Diversity in Outdoor Education: Discrepancies in SEL Across a School Overnight Program

Background: Outdoor education plays a significant role in social emotional development; however, research on the benefits of outdoor education has focused on white student populations. Purpose: This pilot-study examines social emotional learning (SEL) growth, measured by instructor ratings, across a multicultural group of students who participated in an immersive outdoor education program. Methodology/Approach: 69 fifth-grade students from a public (n = 50) and private school (n = 21) located in western Washington state were included in the study. Instructors’ ratings were examined. Findings/Conclusions: Results indicated across all participants in the subsample, instructors’ ratings of students’ SEL skills significantly increased over the course of the program. Specifically, instructors perceived white students to improve more during the program than students of color. Implications: There will be more possibilities for outdoor immersive education experiences if there is increased focus on creating equitable experiences for students.