Abstract

Outdoor environmental education is a transformative educational tool for achieving Education for Sustainable Development, particularly in developing countries where environmental education is deficient. This study surveyed 87 primary school teachers in the Los R & iacute;os region of southern Chile to assess outdoor environmental excursions, examining motivations and limitations. Key barriers included resource scarcity and limited opportunities. The findings highlight the importance of outdoor education in fostering socio-emotional skills and local identity. Teachers primarily addressed pollution and recycling, revealing significant gaps in training, especially concerning marine and mountain ecosystems. Notably, environmentally certified schools did not conduct more outdoor excursions than non-certified schools. This study contributes to the limited body of environmental education research in Chile, emphasizing the need to strengthen outdoor education to address weaknesses in the current curriculum. It provides valuable insights for improving preservice teacher training in Chile to advance SDG Quality Education in Latin America.