Staff

Dr Robbie Nicol

Current Research Interests

Experiential learning
Education and society
The history and current policy context of outdoor and environmental education
Land reform in Scotland
Recreational access in Scotland
The historical and contemporary relationship between place, people and nature

Publications

Nicol, R., Higgins, P., Ross, H. and Mannion, G. (2007). Outdoor education in Scotland: a summary of recent research. Perth: SNH.

Higgins, P., Nicol, R. and Ross, H., (2006). Teachers' approaches and attitudes to engaging with the natural heritage through the curriculum. Perth: Scottish Natural Heritage.

Nicol, R., Higgins, P. and Ross, H. (2006). Outdoor education: the views of providers from different contexts in Scotland. Dundee: Learning and Teaching Scotland.

Nicol, R., Higgins, P., Goodyear, M and Ross, H. (2006). Working with Local Authorities to deliver first-hand experience of the natural heritage through the formal education sector. Perth: Scottish Natural Heritage.

Ross, H., Higgins, P. and Nicol, R. (2006). Recognition of young people's achievements in outdoor learning activities. Dundee: Learning and Teaching Scotland.

Nicol, R. and Higgins, P. (2005). Outdoor education; in the 'environment' or part of the 'environment'. In B. Humberstone, and R. Nicol, (Eds). Old Traditions—New Trends. Proceedings of the 7th Conference of the European Institute of Outdoor Adventure Education and Experiential Learning 16-19 September 2004 51-56.

Humberstone, B. and Nicol, R. (Eds) (2005). Old Traditions—New Trends. Proceedings of the 7th Conference of the European Institute of Outdoor Adventure Education and Experiential Learning 16-19 September 2004.

Higgins P., Nicol, R. and Ross, H. (2005). Teachers' approaches and attitudes to engaging with the natural heritage through the curriculum. Scottish Natural Heritage.

Nicol, R. (2004). Creating sustainable communities through education. Keynote speech delivered to an international forum of experiential environmental educators in Tokyo, Japan. Creating Sustainable Society Through Education, 5-22.

Nicol, R. (2004). Heart, hand and head in the cairngorms. John Muir Trust Journal, 36, 21-22.

Higgins, P., Nicol, R., Lugg, A. and Allison, P. (2004). Education outside the classroom: a submission of Evidence. Report for an external body, Parliamentary Education and Skills committee inquiry.

Nicol, R. (2003). Teacher development: in-service training courses in Europe 1999-2003. Environmental Education, 73: 14-16.

Nicol, R. (2003). Pillars of knowledge. In B. Humberstone, H. Brown and K. Richards, (Eds) (115-130). Whose journeys? the outdoors and adventure as social and cultural phenomena. Institute for Outdoor Learning.

Nicol, R. (2003). Outdoor environmental education and concept-based practice: some practical activities designed to consider the relationship between people and place. In P. Becker, and C. Sack, Sharing Diversity and Building up European Networks. Proceedings of the 6th European conference of EOE, Czarnocin, 4-8.10.2003.

Nicol, R. (2003). Outdoor education: research topic or universal value? Part three. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 3 (1), 11-27.

Wightman, A., Higgins, P., Jarvie, G. and Nicol R. (2002). The Cultural Politics of Hunting: Sporting estates and recreational land use in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Culture, Sport and Society, 5 (1) 53-70.

Higgins, P. and Nicol, R. (eds) (2002). Outdoor education: authentic learning through landscapes volume 2. An international collaboration project supported by the European Union Comenius Action 2. European In-Service Training Courses.

Nicol, R. and Higgins, P. (2002). Outdoor Learning in Theory and Practice. In Outdoor Education: Authentic Learning in the Context of Landscapes (Volume 2), Kinda Education Centre, Sweden, 3-14.

Higgins, P. and Nicol, R. (2002). Learning as adventure: theory and practice. Department for Education and Skills Connexion Service.

Nicol, R. and Higgins, P. (2002). A Framework for the Evaluation Outdoor Education Programmes. In Outdoor Education: Authentic Learning in the Context of Landscapes (Volume 2), Kinda Education Centre, Sweden, 29-36.

Nicol, R. (ed) (2002). Three years of outdoor education (1999-2002)—an evaluation of the European Union funded project 'outdoor education—authentic learning in the context of landscapes.

Nicol, R. (2002). Outdoor environmental education in the United Kingdom: a conceptual framework of epistemological diversity and its educational implications. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 7 ( 2), 207-223.

Nicol, R. (2002). Outdoor education: research topic or universal value? Part two. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 2 (2), 85-99.

Nicol, R. (2002). Outdoor education: research topic or universal value? Part one. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 2 (1), 29-41.

Nicol, R. (2001). Outdoor education for sustainable living?: an investigation into the potential of Scottish local authority residential outdoor education centres to deliver programmes relating to sustainable living. University of Edinburgh: PhD Thesis.

Higgins, P., Crowther, N., Nicol, R. and Meldrum, C. (2001). An environmental education plan for the island of Rum (NNR). Perth: Scottish Natural Heritage.

Nicol, R., Higgins, P. and Crowther, N. (1999). Outdoor education for sustainability: historical and contemporary perspectives. In M. Allison, J. Horne and L. Jackson, (Eds) Sport, Leisure and Society, (3),126-132. Moray House Institute of Education: University of Edinburgh.

Nicol, R (1999). A survey of Scottish outdoor centres. Horizons, 6: 14-16. Penrith: Adventure Education.

Nicol, R. and Higgins, P. (1998). A sense of place: a context for environmental outdoor education. In P. Higgins, and B. Humberstone, (Eds) Celebrating Diversity: Learning by Sharing Cultural Differences, 50-55. Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College: European Institute for Outdoor Adventure Education and Experiential Learning.

Crowther, N., Higgins, P. and Nicol, R. (1998). The contribution of outdoor education towards learning to sustain. In J. Smyth, (Ed) Learning to Sustain, 58-60. University of Stirling: The Scottish Environmental Education Council.

Nicol, R. (1997). Rights for Whom? Loch Venachar—a case study. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Leadership 14 (2), 12-14. Penrith: Adventure Education.

Michie, D., Higgins, P. and Nicol, R. (1997). The context and regulation of outdoor education. In P. Higgins, C. Loynes and N. Crowther, (Eds) A Guide for Outdoor Educators in Scotland, 30-39. Penrith: Adventure Education.

Nicol, R. (1996). Threats to inland canoeing: options for change. Leisure Studies Association Newsletter, 43: 17-33. (Winner of Ventris memorial award).

Other

Nicol, R., & Higgins, P. (2004). A review of research literature relating to outdoor education. Unpublished manuscript.

Wightman, A., Higgins, P., Jarvie, G., & Nicol, R. (n.d.). Hunting and Hill-walking in the Highlands and Islands: Sporting estates and recreational land use in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Draft.