This scoping review examined the impact of nature-based outdoor learning environments on the formation of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) concepts in preschoolers. Preschool age (3–5 years) is the time when physical interaction with surrounding built environments increases, and spontaneous learning from the environment intensifies—making it an ideal age range to promote nature-based informal learning. An outdoor learning environment can influence STEAM concept formations of preschoolers with an intentional design that offers STEAM learning affordances. Despite the rising interest in early STEAM education, there is still limited literature on how the outdoor environment may influence STEAM learning behaviors of preschoolers (3–5 years old). This scoping review intended to evaluate the existing knowledge regarding the physical factors contributing to STEAM learning affordances in an outdoor environment for children aged three to five. The review included studies from the last twenty years. This scoping review was conducted following the criteria outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). For this scoping review, 843 citations were discovered across four databases (JSTOR, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and Web of Science), ProQuest, and Google Scholar, and 31 articles were considered eligible for inclusion. The paper synthesized those 31 studies to identify the key STEAM learning behaviors of children and STEAM-activity-supportive settings that may positively influence preschoolers’ STEAM concept development.

Science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) learning is directly connected with children's cognitive development. Measuring the cognitive advancements of young children is more challenging than that of older ones because young children experience vast variations in the different personal, developmental, and environmental factors affecting their learning behaviors. Also, much learning in the early years is informal in nature, posing added challenges in systematic assessment. There are several assessment tools available for evaluating childcare settings and assessing science learning within the context of the classroom, but none for assessing outdoor learning environments. However, research shows that the outdoor physical environment of early childcare facilities has a long-lasting influence on cognitive development as well as on the quality of STEAM learning for children. There is a critical need for systematic tools to assess formal and informal early STEAM learning outdoor environments to advance both fields of early childhood education and design. This systematic review aims to document all existing tools available for assessing (a) the quality of the childcare outdoor environments and (b) the quality of STEAM learning of children aged 3–5 outside the classroom context, addressing the current lack of reliable and valid assessment measures in this emerging field. The synthesis of information from a selection of 20 studies revealed that STEAM-based outdoor learning at the preschool age is a relatively new topic and that there are no assessment tools or indicators that can assess the available opportunities in the outdoor physical environment and their affordances of STEAM learning activities and activity settings in early childhood environments (e.g., childcare centers, family care homes, or preschools). This deficiency demands more research in the areas of systematic environmental assessments of landscape design indicators in early childhood settings to advance spontaneous STEAM learning behaviors in the early years.

Traditional playground settings are often less effective in fostering STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics)-related activities, as fixed play structures tend to restrict the diversity of play behaviors and inhibit children’s ability to engage in self-directed, imaginative exploration. Using a research-through-design methodology, this study investigated how playground design (temporary landscape interventions) influences children’s engagement in informal STEAM learning activities and enhances the STEAM learning affordances of the playground. Conducted at an early learning center in Lubbock, Texas, the research involved GIS-based Environment–Behavior Mapping (E-B Mapping) and video analysis of 21 preschool-age children to compare pre- and post-intervention STEAM learning behaviors. The intervention incorporated fourteen nature-based landscape elements—such as sand and water play areas, sensory gardens, loose parts, art areas, etc.—to enhance affordances for informal STEAM activities. The results showed a marked decrease in passive behaviors and a notable rise in constructive play; collaborative interactions; and STEAM-related activities such as building, hypothesizing, observing, and experimenting. Engagement shifted away from fixed play structures to more diverse and naturalized play settings. The findings underscore the critical role of integrating diverse landscape settings and elements into playgrounds in enriching STEAM learning experiences for young children.

The application of extended reality (XR) in design education has grown substantially; however, empirical evidence on its educational benefits remains limited. This two-year study examines the impact of incorporating a virtual reality (VR) learning module into undergraduate landscape architecture (LA) construction courses, focusing on brick masonry instruction. A conventional learning sequence—lecture, sketching, CAD, and 3D modeling—was supplemented with an immersive VR experience developed using Unreal Engine 5 and deployed on Meta Quest devices. In Year 1, we piloted a preliminary version of the module with landscape architecture students (n = 15), and data on implementation feasibility and student perception were collected. In Year 2, we refined the learning module and implemented it with a new cohort (n = 16) using standardized VR evaluation metrics, knowledge retention tests, and self-efficacy surveys. The findings suggest that when sequenced after a theoretical introduction, VR serves as a pedagogical bridge between abstract construction principles and physical implementation. Moreover, the VR module enhanced student engagement and self-efficacy by offering experiential learning with immediate feedback. The findings highlight the need for intentional design, institutional support, and the continued development of tactile, collaborative simulations.

Environmental assessment in high-density urban areas faces significant challenges due to complex building morphology and the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP). This study proposes a morphology-adaptive computational framework that integrates the Homogeneous Unit of Building Morphology (HUBM) with geospatial modeling to enhance environmental assessment processes. Using Macao as a case study, the framework quantifies local and accessibility-based ecosystem service flows and evaluates ecological resilience via ecological security patterns and spatial elasticity indices. The results demonstrate that HUBM substantially reduces MAUP-induced biases compared to traditional grid-based approaches, maintaining statistical significance in spatial clustering analyses across all scales. Functionally, ecosystem service value (ESV) analysis reveals that natural green spaces provide more than three times the total ESV, predominantly offering regulating services, while artificial green spaces primarily deliver localized services. Accessibility analysis highlights considerable spatial inequities, with natural green spaces exhibiting a significantly higher recreational accessibility index. In terms of ecological security patterns (ESPs), natural green spaces function as core ecological patches, while artificial green spaces dominate connectivity, accounting for 75% of corridor length and 86% of node density. Natural green spaces exhibit significantly greater ecological resilience. These findings highlight the complementary roles of natural and artificial green spaces in dense urban environments and underscore the need for adaptive spatial analysis in urban planning.

Children are inherently curious about everything they encounter, making the early years a perfect time for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) investigations. An outdoor learning environment can influence STEAM concept formation of preschoolers with intentional design that offer STEAM learning affordances. Despite the rising interest in early STEAM education, there is still limited literature on how the outdoor environment may influence STEAM learning behaviors of preschoolers (3-5 years old). This scoping review intends to evaluate the existing knowledge regarding the physical factors that contribute to STEAM learning affordances in an outdoor environment for children aged 3 to 5. The review included studies from the last twenty years. This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the criteria outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). For this scoping review, 843 citations were discovered across four databases (JSTOR, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and Web of Science), ProQuest, and Google Scholar, and 31 articles were considered eligible for inclusion. Through the synthesis of information from those 31 studies, a list of STEAM learning behaviors of children and STEAM activity-supportive settings were identified that may positively influence preschoolers' STEAM concept development.