Physical Education & Environmental Education: The Influence of an Outdoor Activities Program on Environmental Responsibility

Abstract

The present study examined the role of physical activities in environmental responsibility and the link between Physical Education and Environmental Education. More specifically, the study investigated the influence of participation in outdoor recreation activities on adolescent’s perceived information and predisposition to environmental action. Participants were 130 adolescents (71 girls and 59 boys). From the participants 70 children were in experimental group and 60 children in control one. Children participated for five days in an outdoor activities program, which did not include an environmental education program. Participants completed perceived information scale and predisposition scale developed by Zafeiroudi and Hatzigeorgiadis (2013). Measurements took place before and after the intervention program.Analyses of variance with repeated measures showed that children who participated in the intervention program improveperceived information and predisposition for environmental actionsscores. Overall, participate in outdoor activities without environmental education improved environmental perceived information and predisposition for environmental action in children aged 13-17 years. Outdoor activities could be part of school curriculum, enhancing the concept of exercise and the value of Physical Education module, through participation in motor activities in natural environment. Finally, this study proposed that Physical Education can be part of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary model for integrating Environmental Education into school curriculum.