Abstract
Over the last decade, Forest School (FS) has become a more common part of the educational landscape both in Ireland and in the UK. This paper aims to provide a timely review of research related to FS and begins by situating FS in the broader context of nature-based education and play, before outlining the defining principles and features of FS. The authors then examine the research base for the purported benefits of FS, consider weaknesses of the evidence base and discuss other criticisms that have been levelled at FS. While the prima facie research provides support for the benefits of forest schooling, the conclusions that can be drawn from the research may be limited due to the identified weaknesses of some of the research to date and a somewhat under-developed theoretical framework. The authors conclude that additional studies of high quality are required in order to understand the place of FS in the spectrum of pedagogical frameworks, and the potential of FS in the context of the current discourse on wellbeing in education. A number of the big questions that remain in terms of FS as a useful and evidencebased approach in education are discussed.
Original language | Undefined/Unknown |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-14 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | An Leanbh Og--Irish Journal of Early Childhood Studies |
Volume | 15 |
Publication status | Published - 2022 |
Keywords
- Forest School
- education
- play
- nature