Navigating Smartphone Use in Outdoor Education Programs

As you prepare to lead an outdoor education program, one of the key considerations you’ll face is the role of smartphones among your students. These devices can be a double-edged sword, offering both valuable opportunities and potential distractions. Here’s a balanced guide to help you navigate this technology in your programs.

Boy checking his smartphone

Embracing the Benefits of Smartphones

When used thoughtfully, smartphones and similar devices have the potential to enhance aspects of the outdoor learning experience. Apps for navigation, weather forecasting, wildlife identification, knot tying, submitting plastic pollution data and educational resources can all enrich learning, allowing students to engage more deeply with their surroundings and be connected to global networks of research. During remote activities such as an AYP expedition, they can offer tools for emergency communication, ensuring that help is accessible during remote activities and allowing the team of young people to work independently from an adult supervisor. Additionally, students can use their devices to capture moments through photography and note-taking, facilitating reflection on their experiences later. 

Some programs have even utilised treasure hunt-style apps for exciting teamwork games over large areas. Programs that effectively utilize technology have the potential to foster engagement and enhance educational experiences, particularly when students are given the right guidance on their use.

Addressing the Drawbacks

Despite these advantages, the potential for distraction is significant. As highlighted in recent studies, including those by Hills et al. (2023), smartphones can divert attention away from the immediate learning environment. In those unstructured moments between activities when students often spend time making new friends and informally reflecting on their experiences, students may end up scrolling through social media or taking selfies instead of engaging with nature or their peers. 

Hills et al (2023) emphasizes the importance of presence in outdoor education. When students are preoccupied with their devices, they may miss critical learning moments and fail to connect meaningfully with their environment and peers. This is even the case with unnetworked devices such as cameras for review later. 

The presence of phones on residential camps can also create potential child safeguarding and communication issues. With young groups living together, the temptation to take and share embarrassing photos has the risk of creating upset between peers and potentially with their families. Additionally in emergency situations, when communicating clear, considered and accurate information to the school community and the media is essential, the presence of students' phones and the potential for miscommunication or misinterpreting situations can create distress, confusion and at times, make dealing with a difficult situation even more so. 

Finding the Right Balance

To effectively manage smartphone use on your outdoor programs, intentional decision-making is essential. Start by weighing the benefits against the risks. Ask yourself whether the presence of smartphones enhances the program and works towards your desired outcomes, or are they ultimately acting as a distraction. 

Are your students able to manage their phone use responsibly? Can alternatives be used that remove distractions such as social media and relentless notifications? Can you establish clear guidelines for when and how smartphones can be used to mitigate distractions while still allowing for valuable learning opportunities?  How do your students typically engage with technology outside of school, and how might that influence their behaviour during outdoor programs?

Globally there is mounting evidence to suggest that the removal of smartphones from the learning environment has benefits for learning. A study by the University of Pennsylvania involving 17,000 students in India suggests that the removal of smartphones in school had a marked improvement on students' grades compared to students that were allowed to keep their phones during lessons. In a survey from the Netherlands, three quarters of respondents said students' concentration was boosted, with one third showing improvements in academic performance since the banning of smartphones in school.

On a similar note, outdoor education organisations in Hong Kong often request school groups to leave their phones at home. They argue that the phones are too strong a distraction, and do not allow students to be present on the program, in the place or with their peers, ultimately devaluing the experience. While students find it challenging at first, by the end of the week they are often grateful for the digital detox and the chance to foster meaningful connections with their peers.

A collaborative discussion between the school, parents, providers, and students is helpful when deciding on smartphone use during outdoor learning programs. Involving parents and providers can allow parties to raise any potential concerns as well as being an opportunity to address them. Involving students allows them to feel empowered and engenders a sense of responsibility for their own phone use. Ultimately, such discussions help establish guidelines that balance the benefits of the technology with the need for meaningful engagement in nature and with peers, enhancing the overall educational experience.

If you (or the parent community) decide that students should still have their phones, then consider implementing designated times and areas for smartphone use, such as for only 30 minutes after dinner or for specific educational tasks. This allows students to harness the benefits of technology without losing focus on their immediate environment. 

Conclusion

In summary, navigating smartphone use in outdoor education programs requires careful consideration and planning. By approaching this technology thoughtfully and with guidance for students, they can be a tool to enhance learning and facilitate independence. Conversely though these devices can be an unwelcome distraction and impact on some of the most valuable aspects of camp - connecting to others, the place and the activities. Rather than viewing the issue as a simple yes or no to technology, engage in a thoughtful discussion about whether and how smartphones will enhance or detract from the learning experience.

Ultimately, the decision about smartphone use should involve a collaborative discussion among educators, students, and parents. By exploring the potential benefits and drawbacks together, you can create a more inclusive environment that considers the needs and perspectives of all stakeholders. Whether choosing to incorporate technology or leave it behind, the goal remains the same: to enhance the educational experience and foster meaningful connections.

References

Hills, D., van Kraalingen, I., & Thomas, G. J. (2023). The Impact of Technology on Presence in Outdoor Education. Journal of Experiential Education, 47(2), 301-318. https://doi.org/10.1177/10538259231202452 (Original work published 2024)

Phone bans at school lift grades, a major study revealed, https://www.positive.news/society/good-news-stories-from-week-37-of-2025/

OEAP guidance on smartphones on educational visits https://oeapng.info/15481-outdoor-education-update-should-mobile-phones-be-allowed-on-visits/

Further reading

Hills, D., & Thomas, G. (2019). Digital technology and outdoor experiential learning. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 20(2), 155–169. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2019.1604244

Portable Comfort Zones, Jack Reed, https://issuu.com/iol-horizons/docs/h100-2023_online_pages/s/18787603