Nature-based Learning of Adults: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: Nature-based learning (NBL) has gained attention across experiential, outdoor, and sustainability-oriented education; however, research on adult learning in natural environments remains fragmented. Purpose: This scoping review synthesizes 32 empirical studies published between 1996 and 2025 examining how adults learn in and with nature when natural environments function as active components of the learning process. Method: The review followed the methodological framework for scoping reviews and was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Studies were identified through systematic searches of educational and interdisciplinary databases. Included studies addressed adult-focused NBL across formal, non-formal, and informal contexts. Studies covered higher education, professional training, community-based programs, and outdoor learning. Findings: Five thematic outcome domains emerged: ecological knowledge and scientific literacy, awareness of environmental challenges, practical conservation skills, personal and professional development, and relational place-based perspectives. Three orientations of adult NBL were identified: learning about nature, learning for nature, and learning through nature. Methodological approaches ranged from experimental designs to qualitative case studies and participatory approaches. Implications: The review clarifies conceptual boundaries of adult NBL, highlights the pedagogical role of natural environments in adult learning, and identifies directions for future research revealing conceptual and methodological diversity across the field.