Making Education Loud, Exciting, Exhausting, Dirty — and Transformative

Covered in mud, we return to the sterile walls of the school. Nearby, students and teachers stop and stare at us. We say nothing. We keep moving, exhausted from our time spent in the wilderness, observing, interacting, developing skills to survive, absorbing information and processing the incredible time we had spent as a group.

What we experienced together as a class is a far cry from what most students find in a traditional educational setting. In that scenario, a teacher lectures from a lesson plan they wrote a decade ago or downloaded online. Students stare out the window, whisper to each another about things unrelated to subject matter, or they concentrate on their rectangular cell phones. Somebody might look up and ask whether what the teacher is saying will be on the test. Curriculum standards have changed little, nor has the teacher’s approach. 

Taking a Critical Look at Traditional Education

Education in many schools can be so mundane to the point of stifling inspiration and creativity. It happened to me and it created obstacles to my learning and personal development. It even led to some unfortunate behavioral incidents I’d rather not discuss.

Didactic learning, more commonly known as the teacher-centered approach, is the norm in this country’s K-12 education system. It’s easy to facilitate, fits neatly into a 45-minute class session, is safe, and it doesn’t ruffle any feathers. It’s also boring. It lacks creativity and passion. It’s not even effective at achieving the goals it seeks to accomplish. You know, things like imparting knowledge; helping students develop their communication, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills; fostering personal development and civic responsibility; inspiring creativity and innovation; and preparing students to enter the workforce.

If students aren’t engaged, what’s being taught will make little to no impression on their minds. And it leaves the impression  that education is boring and useless.

The Power of Outdoor Experiential Learning

Outdoor education is more than just an escape from traditional classrooms; it is an engaging and transformative way to teach problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership. At NCOAE, our custom programs integrate adventure-based experiences with curriculum-aligned learning.

Key Benefits of Outdoor Learning:

• Hands-on Learning – Students learn by doing, applying real-world skills in an outdoor setting.
• Personal Growth – Navigating the wilderness fosters confidence and independence.
• Environmental Awareness – Understanding nature helps instill a sense of responsibility for sustainability and conservation.

One of my first experiences with experiential education was with Mr. Buechler, an English literature teacher who demonstrated the transformative power of deep learning. He taught unlike other teachers I’d ever had. When we were reading Fahrenheit 451 — a dystopian novel about a future society in which books are banned and burned — I had the opportunity to put out the flames of a burning book with a fire extinguisher.

I tramped through tidal creeks, sinking knee-deep in mud so we could better write descriptive prose. I vividly recall scribbling on paper streaked with tidal mud, barely able to hold the pencil because my hands were so covered in slimy goo. That lesson still sticks with me to this day.

Before having Mr. Buechler as a teacher, I didn’t really care about school. I would stare out the window, looking at the flag to see whether the wind had shifted to offshore, meaning good conditions for surfing. I needed something to take me away from classrooms filled with bored students, bored teachers, and topics I didn’t care about.

Now, many years later, I work with schools locally and nationally to train educators to weave experiential education into the DNA of their schools.

To learn more about how NCOAE structures transformative education, visit our Custom Programs.

Recognizing the Benefits of Experiential Education

School boards, administrators, and teachers are becoming increasingly interested in experiential education, and for good reasons. When students learn experientially, they gain the following:

• A better understanding of course material
• A broader view of the world and an appreciation of community
• Insights into their own skills, interests, passions, and values
• Opportunities to collaborate with diverse organizations and people
• Positive professional practices and skill sets
• The gratification of assisting in meeting community needs
• Self-confidence and leadership skills

Other bonuses that I have witnessed and documented firsthand include the following:

• Better social and emotional regulation
• Reduced incidences of negative behavior and reduced suspensions
• Empathy for others
• Understanding the role of teachers and leaders more deeply through experience
• Teachers who know their students beyond test scores and standardized data
• Higher attendance rates (lower absences) 
• Increased family involvement
• Resiliency and inclusivity
  

Recognizing Common Barriers to Experiential Education

Although many educators already recognize the superiority of experiential education over traditional models, traditional systems have been slow to even scratch the surface. And I can think of several reasons why adoption has been slow:

• Deeply entrenched practices: University and teacher prep programs still promote traditional teaching methods. Teacher-centered learning with lecture-based instruction continues to be taught as the preferred model.
• Lack of exposure and training in structuring and executing complex experiential activities: Experiential learning often involves planning field trips, organizing community partnerships, and coming up with ideas for projects.
• Strong incentives to teach to the test: Teachers are evaluated, to a great extent, on how well their students perform on standardized tests. Figuring out how to enable students to perform well on standardized tests through an experiential education format requires creativity. Experiential activities can be complex, often involving soft skills, critical thinking, and real-world application beyond those for which students are tested. 
• Resource limitations/complications: Typical classroom equipment and supplies aren’t enough. Additional funding may be required, along with field trip planning and coordination with community partners and guest speakers.
• Time constraints: Experiential education doesn’t fit neatly into traditional classroom time blocks. Schedules often need to be renegotiated.
• Liability: Experiential education exposes students and faculty to increased risks when activities are outside the safety of traditional classrooms.
• Limited teacher training: Professional development around experiential education is lacking. New teachers aren’t generally led in this direction during their training, and continuing education isn’t generally provided for experienced educators.

Refuting Common Objections to Experiential Education

The barriers to adoption of experiential education practices aren’t deal breakers. They’re not dead ends on the path to creating more engaging learning experiences for students. Here are some suggestions for working around some of the most common and frustrating challenges:

• Liability: I’ve been helping schools incorporate experiential education into their curricula for 25 years, and I’ve never been stopped by a liability issue. Most schools and school systems have traditional sports, which means they have enormous liability coverage and “Sovereign Immunity.” It typically takes me one phone call to get trips approved by the athletic director of a school system. Rock climbing trips, paddling, camping, and fishing have all been covered without kickback or question.
• Time constraints: You can overcome time constraints with a moderate amount of creativity and flexibility. One school with which I work decided to be creative with times and days. When returning from COVID closures, I suggested we keep Wednesdays open for experiential education. We started what I called “Wilderness Wednesdays.” Midweek each week, the entire school participants in experiential education. Environmentalists, park rangers, and other local partners all donate time to come to the school and participate in our experiential learning sessions.
• Resource limitations/complications: Resources don’t need to be expensive, and often they are free. We have run roughly 200-plus Wilderness Wednesdays and have spent zero dollars. Community partners are amazing and more than willing to come to schools to facilitate lessons.
• Limited teacher training: Education and training can be a bit of an obstacle financially and can require a time commitment on your part. My advice? Start by educating yourself. Take some trips with local guides, follow your experiential passion. As you gain experience, pick one day a week to implement a lesson, Expedition Fridays are easy and serve as a nice capstone for the week. Over time, you can build in more days, document your work, and start seeking advice and feedback to develop better programming.

Outdoor and adventure-based experiential education equips students with practical skills such as problem-solving, leadership, and adaptability — the very qualities that are essential for success in careers like medicine, engineering, law, education, and beyond. By engaging in real-world experiences, students develop the critical thinking and resilience needed to thrive in today’s and tomorrow’s competitive workforce.

I still get emotional as I recall that day, covered in mud and walking past teachers and fellow students who hadn’t experienced what I just did. I felt a sense of belonging to an elite group of students, led by a radical and deeply motivated educator. I felt as though I mattered and that I had the ability to travel down pathways that others would never step foot on. I felt alive, and that has remained with me and influenced me as an educator for a lifetime.

Ready to experience the benefits of outdoor education programs firsthand? Explore NCOAE’s Offerings and embark on your next learning adventure!

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About the Author: Stephen Mullaney is the Director of School Partnerships and Staff Development at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE).