Parks are wonderful in many ways. They inspire people, they are relaxing and, for many species of wildlife, the final bastion of survival. They are often hotbeds of biodiversity and a place many go to study the natural world around them, gather samples and eat outdoor lunches. However, their ability to provide hands-on learning to children about the environment and biology is one of the most valuable functions of parks.
First, the issue of hands-on learning as a viable form of teaching must be established. For this, we turn to Katie Ash, who authored an article about an experiment where students were taught hands-on about a water purification system, while others were merely lectured about it. The results are telling. “The researchers found that students who built the hands-on water purification system had ‘a deeper understanding’ of the concepts than the students who had lecture-based lessons, especially in students for whom English was not their first language.”
Hands-on learning in nature is more crucial than most people think. Children today are being exposed less and less to nature itself and instead relying more on technology. This issue is examined in a study by The
Children and Nature Network, which states that: “Young people need opportunities to experience and learn from nature during their growing years in order to become citizens and future decision makers who will take responsibility for the stewardship of the Earth... For decades, environmental educators, conservationists, and others have worked, often heroically, to bring more children to nature—usually with inadequate support from policymakers.”
Luckily, things appear to be changing for the better. Parks today are as popular as they have ever been, and nature groups are also growing in popularity. This shift in thinking is indicative of the “going green” concept prevalent in today’s culture. Across the country people are encouraging and enlightening students about nature.
