- Imre van Kraalingen is a research fellow at the Institute for Teacher Studies and Outdoor Life.
- On October 24, she will defend her thesis Presence and (dis)connection:
Teaching and Learning with Mobile Technology in Tertiary Outdoor Studies Programs
About the study
This research aims to provide deeper insights into how mobile technologies influence outdoor teaching and learning experiences. It explores the perspectives of both educators and students on the use of mobile devices in outdoor studies.
Conducted across three higher education institutions in Norway, the study involved 12 educators and 27 students from tertiary outdoor education programs. Using a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews, the research sought to uncover the benefits and challenges of integrating mobile technology into outdoor learning environments.
The findings of the study suggest that mobile technologies offer new opportunities for outdoor teaching by providing access to tools for information, planning, navigation, communication, and documentation.
However, they also present challenges, particularly by reducing students’ sensory engagement with the natural environment and their attention to social interactions in the outdoor classroom.
The research highlights that the ability of mobile devices to connect students to online networks and enable them to communicate with non-present others can disrupt interactions in outdoor classroom as well as the continuity of outdoor learning experiences.
To address these issues, the findings of this research highlight a balanced and intentional approach to the use of mobile technologies in outdoor education.
This involves critically considering when and how to use such devices to enhance outdoor learning while minimizing their potential to detract from outdoor learning experiences.
The findings underscore the importance of preserving direct, unmediated interactions with nature as a distinctive feature of outdoor studies.
In conclusion, this research provides both conceptual and practical insights into how mobile technologies can be effectively integrated into outdoor teaching and learning. It calls for a thoughtful balance between embracing the benefits of mobile devices and maintaining the core values of outdoor education in a post-digital era.
Results
- Smartphones are the primary type of mobile technology used in outdoor teaching and learning.
- Smartphones offer a wide range of features and applications which can be employed as valuable tools for outdoor teaching and learning: to access information and planning tools, safety and navigation, documentation and sharing, and personal communication.
- The main challenge identified in the research is constant connection to online networks afforded by smartphones which enables students to use these devices for personal purposes.
- This, in turn, can interrupt the continuity of outdoor learning experiences by decreasing students’ sensory perception of their natural environment and reducing their attention to their social environment in the outdoor classroom.
- It is crucial to find a balance between exploration and caution to harness the potential of smartphones in the field, while also mitigating the challenges associated with them.
Committee
Leader: Professor Chris Horbel, IIS/NIH
Supervisors
Main supervisor: Professor Simon Beams, ILF/NIH
Co-supervisor: Associate professor, Jørgen Weidemann Eriksen, ILF/NIH
Program
- 10.15-11:00:
Trial lecture on a given topic: Outdoor Education 2034: Exploring a speculative future and the role of presence, mediating technologies and pedagogical orientations
- 13.00-16:00 Public defense of the thesis: Presence and (dis)connection:
Teaching and Learning with Mobile Technology in Tertiary Outdoor Studies Programs
Practical info
The public defence is open to the public and will be streamed on the NIH's YouTube channel.