ABSTRACT

Reviewing metrics and measures reveals that quantitative evidence of the impact of outdoor programmes from experimental interventions is less impressive than qualitative evidence, with mean effect sizes no better than those from other educational interventions. Criticisms concerning the quality of experimental research in outdoor studies focus on employing suitable samples and appropriate questionnaires and control of numerous extraneous variables when conducting ‘real world’ research. Such challenges might be a factor in the inability of quantitative measures of benefit to match qualitative ones. Future research must work within these inherent constraints to deliver a conclusive measure of impact.