Those who teach learn: near-peer teaching as outdoor environmental education curriculum and pedagogy

Near-peer teaching is used within higher education because of its efficacy for both student teachers and learners. Our purpose in this paper is to highlight the possibilities of applying near-peer teaching pedagogies in outdoor and environmental higher education contexts. We begin by reviewing its use in the higher education sector, mainly focusing on health and medical education where it is regularly used. We then employ a qualitative methodology to examine the initial experience of near-peer teaching, in which third-year university undergraduate students teach first-year students in the field during a higher education outdoor environmental education programme in Australia. Both sets of students (teachers and learners) report valuing the experience for its authentic preparation for future outdoor environmental education, explicit outdoor environmental education curriculum and pedagogy content, and role in inducting first-year students into the community of professional practice within the programme. We also highlight distinct elements of the programme that contribute to the success of this unique near-peer teaching and learning experience and further discuss the limitations as a useful signpost for extending near-peer experiences across outdoor environmental education, and higher education more broadly.