Outdoor science education to improve learning and well-being in primary school children

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

In a cluster randomized design, primary schools in Montreal, Longueuil, and Laval are randomized to deliver a 5-week science curriculum either outdoors or in the classroom, with lessons twice weekly for 2 hours. Participants are 5th and 6th graders from schools that meet a minimum deprivation index and have at least two interested teachers; alternative schools and schools for newly arrived non‑Francophone students are excluded. Outcomes include the quality of students' observations of living organisms on a post-intervention field trip and pre/post questionnaires measuring connection to nature, eco-anxiety, and stress. The trial is led by Université de Sherbrooke and randomizes at the school (cluster) level to compare outdoor versus indoor instruction.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

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.

Where it's running

• Greater Montreal area (Laval, Longueuil, Montreal)
  Montreal, Quebec, Canada Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet, PhD — Université de Sherbrooke
• Study coordinator: Gabriela Quintela Do Carmo
• Email: quig1988@usherbrooke.ca
• Phone: 803-477-7554

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.