The effect of a school-based outdoor education program on Visual Arts teachers’ success and self-efficacy beliefs

Abstract

The aim of this research is to determine the effect of an education programme developed based on the school-based outdoor education approach on the academic achievement of visual arts teachers, as well as their self-efficacy beliefs for using museums and the natural environment. The aim is likewise to explore the views of the teachers on the implementation of the education programme. The study, which utilised a mixed method of qualitative and quantitative data collection, lasted for seven weeks. The results demonstrate that the developed programme is effective. At the end of the study, a significant difference was revealed in terms of the participant teachers’ knowledge and skills regarding the approach as well as their self-efficacy belief levels in relation to the use of museums and the outdoors as teaching environments. Face-to-face interviews conducted with the teachers who participated in the experimental practice revealed that they were satisfied with the experience.

Keywords: Edmodo; mixed method; school-based outdoor education; teacher’s views; visual art