Moving towards inclusion and connection: practitioners’ conceptualisations of walking pedagogy

Walking pedagogy, sometimes referred to as walking curriculum or walking collaboratories, is an understudied form of nature-based learning that involves using walks (or other forms of journeying) for educational purposes. Framed through the six touchstones of wild pedagogies, we sought to explore how 20 practitioners from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and Singapore engaged with walking pedagogy. Using reflexive thematic analysis of interviews, we developed three themes that reflect our perception of how the practitioners in the study conceptualised and operationalised walking pedagogy: work that doesn’t feel like work, accommodating trauma and adapting practice, and connecting to place. Participants used this practice in their diverse locations and contexts to promote inclusion and connection with their students, the environment, and their communities. We propose that walking pedagogy has the potential to be a trauma-informed, inclusive practice while also encouraging relationships with nature.