A lot of my classes are, quite frankly, hard to get through. While sometimes it’s because I am not interested in the subject or because the lecturer has a voice that lulls me to sleep, it’s often the quality of the classroom itself that determines how much I like each class. Many of my classes have taken place in small, dark basements, and, of those, only a few have windows. As I sit there, minutes start to feel like hours and I cannot wait until the clock changes to finally go home.
Since Tufts classes often only last for one hour and 15 minutes, every moment of teaching time is valuable. It may be counterintuitive, but one way to make the most of this time is by holding class outside. In doing so, our usual routines are disrupted and there are a plethora of new distractions. Passersby, changing views and even rocks in the ground starkly contrast sterile classroom environments. But outdoor distractions are actually comparable to those found indoors — think a clicking pen or students leaning back in their chairs. In fact, empirical studies have revealed that, despite a change in environment, high school students are equally productive when learning outside, even when they face new distractions. Furthermore, students who learned outside were happier than those learning inside and found engagement with teachers more enjoyable.
While research is limited on the impacts of outdoor learning in university settings, the positive effects it has on younger students can be cross-applied. Therefore, college students will not only experience an improved mood when learning outside, but may also be more productive and engaged. Even professors can reap the benefits; teaching outdoor classes sounds much more enjoyable than teaching the many bored and disengaged students that riddle my current lectures.
While teaching an entire class outside may not be possible, even a short amount of time spent outdoors can be helpful to break up the monotony of a school day. Particularly in my classes that last two to five hours, staying awake, engaged and productive feels like a constant struggle. Most professors integrate some form of break into these classes, which is essential to helping students enjoy their time in the classroom. In response to a survey that my peers and I distributed to Tufts students asking about their exposure to nature in class, students identified that taking breaks outside helps them reset. One student wrote, “When I can go outside for a break and get fresh air, I feel much better!” Same, girl, same.
I often take a lap around the building during a break and, within seconds of stepping outside, my brain is jolted back into focus. I also feel much better afterward, and it turns out I’m not alone. One study found that students’ wellbeing, cognitive performance and concentration improved after taking a break outdoors; an additional study showed that self-esteem and mood improvements can occur after as little as five minutes outside. While disrupting the flow of a lesson is often viewed negatively, it does not need to take much class time to reset and restoration can be maximized by incorporating engagement with the outdoors.
Taking breaks outside sounds like a great idea in theory, but often this method of teaching isn’t practically feasible: New England winters are long, dark and cold. Holding a discussion outside while fighting wind gusts and cold fingers certainly wouldn’t improve my mood. To still benefit from nature exposure when the weather is bad, classrooms should have views of campus green spaces and natural light. For example, the top floor of 574 Boston Ave. is a much more pleasant workspace than the Tisch Library basement because 574 has so many windows, many of which look out upon trees and grasses. Indeed, exposure to sunlight was the most frequently mentioned natural element in classrooms in our survey, and whether or not classrooms had outdoor-facing windows significantly impacted students’ feelings toward the class. One student wrote: “A window is absolutely essential to feel good.” Another asserted that their classroom is “super dark/dim and has no greenspace exposure, which … causes me to be less engaged in class.” As academic buildings are being built or renovated, access to natural light should be prioritized. Windows not only improve well-being similar to how direct outdoor engagement does, but can benefit students year-round in a variety of weather conditions.
The benefits of increased exposure to nature — both tangible and visual — is evident, but more than 76.5% of Tufts students we surveyed said that they had never directly engaged with a green space during class time. Furthermore, nearly half of these students never or rarely encountered nature visually in their class. When Tufts plans new buildings and classrooms, time spent outside, or at least looking outside, should be prioritized. My fellow students and I would be more excited about being in class and able to engage more meaningfully with peers and lectures alike instead of having to battle our tired brains in dark, windowless rooms.
