Technology & Outdoor Education
As educators, it is important to recognize that ready-made games on the app store are not necessarily educational, and educational "games" are not necessarily fun. As educators who are experts in pedagogy, learning theory, and understanding what motivates our students, it is up to us to design activities that are both educational and fun. Ready-made games do not have to be played as intended; they can be incorporated into lessons in other ways. Seemingly non-game apps can be used as well as a component in a game that we design.
Mobile technologies should not be regarded as stand-alone activities, as they should be a part of well-developed educational flow that is also combined with traditional ways of teaching and learning (Kurti et al., 2007, p. 390).
The greatest potential in mobile games is that they allow for mobility. Traditional games on the computer or on the table fix students in place, which constricts the types of activities in the classroom. The most exciting application of mobile games, then, is to bring the classroom outdoors to allow for movement, connect students with the environment, and perhaps to enable learning in an informal setting.
Although mobile games are exciting and there are numerous possibilities for their integration into the curriculum, there are some limitations to consider. Regarding motivation, not all students are motivated by the same things and how enticing a game is may depend on student age. Depending on the subject, mobile games may not be able to sustain student interest and sometimes students pay more attention to real-life situations than computer-generated ones (Lai et al., 2007). If this is the case, it is perhaps better to not force a mobile game onto students, but rather, their natural interests should be utilized to drive learning.
Perhaps the largest drawback in using mobile games for outdoor education is that they can undermine the very goal to connect students with nature. Many outdoor educators question if mobile technologies connect students to nature at all, or if they actually separate humans from the rest of nature instead (Cuthbertson et al., 2004). It would be odd to see students with their eyes glued to their devices instead of on nature while on a hike, and if this occurs, does the oddity that we feel when looking at these students "suggest that the increasing use of modern technology in outdoor recreation diminishes humans' emotional attachments to the natural environment" (Cuthbertson et al., 2004, p. 138)? When planning a lesson with mobile technologies, the balance between educational value and connection with nature must be treaded carefully and intentionally.
Although mobile games are exciting and there are numerous possibilities for their integration into the curriculum, there are some limitations to consider. Regarding motivation, not all students are motivated by the same things and how enticing a game is may depend on student age. Depending on the subject, mobile games may not be able to sustain student interest and sometimes students pay more attention to real-life situations than computer-generated ones (Lai et al., 2007). If this is the case, it is perhaps better to not force a mobile game onto students, but rather, their natural interests should be utilized to drive learning.
Perhaps the largest drawback in using mobile games for outdoor education is that they can undermine the very goal to connect students with nature. Many outdoor educators question if mobile technologies connect students to nature at all, or if they actually separate humans from the rest of nature instead (Cuthbertson et al., 2004). It would be odd to see students with their eyes glued to their devices instead of on nature while on a hike, and if this occurs, does the oddity that we feel when looking at these students "suggest that the increasing use of modern technology in outdoor recreation diminishes humans' emotional attachments to the natural environment" (Cuthbertson et al., 2004, p. 138)? When planning a lesson with mobile technologies, the balance between educational value and connection with nature must be treaded carefully and intentionally.
If a technologically mediated nature is all we come to know, we risk eroding direct, meaningful engagement with nature, the very essence of natural experiences we so eagerly seek for our students” (Cuthbertson et al., 2004, p. 142).
Health
Beyond the possibility of mobile games not being engaging for students or mitigating their connection with nature in outdoor education, the health implications and the limitations of mobile games must also be considered. This is especially important given that one of Outdoor Education's pillars is education for well-being. These implications can vary depending on the nature of the game, its educational applications, and how it seeks to engage users. Thus, once again it is up to educators to determine which mobile games and gamified apps will support student learning and wellbeing.
As physical and mental health are inextricably tied, it is not surprising that the benefits of physical activity and sunlight exposure extend to the reduction in symptoms of various mood disorders including Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and non-seasonal depression (Mead, 2008; Kent et al., 2009). There are other asscoiated mental health implications when sociality and related anxieties are considered (Wang 2021; Williams & Slak-Valek 2019).
The mental implications of mobile games can be both positive and negative. However, it is important to note that while Wang et al. (2019) found that mobile games were associated with social anxiety, depression, and loneliness, they did not specify how they were being used (e.g. for fun, for educational purposes, etc.). Therefore it cannot be inferred that mobile games used in outdoor education would yield the same results. While the potential negative implications of mobile game addiction still needs to be considered, it should not outweigh the potential health benefits that use of mobile games in outdoor education can provide. For context, let us consider the research on the health benefits of the very popular mobile game Pokémon Go, which requires users to go outside to play.
Wang's (2021) systematic literature review of literature studying health benefits of and user motivations for playing Pokémon Go found there were physical, mental, and social health benefits. Motivations for playing Pokémon Go included the desire for a fun and immersive experience, nostalgia, and socializing. Physical health benefits were measured in terms of increased steps, distanced moved, and time spent on physical activity. Mental health benefits were measured in terms of motivation to be physically active, cognitive performance, wellbeing, reduced anxiety and social anxiety, and openness. Social health benefits were measured in terms of strengthening existing bonds between friends and family, increasing social interaction, reducing social anxiety, and making new friends. In all health benefits, the benefits only lasted as long as the user was still playing the game, meaning there were no long term health benefits of playing Pokémon Go. Additionally, it was found that motivations for ceasing to play Pokémon Go included slow game progression, excessive time and effort requirements, and technical issues (Wang, 2021). These motivations and lack of long-term health benefits indicate limitations and areas for future growth for mobile games used in outdoor education.
Designing location-based geogames that require users to go outdoors to use as gametherapy could be an excellent way to encourage lasting health benefits. Gametherapy is the extension of an older idea of healing through games, but now has a greater advantage due to the affordances of mobility — like immediacy and personalization— that allow for the selection of relevant materials to be sent to clients quickly and easily (Noruzi, 2019).
Gametherapy, which can be conducted with individuals or groups, refers to the use of computer and mobile games to assist clients (especially children and young adults) in their healing process… Thus, gametherapy is a guided game-playing approach, which helps clients gain insight, understanding of the self and environment, focus attention outside the self, provide relaxation and diversion, find solutions to problems, or learn from others… By placing himself or herself in the shoes of a game’s major characters, goes the notion, the client can extrapolate from their experiences and apply their ways of dealing with their fictional characters’ ups and downs to his or her own life (Noruzi, 2019, pp. 1,5).
While privacy and data collection remain constant concerns in an increasingly more mobile world, gametherapy is a potential way to attain increased security while sharing personal information, including thoughts and feelings. Since it is conducted through a game, clients can receive care in an "anonymous or pseudonymous context," thus increasing potential security and confidentiality (Noruzi, 2019, p.5).
Geogames designed and used as gametherapy, either in therapeutic or educational settings, could use the richness of an immersive game and the great outdoors to enact long-term change in peoples’ lives and provide a multitude of health benefits. This would be of particular significance to outdoor education as it directly relates to OE's themes of personal growth and skill development, and its holistic, integrated, and experiential learning philosophies.
Geogames designed and used as gametherapy, either in therapeutic or educational settings, could use the richness of an immersive game and the great outdoors to enact long-term change in peoples’ lives and provide a multitude of health benefits. This would be of particular significance to outdoor education as it directly relates to OE's themes of personal growth and skill development, and its holistic, integrated, and experiential learning philosophies.