Browsing by Person "Touloumakos, Anna"

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Exploring student teachers’ motivations and sources of confidence: the case of outdoor learning
(Taylor and Francis Group, 2020-10-04) Barrable, Alexia; Touloumakos, Anna; Lapere, Linda
Outdoor learning has become an important part of policy and practice across several European contexts. While research indicates that outdoor experiences can enhance learning and mental health outcomes, studies have also identified a number of barriers to providing such experiences the most prevalent being that of teachers’ confidence. Acknowledging the role of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in preparing teachers for the demands and complexities of providing meaningful, safe and relevant outdoor learning experiences, this article explored teachers’ experiences both in general, and within a one-year ITE course in Scotland, employing a qualitative methodology. In particular, semi-structured interviews were used with seven ITE students. Results yielded through thematic analysis revealed mastery experiences as being preferred, while vicarious experiences were also seen as useful. In addition, previous experiences in adulthood and childhood impact on the motivation of student teachers to teach outdoors. Implications for ITE programmes are presented.
In “nature’s embrace”: Exploring connection to nature as experienced through wild swimming.
(NWS Journals, 2024-03-14) Barrable, Alexia; Wünsche, Tanya Uhnger; Touloumakos, Anna
Background and aims: Previous research has highlighted the wellbeing benefits of engaging with blue spaces, including activities like wild swimming. In some of this previous research, the role of nature connection has been identified as a pathway towards wellbeing. This article aims to explore the human-nature relationship as experienced by those engaging in wild swimming and as facilitated by the act of wild swimming. Methods: This is a qualitative study using data collected from four hundred and ninety five wild swimmers through an open-ended questionnaire. Thematic analysis allowed us to explore the pathways through which participants connect to the natural world when wild swimming. Results: The experiences of immersion, a change of point of view, encounters with non-human nature, using the senses and the therapeutic effects of wild swimming are described by participants as supporting their nature connection. Pathways to nature connection through wild swimming included self-transcendence, shifts in perspective, empathy, awe and beauty and the feeling of being supported or cared for. Moreover, linking to those pathways, several dimensions of nature connection, as described by the participants, are identified. Finally, further links are made with pro-environmental behaviours, stemming from the aforementioned dimensions and pathways. Discussion: Wild swimming represents a unique way to connect to the natural world, and this research paper explores the pathways towards connection through the activity of wild swimming. This offers an extension of previous work on pathways, and can be used by practitioners, individuals and researchers looking at increasing connection to the natural world.
Nature Connectedness as a Risk Factor for Psychological Distress After Environmental Disasters: Insights from the 2024 Attica Wildfires
(Mary Ann Liebert, 2025-06-09) Barrable, Alexia; Lugosi-Grant, Zsuzsa; Stacey, Anna; Touloumakos, Anna
Nature connectedness, the construct that describes how close we feel to the rest of the natural world, has been studied extensively in the past decade. There have been well-evidenced prior studies showing a positive correlation between nature connectedness and wellbeing in both children and adults, as well as sustainable attitudes and behaviour towards the environment. What has not been studied as well to date is the potential for nature connectedness to contribute to levels of distress and other negative emotions in the presence of the climate crisis and environmental disasters. This study analysed results from a sample of Greek speaking adults, collected in the 14 days after the 2024 Attica wildfires. We examined the relationship between respondents’ experience of the event, and the associations between respondents’ nature connectedness and resultant psychological distress. We found that higher nature connectedness was associated with higher psychological distress in people who had experienced forest fires. We believe that future research on nature connectedness needs to take into account the potential for psychological distress in the face of ongoing environmental disasters and the climate crisis.