As climate-related disasters dominate headlines, let’s see how our school systems are responding.
Children in San Francisco sit in hot classrooms, learning Pythagoras’ theory while the sky glows red from forest fires. Children in Kenya study European trees in British textbooks while a local forest waits to be explored at the edge of their schoolyard. Schools in London have no playgrounds, so children stay inside at breaktime.
Is it any surprise that the connection our children feel with nature is weaker than ever? And as adults, while it makes sense that we are a species like any other, we act like we are separate from nature – above it, rather than part of it.
This is a problem because we treat nature as something we use: a resource for food, fuel, building materials, or somewhere to visit on holiday. We don’t see our interconnectedness. The Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services says that this human-nature disconnect is one of the root causes of the climate crisis.
When we picture an idyllic childhood, or think back to our own, we’re usually outside: For me, it was wandering in woodland, poking about in rockpools, and rolling down daisy-strewn hills. Evidence agrees that learning in nature is effective and boosts well-being. Nature-Based Education (NBE) gives us healthier, happier, smarter kids who are more likely to care for the planet.
We are in an age of multiple interconnected crises – a learning crisis, a youth mental health crisis, climate, biodiversity, and obesity, to repeat the list. We are in crisis mode and struggling for solutions. Nature-Based Education is part of the solution to all these social challenges and offers simple, achievable, affordable steps to address them. So if restoring our connection to nature is that important, where is the urgency? Why isn’t it happening already?
Like diet and exercise, most of us know getting outside into nature is good for us. But knowledge alone isn’t enough. This is where behavior change theory can help.
For behavior to change, three things must be present: Capability, Motivation, and Opportunity.
- Capability: Are they able to do it? Do they have the skills and knowledge?
- Motivation: Do they want to do it? Do their mindsets and attitudes support it?
- Opportunity: Can they do it? Do they have the right environment, resources, and support?
Behavior change science grew up in public health, had a fling with economics, and rebranded as behavioral insights, but the principles remain the same. It’s time to apply this powerful framework to education, especially to NBE.
An example from health can explain the theory. Take swimming… If I’m physically fit and have previously learnt to swim, then I can tick off capability. If I like swimming and have no unhelpful mental models about cold water or how I look in a swimsuit, then it’s a tick for motivation. Then, is there somewhere I can swim nearby? Is it open? Can I afford it? If all these criteria are there, then opportunity gets a tick.
We often focus too much on capability and motivation, overlooking opportunity. No amount of ability or desire for a dip gets you swimming without an accessible body of water. And opportunity is often a matter of policy. But policymakers are humans too, and their behavior can also be shifted.
So how do we get more NBE into schools, communities, families, and workplaces? Here are some target behaviors we could think about:
- Teachers take a class outside once a week.
- Parents use PTA meetings to demand outdoor learning.
- Local policymakers introduce guidelines for schools.
- Ministers draft an action plan making NBE a legal requirement.