Here, I will start recording my developing research writings. These are part retrospective and part looking to the future.
After a life time in outdoor learning, I am eager to pass on some of my insights, and just as interested in developing my ideas and thoughts. I have been greatly influenced by colleagues here in the UK and with my involvement in the institute for Outdoor Learning, and by the many academics and practitioners I have met through the European Outdoor Education Network.
Almost twenty years ago, I was fortunate to gain a Winston Churchill Fellowship and to travel to Australia, exploring connections with nature. I have also travelled on a number of occasions in Canada, my mother’s birthplace, and taken the opportunity to explore informal learning opportunities. Recently, I have had the privilege of exploring ideas when vacationing in South India.
My current interests are concerned with:
- how does being an ‘outdoor’ person affect the ways in which we adapt to being older and possibly less physically mobile?
- what role do photography and other aesthetic approaches affect our connections with the outdoors and the non-human?
- are there any lessons to be learnt for the outdoor learning curriculum?
A term I am frequently coming across is ‘healthy ageing’.