Outdoor Environmental Educators’ Views on Learning in Light of Integral Theory

Background: Outdoor environmental education (OEE) is an effective learning approach that helps prepare students to address the complex problems currently facing our world. Integral theory (IT) is a comprehensive framework that acknowledges the interconnectedness between self, society, and the environment. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the presence of four categories derived of IT – subjective, objective, intersubjective, interobjective – within OEE and to investigate the extent to which outdoor environmental educators consider learning experiences as a contribution to integral development. Methodology: Using discourse analysis, we analyzed 23 interviews from twelve outdoor environmental educators. We employed a deductive approach as we looked for evidence of IT categories and then adopted an inductive approach while analyzing participants’ discourse for general patterns related to IT and integral human development. Findings: The four categories of IT are illustrated within OEE experiences to varying degrees of representation. Outdoor environmental educators consider learning experiences as a contribution to integral development, regularly employing systems thinking, and mindfulness, among others. Implications: The findings from our study indicate a connection between OEE, teacher sensemaking, and integral education. Furthermore, OEE can be a way to facilitate integral human development, contributing to future understandings within education fields.