Young students’ aesthetic experiences and meaning-making processes in an outdoor environmental school practice

ABSTRACT

This study uses John Dewey’s theoretical concept of ‘aesthetic experience’ in empirically exploring expressions of cognition and emotion in students’ meaning-making processes. A case study was conducted in one class of Grade 6 students during a single school semester. This article reports results from five outdoor days. The empirical material consists of observations, field notes, logbook entries, interviews and students’ written reflections. The students’ meaning-making processes were analyzed through the Deweyan theory of an initial phase involving anticipation, an activity phase with courses of actions and a concluding phase with reflections that serve as fulfillments. Expressions of aesthetic experience were identified in four important components of the students’ meaning-making processes: prior personal experiences; responses to environments and artifacts; social interaction; and situations allowing for responsibility, trust and independence. A more in-depth process-oriented analysis revealed that aesthetic experiences are vital in continuous meaning-making processes.

KEYWORDS:

• Aesthetic experience
• meaning-making
• outdoor and environmental education
• emotions

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the teachers and students who participated in this case study, without whom this work would not have been possible.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Annika Manni

Annika Manni, a senior lecturer with a PhD in Educational Work, has a research focus on children’s learning in environmental and sustainability issues. In addition to teaching in teacher education, she has experience of outdoor teaching in compulsory school.

Christina Ottander

Christina Ottander, an associate professor with a PhD in Biology, has research interests in the teaching and learning of socio-scientific issues. In a recent project, she researched science issues in early childhood education. She is the Chair of the Umeå Science Education Research (UmSER) environment in her department.

Karin Sporre

Karin Sporre, a professor with a PhD in ethics, has recently published on education and human dignity, gender, human rights and sustainable development. Presently she researches ethics in compulsory school. She leads the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) environment in her department.