Offered Alternative - Poster Presentation International Positive Psychology Association 8th IPPA World Congress 2023

Teacher perspectives on acceptability and feasibility of the Open Sky School outdoor education program to foster wellbeing in elementary school children: Survey results from a pilot study. (#812)

Catherine Malboeuf-Hurtubise 1 , Marie-Claude Geoffroy 2 , Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet 3 , Terra Léger-Goodes 4 , Pier-Olivier Paradis 5
  1. Bishop's University, Sherbrooke, QUEBEC, Canada
  2. School Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  3. Education, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
  4. Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
  5. Psychology, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected children’s psychological health1. This has encouraged researchers to develop programs focused on wellbeing promotion to be implemented in schools, since they can prevent disorders from arising2. One promising avenue is outdoor education, which can improve wellbeing and mental health in children3,4.

This study documented the acceptability and feasibility of the Open Sky School outdoor education program, developed to foster wellbeing in elementary school children. Teacher perspectives on ease of implementation and student receptivity were analyzed.

19 elementary school teachers were recruited to test out various components of Open Sky School with their students and provide feedback on ease of implementation, clarity of instructions and overall appreciation. Art-therapy, mindfulness and philosophy for children modules, each comprised of 5 different activities lasting approximately 2 hours, were developed to foster greater wellbeing in children. Feedback from teachers was collected through a survey of close and open-ended questions.

Based on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very much agree; 5 = very much disagree), teachers reported that activities had clear instructions (M=1.52), were easy to prepare (M=1.57) and implement (M=1.51), that they wanted to continue using them in the future (M=1.58) and that they would recommend them to their colleagues (M=1.56). Students were engaged in the activities (M=1.84) and appreciated them (M=1.67). Art-therapy activities that were based on music, fine arts and mandala creation were strongly appreciated, whereas activities based on poetry were more difficult for children to understand. Tachers reported more challenges in feeling competent to lead meditations and to manage their students’ behavior and attention in outdoor settings in mindfulness activities. Philosophy for children activities provided teachers enjoyed with an occasion to discuss existential questions pertaining to nature with their students. 

This pilot study show that Open Sky School, aimed at fostering greater wellbeing in children, was well received by both teachers and students alike, was relatively easy to implement and highly feasible in school contexts.

  1. Bussières, E. L., Malboeuf-Hurtubise, C., Meilleur, A., Mastine, T., Hérault, E., Chadi, N., ... & Team, P. C. (2021). Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children's Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in psychiatry, 12.
  2. Waddell, C., Shepherd, C. A., Chen, A., & Boyle, M. H. (2013). Creating comprehensive children's mental health indicators for British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 32(1), 9-27.
  3. Bratman GN, Anderson CB, Berman MG, et al. Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. Science Advances. 2019;5(7):eaax0903.
  4. Jackson SB, Stevenson KT, Larson LR, Peterson MN, Seekamp E. Outdoor Activity Participation Improves Adolescents’ Mental Health and Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Env Res Pub He. 2021;18(5):2506.
  • Please select up to 3 keywords from the following list to best describe your submission content: Education, Environment and Nature, Psychotherapy