Nature-Based Exposures of Learners to Elicit Discovery-Oriented Skills and Behaviors

Nature-based learning is essential for holistic child development, as it integrates direct experiences with the natural environment into educational practices. It cultivates environmental awareness and stewardship, preparing students to be more conscious and responsible toward ecological sustainability. This paper explored the experiences of science high school teachers in implementing nature-based learning in science education and identify the changes in students’ discovery-oriented skills. This qualitative exploration provides insights into the role of nature-based learning in shaping students’ inquiry skills and their overall engagement in science education. High school science teachers (n = 30) from Central Visayas, Philippines were purposively sampled to be interviewed. The findings indicated that exposure to nature-based learning environments cultivated key discovery-oriented skills, including problem-solving, curiosity, and observation. Students were engaged in real-world environmental challenges, developing adaptive problem-solving abilities through experiences such as field research and ecosystem assessments. Curiosity can be developed as students encountered dynamic natural settings that encouraged inquiry and independent exploration, leading to engagement with scientific phenomena. Observation skills were also relevant, as students learned to track patterns, recognize trends, and make scientific predictions. Furthermore, nature-based educational activities contributed to behavioral shifts, encouraged a growth mindset, resilience, and increased inquisitiveness. Learners embraced uncertainty as a natural aspect of scientific exploration, demonstrating a willingness to adapt their approaches and seek deeper understanding through analytical questioning. There is a promise of integrating nature-based learning into educational policies and pedagogical development by promoting inquiry-based instruction, encouraging adaptive problem-solving skills, and strengthening growth mindset among students.