Where is Nature? Where is Nature in Nature and Outdoor Learning in Higher Education? An Analysis of Nature-Based Learning in Higher Education Using Multispecies Ethnography

Abstract

Abstract The multiple crises of the 21st century once again highlight the significant role of sustainable education in all educational institutions. Particularly in higher education, the inclusion of nature and animals in the curricula is underrepresented. Using the method of Multispecies Ethnography, which recognizes the interconnectedness and inseparability of humans and other life forms of the more-than-human world, such as plants or animals, this paper discusses the presence of nature in online-based nature and outdoor learning in higher education. This study examines nature-based learning in higher education. It analyses the role of nature in the learning process in general and in sustainable education in particular. The results of the study show that a relationship with nature leads to a change in one's worldview, which is evidence of the methodological importance of introducing nature in the learning process. The results also illustrate that – despite digitalization – direct interaction with nature is essential for a paradigm shift in education.