[ Qualifications ]
[ Principal Interests ] [ PhD
Supervision ] [ Biographical
Note ] [ Publications ] [ Current
and Recent Research ] [ Further
Info ]
Qualifications
- BA (Hons) Recreation Management (Moray
House)
- PG Diploma in Outdoor Education
(Moray House)
- PhD (Edinburgh)
Principal
Interests
- Outdoor Environmental Education
(theory and practice)
- Environmental Philosophy
- Epistemological Diversity (different ways of knowing)
- Experiential learning
- Sustainable Development Education
- Cultural Perspectives on Environmental Education
Research
Supervision
I will supervise research under the headings above and currently supervise doctoral students in the following areas:
- Alison Lugg: An investigation into the contribution of outdoor education pedagogy to the development of sustainability literate graduates
- Sam Harrison: Outdoor education for, in, and about, place
- Nuray Yildrim: An evaluation of the effectiveness of delivering outdoor environmental education as part of the Turkish primary school curriculum
Biographical
Note
I have
worked as an outdoor environmental educator within
the public, commercial, charitable and voluntary
sectors. I hold a wide range of national governing
body awards in canoeing/kayaking, mountaineering
and skiing and maintain an active participation in
these activities through journeying.
I
am responsible for the supervision of MSc students covering
a wide range of topics including child development, emotional
intelligences, the use and application of learning models
and cross-cultural education. My own PhD is is titled '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'. This investigation looked at the meaning of personal,
social and environmental education in relation to theoretical,
policy and operational perspectives.
I am involved in Continuing Professional Development through a European Union
funded Socrates programme titled 'Outdoor Education: Authentic Learning in the
Context of Landscapes'. I am also a Board member of the European Institute for
Outdoor Adventure Education and Experiential Learning and on the advisory group
for the Wilderness Foundation UK.
Current
and Recent Research
Higgins,
P., Nicol, R. & Ross, H., 2006, 'Teachers' Approaches
and Attitudes to Engaging with the Natural Heritage
Through the Curriculum'. Perth: Scottish Natural
Heritage, (June 2006).
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: A Report for Learning and Teaching Scotland'.
Dundee: Learning and Teaching Scotland.
Publications
Selected
Publications:
Nicol, R. and Higgins P. (2009) Cecil Reddie BSc, PhD (1858-1932). In Smith,
T. and Knapp, C. (Eds). 'Beyond Dewey and Hahn: standing
on the shoulders of influential experiential educators'. Wisconsin:
Racoon.
Higgins P. and Nicol, R. (2009) Professor Patrick Geddes (1854-1932) 'Vivendo
discimus' - by living we learn. In Smith, T. and Knapp, C. (Eds). 'Beyond
Dewey and Hahn: standing on the shoulders of influential experiential educators'. Wisconsin:
Racoon.
Nicol, R. and Higgins, P. (2008) Outdoor education; in the 'environment' or
part of the 'environment'. 'Environmental Education', 89: 29-30. National Association
for Environmental Education.
Nicol, R. and Higgins, P. (2008). Outdoor education; in the 'environment' or
part of the 'environment'. In P. Becker and J. Schirp. (Eds). 'Other ways of
learning'. Marburg: The European Institute for Outdoor Adventure Education and
Experiential Learning 1996-2006, 233-242.
Higgins, P. and Nicol, R. (2008) Outdoor education. In T. Bryce and W. Humes,
(Eds). 'Scottish Education (3rd Edition) Beyond Devolution'. Edinburgh: Edinburgh
University Press, 540-545.
 More
listed on the Outdoor Education
website
Further
Information
Further
information on the Outdoor Education website
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