming platforms to cryptocurrencies and virtual realities, our day-to-day human experiences are increasingly underpinned and shaped by our relationships with technology. The worlds of outdoor education, recreation, and tourism are no different, as they exist within an evolving technological ecosystem that is shaped by society more broadly and shapes the actions of individual agents, more specifically. This chapter explores these complexities through the lens of assemblage theory, which posits that reality is structured and restructured through the coming together, collapsing, and re-coming together of an eclectic mix of objects, elements, events, and actions. Drawing heavily on DeLanda, the authors offer a framework that features five key elements that are constantly interacting with each other in fluid, interdependent ways: other human beings (who might be digitally engaged), the land and the more-than-human, inanimate physical objects, larger social structures, and networked architectures. This last element of networked architectures is of particular interest, as unlike the first four elements, it may be much less obvious to a person if, when, and how they are interacting with them – not least due to the power of the algorithms that shape our tastes and then cater to them.
Høyem, Jannicke; Beames, Simon & Rosenberg, Axel (2022). Jakten på den perfekte jakka. [Journal]. Fri Flyt. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon & Eriksen, Jørgen Weidemann (2022). Menn i lycra sier ikke hei : Det er slett ikke alle nordmenn som hilser på tur. Full text in Research Archive
Høyem, Jannicke; Beames, Simon; Eriksen, Jørgen Weidemann; Rosenberg, Axel; Vold, Thomas & Kraalingen, Imre van [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). Skall - skal ikke? Full text in Research Archive
Østerlie, Ove & Beames, Simon (2022). [Podcast, krø.no] Outdoor Journeys. [Internet]. www.krø.no. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon; Humberstone, Barbara & Allin, Linda (2021). Adventure revisited: critically examining the concept of adventure and its relations with contemporary outdoor education and learning. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. ISSN 1472-9679. 17(4), p. 275–279. doi: 10.1080/14729679.2017.1370278. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2020). Educating Generation Z. Idrott & hälsa. ISSN 1653-1124. p. 16–19. Full text in Research Archive
Quay, John; Gray, Tonia; Thomas, Glyn; Allen-Craig, Sandy; Asfeldt, Morten & Andkjaer, Soren [Show all 23 contributors for this article] (2020). Correction to: What future/s for outdoor and environmental education in a world that has contended with COVID-19? (Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, (2020), 23, 2, (93-117), 10.1007/s42322-020-00059-2). Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education (JOEE). ISSN 2206-3110. 23(2), p. 119–120. doi: 10.1007/s42322-020-00062-7. Full text in Research Archive
Høyem, Jannicke; Beames, Simon & Augestad, Trond (2020). The Norwegian 'Kantgrop' snow shelter. The Professional Mountaineer. 32, p. 16–17. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2018). The Palgrave International Handbook of Women and Outdoor Learning Edited by T. Gray and D. Mitten. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018. pp.911. Gender, Work & Organization. ISSN 0968-6673. 26(7), p. 1059–1061. doi: 10.1111/gwao.12326. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2015). Place-Based Education: A Reconnaissance of the Literature. Pathways The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 24 (4). ISSN 0840-8114. 28(1), p. 27–30. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2014). Character, calmness and carrying on. Horizons. ISSN 1487-7090. 68, p. 26–27. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2013). Risk and adventure in early years outdoor play (by Sara Knight). Educational review (Birmingham). ISSN 0013-1911. 65(4), p. 502–503. doi: 10.1080/00131911.2012.661661. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2012). Climbing with Groups: How did it come to this? Horizons. ISSN 1487-7090. 57, p. 20–23. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2012). The Conscious Use (or Avoidance) of Metaphor in Outdoor Adventure Education. Pathways The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 24 (4). ISSN 0840-8114. 24(4), p. 24–27. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2010). Journeys in the school grounds and local neighbourhood. Environmental Education. ISSN 0309-8451. 94(Summer), p. 6–7. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2010). Outdoor Journeys. Pathways The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 24 (4). ISSN 0840-8114. 22(Autumn), p. 4–5. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2009). Other ways of learning, Peter Becker & Jochem Schirp (Eds), 2008. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. ISSN 1472-9679. 9(1), p. 94–96. doi: 10.1080/14729670903136209. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon & Stonehouse, Paul (2007). Individual Liberty and Social Order on Expeditions. Horizons. ISSN 1487-7090. 40(Winter), p. 22–24. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2007). The buffet table. Horizons. ISSN 1487-7090. 36, p. 40–40. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon (2006). Losing my religion: The struggle to find applicable theory. Pathways The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 24 (4). ISSN 0840-8114. 19(1), p. 4–11. Full text in Research Archive
Beames, Simon; Hoff, Mary; Holcombe, Jenifer; Koester, Phil; Carlson, Sarala & Briggs, Tina (2000). A School-Wide Approach to Reflection. Horizons. ISSN 1487-7090. 7/8, p. 38–40. Full text in Research Archive

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Published Oct. 17, 2023 1:13 PM - Last modified May 22, 2025 7:47 AM