Outdoor Education as a Pathway to Real-World Learning with Martin Foakes and Rob Carmichael

Outdoor education can create some of the most memorable and transformative experiences students have at school. But what happens when we start thinking about it as more than a trip, expedition, or week away?In this episode of Education Vanguard, Justin Hardman speaks with Martin Foakes, OFFSEAS Board Chair, and Rob Carmichael, OFFSEAS Board Member and sustainability leader, about outdoor education as a pathway to deeper, real-world learning.They explore how OFFSEAS has evolved from a grassroots gathering of outdoor educators into a wider professional community bringing together schools, providers, leaders, and specialists.The conversation looks at the growing importance of experiential learning in an age of AI, integrating outdoor learning with the curriculum, character development, environmental stewardship, measuring impact, and the future professionalization of outdoor education.Martin and Rob also discuss why preparing young people for life requires experiences that cannot simply be delivered through a screen or measured through a traditional assessment.The conversation offers a preview of many of the ideas and challenges the outdoor education community will continue exploring at OFFSEAS 2027.