The place and approach of outdoor learning within a holistic curricular agenda: development of Singaporean outdoor education practice

Abstract

This paper details the potential contribution of outdoor education (OE) in Singaporean education given the recent raft of national curricular reforms aimed at fostering holistic and exploratory learning opportunities. In this context, we contend that increasing recognition of the value of OE, both internationally and locally, heralds specific challenges within unique Singaporean educational conditions that must be taken into account for this subject area to flourish. In particular, we seek to distil the ways in which local community, cultural and school conditions signal the need for a more place-based and contextualised version of OE. Our analysis further addresses the need for adequate professional development frameworks to be installed in order to enhance existing local teachers’ capacities to substantially educate pupils through the outdoors, within a Southeast Asian urban context.

Keywords:

• outdoor education
• holistic learning
• curriculum change
• place-based learning
• Singapore education

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Editor and anonymous reviewers for their support in developing this paper. This paper refers to data from the research project ‘Development of an Outdoor Education Curriculum in Singapore through a “Deliberative” Perspective—Inclusion of the Commonplace of the Teacher’ (OER 43/12 MT). The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of National Institute of Education.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by ‘the Education Research Funding programme, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore’ [grant number OER 43/12 MT].

Notes on contributors

Matthew Atencio

Matthew Atencio is an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology within the College of Education and Allied Sciences at California State University East Bay, Hayward, USA.

Yuen Sze Michelle Tan

Yuen Sze Michelle Tan is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy at the University of British Columbia. Her research interests focus upon curriculum reforms and teacher development in outdoor education, physical education and science education.

Susanna Ho

Susanna Ho is a Senior Specialist in the Physical and Sports Education Branch (Outdoor Education), at the Singapore Ministry of Education.

Chew Ting Ching

Chew Ting Ching is a Physical and Sports Education Officer (Outdoor Education) at the Singapore Ministry of Education.