Emotions have often been underexplored in fieldwork, as research into the cognitive impacts has been more common. As the mental health and wellbeing of young people are becoming increasingly more important in policy and practice, more research is exploring how young people feel in fieldwork and outdoor and environmental education.
The paper below by Treibergs et el (2022) discusses why it is important to explore the cognitive experiences of fieldwork alongside the emotional experiences. Using reflective journals, the study explored what university students enrolled on a campus-based course entitled “Introductory Field Biology” feel, believe, and value as they participate in an undergraduate field course.