Outdoor Science Education and Child Well-being in Primary Schools: Protocol for a Cluster Randomi… (NCT07147634) | Clinical Trial Compass
RecruitingNot Applicable
Outdoor Science Education and Child Well-being in Primary Schools: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial on Learning, Connection to Nature, Eco-anxiety, and Stress
Canada1,000 participantsStarted 2025-09-02
Plain-language summary
The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to learn if an outdoor science education intervention can improve primary school students' learning and well-being when compared to an indoor classroom-based science education intervention. The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Will students who engage in outdoor science learning produce higher-quality observations of living organisms than students who receive instruction exclusively in an indoor, classroom-based context, when both groups are invited to make observations in an unfamiliar natural environment?
* Does an outdoor education intervention embedded within the science curriculum contribute to children's connection to nature, eco-anxiety and stress?
Participants will:
* Receive a science education intervention 2h/week for a total of 5 weeks, either indoors or outdoors
* Answer questionnaires before and after the intervention
* Participate in a field day-trip after the intervention where they will be asked to observe living organisms.
Who can participate
Sex
ALL
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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Primary schools need to have a deprivation index equal to or superior to 1 (with 10 being the maximum) and be located in Montreal, Longueuil or Laval (QC).
* Teachers have to show some interest in outdoor education but are not obliged to have already done some before in order to be included.
* Only 5th and 6th grade teachers are included.
* Primary schools with two teachers interested in participating in the project.
Exclusion Criteria:
* Alternative schools or those welcoming recently arrived non-Francophone students are not included.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Score on the Scientific Observation Skills Rubric (0-15) in a Novel Environmental Context
Timeframe: After the 5-week intervention has ended, students will spend one day in a new environmental context (at the end of October) in order to make observations