Intergrating child-led and adult-led activities in the outdoor environment: a practitioner research study

This thesis aims to explore the potential of the integration of child-led and adult-led activities in outdoor environments for supporting children’s learning in the early years. It calls on contemporary interpretations of sociocultural theories, focussing particularly on pedagogical relationships between adults and children. It investigates the content and characteristics of the child/adult interactions in three different age-groups, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, and 4-year-olds.

This is an interpretive research study carried out by a practitioner researcher drawing on qualitative ethnographic methods. The data were collected using video recordings, and semi-structured interviews with teachers and parents. It is a case study of provision and practice in a single nursery school carried out by the teacher as researcher.

This research explores the model of integrated pedagogical approaches (Wood,
2010) and shows how effectively it can work in practice to extend children’s learning in outdoor environments. The model is developed to indicate the dynamic flow of curriculum planning. Knowledge about children’s experiences and their learning is conceptualised and categorised, from the children’s interests, funds of knowledge, funds of identity and working theories, and from Early Years Foundation Stage goals. The research shows how the interests of the children were extended and developed into deep learning experiences through integrated pedagogical approaches. It is argued that building a curriculum through children’s interests can be achieved through the integration of child-led and adult-led activities and can lead to high levels of motivation and enjoyment in learning across each age group. The research highlights the importance of play, social relationships, and the mediation of learning, with examples of sustained shared thinking. The pedagogical relationships between adults and children also show high levels of intuition, empathy, respect and understanding. These attitudes help the children to develop trust and openness which, in turn, enrich learning through social encounters in the outdoor environment.