A new evaluation study from the Erasmus+ OutAdvEd (Outdoor Adventure Education through Physical Education)  project suggests that teacher education may be missing a powerful tool of structured outdoor learning designed to build social and emotional skills. Researchers from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the University of Luxembourg assessed an international Learning, Teaching and Training (LTT) event held in Seville, Spain, where pre-service and in-service educators were trained to integrate Outdoor Adventure Education (OAE) with Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in physical education. Across both groups, satisfaction was consistently high and every participant said they would recommend the programme.

This matters because schools are increasingly expected to teach more than academic content. Skills like self-management, teamwork, responsible decision-making, and emotional regulation are now seen as essential for student wellbeing and inclusion. The study points to OAE as a practical, high-engagement way to strengthen these competencies—starting with teacher training.

Participants reported that the event improved their knowledge and teaching skills, with strong ratings for clarity, usefulness, motivation, and real-world transferability of the training units. They also highlighted an importance of positive group climate that built trust quickly across countries and experience levels. In qualitative feedback, educators praised the variety of activities, reflective elements, and the energy of facilitators.

But the evaluation also surfaced pressure points. Several participants said the schedule was intense and left too little time for reflection—ironically, a key part of experiential learning. Others felt some activities did not clearly connect theory to practice, and a minority raised safety concerns around climbing equipment and guidance.

"Outdoor learning can be a serious vehicle for social and emotional development, if it's designed with reflection and safety at the core," lead author Manolis Adamakis said. "This evaluation shows strong potential, but also clear design lessons for scaling it responsibly."

Editor: Bashir Mehvish

First-Round Review Editor: Guo Enkai

Second-Round Review Editor: Peng Xiyang