EDUCATING FOR WELL-BEING THROUGH OUTDOOR EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF NON-COGNITIVE SKILLS

Alessia Scarinci, Gaetano Monaco

Abstract


The paper examines the role of Outdoor Education in fostering student well-being, understood as a core non-cognitive competence. After outlining the concept of well-being in relation to learning processes, theoretical and empirical studies are reviewed that highlight the positive impact of outdoor activities on resilience, self-esteem, and inclusion. Outdoor Education emerges as a structural practice for a more equitable, sustainable, and generative school, able to enhance the potential of every student.


Keywords


Student well-being; Outdoor Education; Non-cognitive skills; School inclusion.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Amadori C. (2025), Custodire il ben-essere: strategie di cura, crescita e trasformazione di sé e dei conflitti all’interno delle organizzazioni. Roma: Bruno Editore.

Antonietti M. (2018), European preschools in nature. Principles and evidence in international references. Form@re – Open Journal per la formazione in rete, 18(1), 357–367. http://dx.doi.org/10.13128/formare-22557

Antonietti M., Bertolino F., Guerra M., & Schenetti M. (2018), Nodi teorici, dimensioni metodologiche e competenze chiave nella formazione per l’Outdoor Education. In Outdoor education: prospettive teoriche e buone pratiche (pp. 101–117). Roma: Carocci.

Bellantoni D. (2020), Aiutami a essere felice: benessere e ricerca di senso a scuola. Roma: Città Nuova.

Bellomo A. (2019), Outdoor experience in schoolyards aimed at widening learning opportunities. In Renewing middle school facilities (pp. 33–51). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Bikomeye J.C., Balza J., & Beyer K.M. (2021), The impact of schoolyard greening on children’s physical activity and socioemotional health: A systematic review of experimental studies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 535.

Cabus S., Napierala J., & Carretero S. (2021), The returns to non-cognitive skills: A meta-analysis (No. 2021/06). JRC Working Papers Series on Labour, Education and Technology.

Chavaly D., & Naachimuthu K.P. (2020), Human-nature connection and mental health: What do we know so far? Indian Journal of Health & Wellbeing, 11(1), 84–92. https://doi.org/10.15614/IJHW.v11i01.18

Invalsi (2025), Competenze chiave europee per l’apprendimento permanente. Disponibile su: https://www.invalsiopen.it/competenze-chiave-apprendimento-permanente/ (accessed 25/08/2025).

Conte M. (2023), Come fiori di cristallo. Uno studio sul fenomeno Neet nel territorio pugliese. Milano: FrancoAngeli.

Crudeli F. (2018), Sotto il cielo e sopra la terra. Buone pratiche per un’educazione all’aperto. Reggio Emilia: Edizioni Junior.

Dettori F., & Carboni F. (2024), A scuola di emozioni, empatia e sentimenti: percorsi per un’inclusione più efficace. Milano: FrancoAngeli.

Donaldson G.W., & Donaldson L.E. (1958), Outdoor education: a definition. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, 29(5), 17–63.

Down M.J.A., Picknoll D., Piggott B., Hoyne G., & Bulsara C. (2024), “When the real stuff happens”: A qualitative descriptive study of the psychosocial outcomes of outdoor adventure education for adolescents. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-023-00151-3

Down M.J., Picknoll D., Edwards T., Farringdon F., Hoyne G., Piggott B., & Murphy M.C. (2024), Outdoor adventure education for adolescent social and emotional wellbeing: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 1–30.

Ewert A.W. (2014), Outdoor adventure education: foundations, theory, and research. Champaign: Human Kinetics.

Fan M.S.N., Li W.H.C., Ho L.L.K., Phiri L., & Choi K.C. (2023), Nature-based interventions for autistic children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Network Open, 6(12), e2346715.

Farkas G. (2003), Cognitive skills and noncognitive traits and behaviors in stratification processes. Annual Review of Sociology, 29(1), 541–562.

Folloni G., Sturaro C., & Vittadini G. (2021), Lo sviluppo delle competenze non cognitive negli studenti trentini. RicercAzione, 13(1), 107–146.

Goldenberg G., Atkinson M., Dubiel J., & Wass S. (2024), Outdoor learning in urban schools: Effects on 4–5 year old children’s noise and physiological stress. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 97, 102362.

Kautz T., Heckman J.J., Diris R., Ter Weel B., & Borghans L. (2014), Fostering and measuring skills: improving cognitive and non-cognitive skills to promote lifetime success. NBER Working Paper Series.

Lucangeli D. (2025), La scuola che vorrei. Trento: Edizioni Centro Studi Erickson.

Maccarini A.M. (2021), L’educazione socio-emotiva: character skills, attori e processi nella scuola primaria. Bologna: Il Mulino.

Makiguchi T. (2002), A geography of human life. San Francisco: Caddo Gap Press.

Mancini C. (2020), Educatori esperienziali in natura: animali, piante, storie e attività per l’Outdoor Education. Roma: 78Edizioni.

Mann J., Gray T., Truong S., Brymer E., Passy R., Ho S., … & Cowper R. (2022), Getting out of the classroom and into nature: a systematic review of nature-specific outdoor learning on school children’s learning and development. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 877058.

Marmocchi P., Dall’Aglio C., & Zannini M. (2024), Educare le life skills. Come promuovere le abilità psico-sociali e affettive secondo l’Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità. Trento: Erickson.

Marone F., & Spina A. (2022), Adolescenti “invisibili” e comportamenti a rischio durante la pandemia da SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19). Journal of Health Care Education in Practice, 4(2), 41–50.

Mason L., Ronconi A., Scrimin S., & Pazzaglia F. (2022), Short-term exposure to nature and benefits for students’ cognitive performance: a review. Educational Psychology Review, 34(2), 609–647.

Monaco G., & Conte M. (2025), Il superamento dei patti educativi per la creazione di un Patto Educativo Globale come traiettoria verso una comunità educante. Quaderni di pedagogia della scuola, 8(1).

Natalini A., & Savastano M. (2024), Outdoor education, processes of inclusion of children with ADHD and learning disabilities. European Journal of Special Education Research, 10(3).

Pirchio S., Passiatore Y., Panno A., Cipparone M., & Carrus G. (2021), The effects of contact with nature during outdoor environmental education on students’ wellbeing, connectedness to nature and pro-sociality. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 648458.

Pritchard A., Richardson M., Sheffield D., & McEwan K. (2020), The relationship between nature connectedness and eudaimonic well-being: a meta-analysis. Journal of Happiness Studies, 21(3), 1145–1167. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-019-00118-6

Righettini C. (2024), Portare la scuola “fuori”. Outdoor education, scuola, laboratori di educazione allo sguardo. In Bartolini A., Batini F., De Santis M., Milella M., Malavasi P., Morganti A., Rosati A., Salvato R., Signorelli A., & Sannipoli M. (a cura di), La formazione iniziale e continua degli insegnanti. Relazioni, comunicazione, metodi (pp. 170–176). Lecce: Pensa Multimedia.

Rosina M., & Marchesiello A. (2024), La scuola del benessere: come costruire il successo formativo? Indicazioni per una scuola aperta che sviluppi pienamente la persona e contrasti il rischio di abbandono. Roma: Anicia.

Scarinci A. (2021), Il bosco nell’aula: progettare l’educazione ambientale. Bari: Progedit.

Svobodová H., Durna R., Mísařová D., & Hofmann E. (2021), A proposal of a concept of outdoor education for primary and lower secondary schools – the case of the Czech Republic. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 21(4), 336–356.

Valentini M., Guerra F., Troiano G., & Federici A. (2019), Outdoor education: corpo, apprendimento, esperienze in ambiente naturale. Formazione & Insegnamento, 17(1), 415–427.

Wang P., Yasim M.M., Chang S., & Wu L. (2024), A literature review of outdoor education program on mental health and well-being. Asian Pendidikan, 4(2), 33–45.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.32043/gsd.v9i3.1568

Refbacks



Copyright (c) 2025 ITALIAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH EDUCATION, SPORT AND INCLUSIVE DIDACTICS

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Italian Journal of Health Education, Sports and Inclusive Didactics 

ISSN printed: 2532-3296

E- ISSN: 3103-5744