First Peoples Outdoor Institute · Resources
Resources for
learning on the land.
A short collection of Indigenous learning foundations, research and practical guidance to explore at your own pace.
Start with what is useful to your work. Each resource includes a plain-English takeaway, its context and a link to the original work. This is further reading, not a required academic syllabus.
Read with context.
Indigenous knowledge does not need Western research to validate it. Published resources also do not replace relationships with local Nations or permission from knowledge holders. Local protocols guide what can be taught, recorded and shared.
Studies can help us ask more precise questions about learning. They do not establish that a particular activity will work for every group, or that our own programs have been independently evaluated.
Further learning
Indigenous learning foundations
Keep people and place in view. These works come from particular communities, knowledge traditions and relationships.
Indigenous scholarly essay · 2014
Land as pedagogy
Learning is rooted in Nishnaabeg homelands, community and lived responsibilities.
Keep in mind: A situated Nishnaabeg account, not a generic outdoor-education recipe or permission to retell cultural stories.
Reference & context
Simpson, L. B. (2014). Land as pedagogy: Nishnaabeg intelligence and rebellious transformation. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society, 3(3), 1–25. https://commons.princeton.edu/eng574-s23/wp-content/uploads/sites/348/2023/02/Simpson-Land-as-Pedagogy-Nishnaabeg-Intelligence-and-Rebellious-Transformation.pdf
A practical connection: Keep learning connected to place and relationships, with local authority over what can be taught or shared.
Full article PDF hosted by Princeton University.
Read the articleCo-learning process article · 2012
Two-Eyed Seeing
Two-Eyed Seeing offers a co-learning approach grounded in Mi’kmaw knowledge and the work of Elders Murdena and Albert Marshall.
Keep in mind: A reflective process article, not an experimental effectiveness trial. Recognized knowledge holders are central; knowledge systems are not interchangeable.
Reference & context
Bartlett, C., Marshall, M., & Marshall, A. (2012). Two-Eyed Seeing and other lessons learned within a co-learning journey of bringing together indigenous and mainstream knowledges and ways of knowing. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 2(4), 331–340. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-012-0086-8
A practical connection: Attribute the Mi’kmaw origin and make room for distinct perspectives without asking science to authenticate Indigenous knowledge.
Abstract available. Full text is subscription-restricted; a public UINR introduction is also linked below.
View the article abstractReflective education article · 2012
Ecological knowledge & responsibility
Firsthand ecological learning carries responsibilities, including care for land and appropriate use of cultural knowledge.
Keep in mind: A reflective educational argument, not a controlled trial or a transferable cultural teaching package.
Reference & context
Kimmerer, R. W. (2012). Searching for synergy: Integrating traditional and scientific ecological knowledge in environmental science education. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 2(4), 317–323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-012-0091-y
A practical connection: Pair observation and ecological skills with an agreed care action and explicit knowledge-sharing boundaries.
University abstract and citation available. Publisher full text is subscription-restricted.
View the abstract & recordIndigenous education principles
First Peoples Principles of Learning
Experience, relationships, responsibility and time matter in learning; some knowledge is shared only with permission.
Keep in mind: FNESC states these principles do not capture the full approach of any single First Peoples’ society.
Reference & context
First Nations Education Steering Committee. (n.d.). First Peoples principles of learning. https://www.fnesc.ca/first-peoples-principles-of-learning/
A practical connection: Provide repeated practice, reflection and clear boundaries for recording and sharing learning.
Official public resource.
Read the principlesIndigenous-led educational practice
Dechinta’s education philosophy
Land-based education is locally rooted and sustained by reciprocal community relationships and local Elders and knowledge holders.
Keep in mind: Dechinta’s Dene and Inuvialuit context is not a curriculum to transplant elsewhere.
Reference & context
Dechinta. (n.d.). Our education philosophy. https://www.dechinta.ca/education
A practical connection: Use the governance lesson: develop local relationships and appropriate support before promising cultural content.
Official public resource.
Explore the philosophyFurther learning
What research can offer
Four primary studies worth exploring. Their findings belong to the participants and settings studied; they are not evaluations of our courses.
Peer-reviewed primary study · 2018
Outdoor lessons & engagement
Matched lessons in two third-grade classrooms found better subsequent engagement on four of five measures after outdoor lessons.
Keep in mind: Two third-grade classrooms, measuring immediate engagement. The study does not establish grade improvements or effects for adults.
Reference & context
Kuo, M., Browning, M. H. E. M., & Penner, M. L. (2018). Do lessons in nature boost subsequent classroom engagement? Refueling students in flight. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, Article 2253. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02253
A practical connection: Try short outdoor observation followed by focused reflection, and observe engagement rather than promise it.
Open-access full article.
Read the studyPeer-reviewed primary study · 2017
Pathways to nature connection
Two surveys and a 72-person walking study suggest sensory and reflective activities can strengthen reported nature connection.
Keep in mind: Short-term self-reports from university-recruited adults. It did not test lasting stewardship.
Reference & context
Lumber, R., Richardson, M., & Sheffield, D. (2017). Beyond knowing nature: Contact, emotion, compassion, meaning, and beauty are pathways to nature connection. PLOS ONE, 12(5), Article e0177186. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0177186
A practical connection: Add attentive observation, personal reflection and care alongside identification skills; do not label these activities Indigenous teachings.
Open-access full article.
Read the studyPeer-reviewed primary study · 2010
Preparation, experience & action
An adolescent program study found different patterns of knowledge and attitude growth during preparation and direct field experience.
Keep in mind: The groups were not equivalent, and participants were adolescents in an international program. The findings do not establish that online preparation causes later action.
Reference & context
Duerden, M. D., & Witt, P. A. (2010). The impact of direct and indirect experiences on the development of environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(4), 379–392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.03.007
A practical connection: Give online preparation, field practice and follow-through distinct purposes; assess what learners actually demonstrate.
University abstract and citation.
View the abstract & recordPeer-reviewed primary study · 2013
Does nature connection last?
A four-day water-focused field program increased reported nature connection initially; four-week persistence differed by age.
Keep in mind: Children in a specific German program. Nature-connection scores do not establish lasting behaviour change or outcomes from our courses.
Reference & context
Liefländer, A. K., Fröhlich, G., Bogner, F. X., & Schultz, P. W. (2013). Promoting connectedness with nature through environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 19(3), 370–384. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2012.697545
A practical connection: Build in return visits or follow-up practice and check whether learning lasts beyond the field school.
Author’s accepted manuscript in university dissertation (PDF page 44)
University article record. The accepted manuscript is also available in the author’s dissertation.
View the article recordFurther learning
Practical outdoor resources
Public guidance and examples from organizations working in outdoor learning, leadership and low-impact recreation.
Outdoor-learning organization
The Howl Experience
Howl connects experiential learning with community, service and reflection on how learning carries into everyday life.
Keep in mind: An example of practice, not evidence of FPOI outcomes. Howl’s partnerships and credentials do not transfer to other programs.
Reference & context
The Howl Experience. (n.d.). Core teachings. https://www.experiencehowl.com/coreteachings
A practical connection: Use a personal learning share or practical next-step plan after field learning, without copying Howl’s curriculum.
Official public resource.
Explore Howl’s approachOutdoor-leadership organization
Outdoor Council of Canada
Clear objectives, planning, participant care, communication and debriefing support thoughtful outdoor leadership.
Keep in mind: Reading or referencing OCC resources does not confer certification; leadership training complements technical skills and first aid.
Reference & context
Outdoor Council of Canada. (n.d.). About Field Leader courses. https://outdoorcouncil.ca/project/field-leader-program/
A practical connection: Make readiness checks, group-care roles and decision debriefs visible in each seasonal program.
Official public resource.
Explore Field LeaderLow-impact recreation guidance
Leave No Trace Canada
Practical decisions about travel, waste, wildlife and campsites can reduce recreation impacts.
Keep in mind: General recreation guidance does not replace local rules, Indigenous rights or cultural protocols; referencing it is not certification.
Reference & context
Leave No Trace Canada. (n.d.). The seven principles of Leave No Trace. https://leavenotrace.ca/the-seven-principles-of-leave-no-trace/
A practical connection: Have learners explain site-specific low-impact choices, rather than memorize a slogan.
Official public resource.
Explore the principlesAcknowledgments
Learn from the work.
Respect its context.
References are shared for further learning. Inclusion does not imply partnership, endorsement, accreditation or certification.
Community-specific teachings remain with their knowledge holders. A reference to an organization’s work does not confer its qualifications or permission to reproduce its curriculum.
Selected links and citation details checked 31 October 2026. Access conditions can change.