For Girls, Learning Science Outside Linked to Better Outcomes
Researchers found that an outdoor science program was linked to higher average science grades and an increase in a measure of science knowledge
April 8, 2021
In a new study, North Carolina State University (NC State) researchers found that an outdoor science program was linked to higher average science grades and an increase in a measure of science knowledge for a group of fifth grade girls in North Carolina.
International Journal of Science Education, indicate outdoor education could be a promising tool to help close gender gaps in science. The outdoors is a space where teachers can find tangible ways to make science come alive, said the study s lead author Kathryn Stevenson, assistant professor of parks, recreation and tourism management at NC State. The natural environment is also a place that everybody has in common. In a way, it s also a great context for employing reform-based teaching practices like hands-on