Q&A – “We need to rethink our approach to exam preparation”

Dr John Allan explains why enabling students to lose themselves in the outdoors can ignite their capacity to learn

30 Second Briefing

For over 40 years, Kingswood has been harnessing and perfecting the power of outdoor adventure education.

Across 11 UK locations, our highly trained instructors deliver curriculum-linked residential experiences designed to encourage confidence, resilience and life skills, meaning the impact lasts well beyond the end of the trip and into students’ personal and academic lives.

How has the student experience changed?

More than ever before, an enormous amount of information is at the fingertips of school children, who are expected to filter and process attention-grabbing material to become successful in assessment situations.

Many young learners need to become competent not only in how to retain information but also in how they self-regulate their behaviours to properly understand it and then use it in exams. Learners in ‘revision mode’ prior to taking their GCSEs need to prepare well to optimise their performance.

What is the challenge we face?

Although we understand the significant importance of this period in a young person’s life, exam preparation should not involve constant cramming in uniform settings without any complementary purposeful stimulation.

The human brain will switch off when exposed to long, lacklustre, and overly controlled activities. It will also struggle to take in information from multiple sources at the same time.

Despite popular assertions, the human brain cannot multi-task effectively.

Our Expert

Dr John Allan

Head of Impact & Learning at Kingswood

Area of expertise: Sports pedagogy (teaching and learning) in the area of positive psychology and outdoor adventure.

What’s the solution?

Varied events in short, deliberately spaced cycles – which are responsive to enquiring minds and use relevant, meaningful stimuli to ignite emotions, such as laughter, incredulity, and even mild apprehension – often generate much more meaningful learning.

How does OAE come into play?

Outdoor activities in natural spaces are known to deliver these sorts of experiences, generating a range of beneficial psychological, social, and physical skills which underpin our health and well-being.

Nature exposure and the freedom to play are recognised as integral to young people’s learning, particularly on tasks requiring focus, working memory, and collaborations with others – all transferable skill sets that aid revision.

More importantly, immersion in nature-based activities enables young people to become refreshed, focus their attention and regulate emotions, which take a pounding during exam preparatory periods.

So, although we may believe that incessant screen-staring or note-taking with background music is enabling effective understanding and retention of information, it is in fact counterproductive to good learning.

“Immersion within nature-based activities enables young people to become refreshed, focus their attention and regulate emotions.”

Can students afford the break from study time?

Absolutely. Don’t be misled into thinking that time away from revision is wasteful and will negatively affect their abilities to acquire desired or predicted grades.

Neuroscience tells us that the most impactful forms of learning are those which intersperse organised chunks of learning with interruptions for inspiring experiences with others or quiet time. This process allows new material to be absorbed as new brain cells are created and neural pathways strengthened.

Exposure to the outdoors is built upon these principles and will heighten their chances of success.

For more information, call 0800 655 6564, email sales@kingswood.co.uk or visit kingswood.co.uk.