Tech or Trees? Why Schools Are Going Back to Nature

Walk into any international school classroom today and you’ll likely see technology front and centre. From AI-powered tools and online platforms to coding clubs and digital whiteboards, education has entered a new era: one that feels smarter, faster and more connected than ever before. But while the digital world races ahead, something much older and slower is quietly re-emerging: outdoor education.

When I was teaching in the UK over ten years ago, I began to notice the early signs of the forest school movement gaining momentum. Schools were carving out spaces for mud kitchens and mini-woodlands, learning to celebrate the benefits of play, exploration, and managing risk in natural environments. At the time, this seemed to develop as a reaction to growing concerns about children spending too much time indoors or on screens. But now, with the rise of AI and digital tools reaching new heights, I can’t help but see a deeper connection.

What’s fascinating is that the boom in digital learning and the rise of outdoor and resilience-based education are often talked about as separate trends, as if they have nothing to do with each other. In reality, I believe one has grown in response to the other. Perhaps not deliberately or consciously, but in a way that reflects something fundamental about what children need to grow and thrive. As the learning experience has become more screen-based, more structured and more high-tech, there has been an equal and opposite push back towards nature, real-world challenges and human connection.

That’s why we’re now seeing many of the leading international schools in our region developing forest school environments on campus and placing a greater emphasis on eco-literacy and programmes like the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award (DoE). These experiences aren’t just “nice extras”; they fulfil a need that sits outside the reach of even the most impressive piece of technology.

It’s not just the school day that’s being reconsidered. More and more schools are implementing stricter mobile phone policies, some outright bans. This is supported by a growing body of research linking reduced phone use with improved attention, fewer social and mental health issues, and better sleep. The Education Endowment Foundation (2021) found that mobile phone restrictions in schools can lead to gains in academic achievement, particularly among lower-performing students. Similarly, a longitudinal study published in Computers in Human Behavior (Twenge et al., 2018) associated higher screen time with increased levels of anxiety and decreased psychological well-being among adolescents.

Meanwhile, the benefits of outdoor learning are being strongly supported by recent academic work. A 2022 systematic review published in Frontiers in Public Health (Chawla, 2022) found consistent evidence that time in nature improves cognitive functioning, self-regulation and social skills in children. Forest schools, in particular, have been linked to gains in confidence, motivation and problem-solving abilities (Knight, 2013; Coates & Pimlott-Wilson, 2019). These are precisely the skills we say we value as educators and the ones that will matter most in an AI-driven future.

Crucially, outdoor learning environments also support equity. As Sobel (2020) argues, nature-based education provides all children, regardless of background, with access to experiential learning that fosters curiosity, agency and joy, qualities often muted by highly structured or screen-heavy classrooms.

The truth is, schools can only do so much. Digital literacy and AI fluency are undoubtedly essential, but they should be developed alongside, not instead of, qualities like resilience, teamwork, empathy and creativity. Those are the things no algorithm can replicate. Where do children develop them best? Often, it’s outdoors, where they have the freedom to explore, solve problems, make mistakes and build confidence.

Ultimately, the rise of outdoor learning isn’t a rejection of technology, but a response to it. A quiet, human instinct that says: We still need the real world, too.

By recognising this, and by supporting both innovation and nature-based education, we can help our students become not only capable learners, but resilient, well-rounded people—ready for whatever the future brings.

References:

Chawla, L. (2022). Benefits of nature contact for children. Frontiers in Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.876456

Twenge, J.M., et al. (2018). Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study. Computers in Human Behavior, 88, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.06.035

Education Endowment Foundation. (2021). Using Digital Technology to Improve Learning. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/digital

Knight, S. (2013). Forest School and Outdoor Learning in the Early Years (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.

Coates, J., & Pimlott-Wilson, H. (2019). Learning while playing: Children’s forest school experiences in the UK. British Educational Research Journal, 45(1), 21–40.

Sobel, D. (2020). Place-Based Education: Connecting Classrooms and Communities. The Orion Society.